Number of Defectors From North Korea Dwindles

(USNewsBreak.com) – North Korean citizens live under a strict dictatorship. Ruler Kim Jong Un even bans travel to other regions outside of highly specific circumstances. Those who attempt to escape reportedly face jail time or execution, but that doesn’t stop a few brave souls from trying to sneak out. Kim Jong Un’s decision to crack down on the practice is making many who have already defected concerned that they won’t meet their families again.

Kim Jong Un's crackdowns leave N.Korea defectors with little hope https://t.co/jegkSBl2aZ pic.twitter.com/NT3VUL6J9z

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2021

According to Reuters, the fewest number of people ever exited from North Korea from April to June. Only two people were able to leave, a drastic drop from the several hundred recorded in the past. Hardly anyone manages to cross the border now.

Sadly, reports indicate that life in North Korea isn’t getting any easier. Harsh policies and ineffective leadership leave many citizens dying of hunger, or in some cases, perfectly treatable diseases. Kim’s heavy-handed policies continue to devastate the population.

To improve conditions, Kim agreed to allow private sector agents to become the largest group of participants in the country’s economy since he took office. However, the country faces stiff international sanctions from other nations that interfere with its ability to flourish on the local or global stage.

Kim is also known for enacting some of the harshest rules. It’s alleged that the strict leader has executed people for incidents as minor as watching Korean pop music videos. Consumption of any non-approved media source that the state does not operate reportedly carries similar punishments. Even disagreeing with Kim’s political opinions can lead to jail time or execution.

Unpaid labor is also a concern. One in 10 North Koreans remained enslaved as of 2018, according to the 2018 Global Slavery Index. It’s believed that many live in concentration camps designed for forced work and control.

Reports suggest the North Korean government continues to deny the state of life inside the country. It is becoming more and more difficult to ignore the plight its people face. It seems that many now have little hope of ever finding freedom or peace in another place.