Sick and denied rest, detainees beaten in North Korean heat wave

In North Korea, detainees at labor training camps are collapsing due to heat exhaustion while performing outdoor work, despite not receiving adequate medical treatment or rest. Instructors at these camps are chastising the detainees, forcing them back to work instead of providing proper care. A source in North Pyongan province reported that two detainees at a camp in Sinuiju collapsed from heat exhaustion last month after weeding fields and carrying water in the heat.

The instructors demanded that they not fake their illness and hurry up to complete the task, then proceeded to beat both detainees. Labor training camps are short-term facilities where North Koreans who commit minor offenses are held and subjected to forced labor. Detainees are frequently assigned to local tasks as well as outside jobs that generate income for the camps.

However, they are forced to work outdoors even during heat waves, often experiencing dizziness, but they cannot rest without the instructor's permission. The instructors prioritize meeting work quotas over the detainees' health, resulting in verbal abuse and beatings. In Hyesan, Ryanggang province, a labor training camp detainee who was assigned to garbage duty collapsed from dehydration, and the instructor cursed at him and kicked him until locals intervened.

Many detainees report collapsing due to the high temperatures, which exceed 30 degrees Celsius. In some cases, instructors even claim that detainees are not dying and force them back to work. Those with financial means can pay off camp officials to avoid harsh conditions, while others have little recourse when mistreated by instructors.