by Jesse Walker-McGraw

Greetings! I’m back! Just as a warning, this blog is going to be a hard one, so bear with me. It’s about North Korean death camps.

Q: Why the heck does North Korea have death camps?

A:North Korea is a very oppressive country. They have a dictator, Kim Jong Un, who tolerates no dissension. According to reports released by the U.N., North Korea has been putting people it perceives as threats into concentration camps. The people can be imprisoned for anything from watching foreign soap operas to trying to escape the country.

Q: What are the conditions like?

A: OK, before I say all this, I’m going to warn you all that it’s pretty graphic. Prisoners who have escaped from North Korean death camps have talked about a mother being forced to drown her infant, a young girl being punished for trying to eat edible plants by being forced to eat grass, roots, and dirt. When the same young girl died from the punishment, her body was eaten by dogs.

Q: How did the U.N. find all this out?

A: Former prisoners who somehow got away have testified, according to CNN. Satellite imagery has also been used as evidence.

Q: What is the U.N. going to do about this?

A: So far, they haven’t really done anything. The committee that gathered the information has said that it will refer it to the International Criminal Court and has warned the dictator of North Korea that he may face prosecution. Likewise, no other countries have really reacted, save China, which is an ally of North Korea and is backing them up.

Q: How has North Korea reacted?

A: Not well. It has said that the report is all lies and is an attempt to undermine the country, according to CNN.

So, that’s the grim reality. I know this stuff is hard to read and see, but its in our hands now. We have a responsibility to do something about all this. We’re the next generation and we have to take care of the world. See you next time.