People caught in possession of a bible were among 80 killed in public executions in seven North Korean cities on November 3.
Witnesses of one of the executions, in Wonsan, said that eight people were tied to stakes at a local stadium, had their heads covered with sacks and were then killed by machine-gun fire. Around 10,000 people, including children, were forced to watch.
Those executed were mostly accused of minor ‘offences’ such as watching or illegally trafficking South Korean films. ‘Accomplices’ or relatives who were implicated in the ‘crimes’ were sent to prison camps.