North Korean Prison Database

The database holds information on:

• 1,095 individual perpetrators responsible for egregious violations, facilitating targeted accountability measures.

• 9,150 human rights violations, providing one of the most comprehensive overviews of North Korea’s prison system.

• 1,425 detainees, enabling us to track violations and support victims in their pursuit of justice.

The North Korean prison system is the key mechanism used to oppress citizens identified as political threats, thereby making it the central site for widespread and systematic human rights violations. Despite this, there had been no dedicated or credible investigation into the prison system, nor had there been a targeted approach to hold perpetrators accountable.

The database, which is bilingual and free to access, marks a turning point in efforts to combat impunity in North Korea. By making credible evidence accessible to international mechanisms, journalists, and civil society for the first time, Korea Future has opened pathways to justice. As global actors intensify their efforts to address North Korea’s human rights crisis, this database stands as an essential tool in ensuring that those responsible for atrocities are held to account.