Seoul: A new human rights report says North Korea sharply increased executions during its strict COVID 19 lockdown, with many people punished for activities that would not normally carry the death penalty.

The findings were released by the Transitional Justice Working Group, a Seoul based group that studies human rights conditions in North Korea. It documented about 148 executions in 60 cases between 2020 and 2024. This is a clear rise compared to 41 executions recorded in the previous five years.

The report says the reasons for executions changed during this period. Instead of focusing mainly on serious crimes like murder, authorities increasingly punished people for watching or sharing foreign media, especially content from South Korea. Religious activities and other forms of outside cultural influence were also treated as serious crimes.

Researchers say this reflects a broader effort by the government under Kim Jong Un to tighten control over information and prevent foreign influence from spreading inside the country.

The report also notes a rise in executions linked to political charges. Cases involving political offences increased significantly, suggesting stronger enforcement against anyone seen as a threat to the leadership or the state.

North Korea sealed its borders in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic. This led to extreme isolation, with strict movement controls and increased surveillance. Human rights groups say this created conditions where authorities could act with less outside scrutiny.

Executions were reported not only near border areas but also in inland regions, indicating that foreign media had reached deeper into the country despite tight restrictions.

In recent months North Korea has started to reopen some limited links with neighboring China, but controls inside the country remain strict. Very few people are managing to leave, and monitoring of citizens continues at a high level.

Human rights experts warn that the situation could remain severe, with strict punishments still being used to maintain control. They say the pandemic period has shown how quickly restrictions can be tightened when the government feels its authority is under pressure.