A report by the Transitional Justice Working Group revealed that North Korea significantly increased executions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report found that many executions were linked to charges such as adopting foreign culture or committing political offenses.

North Korea closed its borders in January 2020 to prevent the spread of the virus and later strengthened security measures, particularly along its borders.

Activists say these policies worsened human rights conditions, with the number of executions more than doubling in the five years following the border closure.