If Kim's portrait has dust, you are sentenced to death

"In North Korea, every room must have portraits of the Kims, and an inspector can show up out of nowhere in the middle of the night and touch the portraits. If they find dust, they say your loyalty isn’t sufficient, and you can be executed or sent to a prison camp along with generations of your family.

So if the portrait has dust, you get executed. Yes. And if your house catches fire, the first thing isn’t to run with your family, children, or parents. You must protect the portraits with your life—otherwise, God punishes three generations for it."

Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea since 2011, has been widely denounced for committing barbaric acts, including summary executions, forced disappearances, and systematic human rights violations. Below is a summary of some of the most notorious crimes attributed to his regime:

Executions and Political Purges

Mass execution of officials: In 2024, Kim Jong-un reportedly ordered the execution of up to 30 officials over their alleged responsibility for floods that killed around 4,000 people in Chagang Province.

Elimination of high-ranking figures: Since taking power, Kim is estimated to have executed over 340 individuals, including 140 senior officials from the government, military, and the Workers' Party.

Brutal execution methods: Some executions have been carried out in extremely cruel ways, such as the case of Defense Minister Hyon Yong-chol, who was allegedly executed with an anti-aircraft gun for falling asleep during an official event.

Family purges: In 2013, Kim ordered the execution of his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, on charges of treason and corruption. Several of Jang’s close associates were also executed.

Prison Camps and Systematic Repression

Concentration camps: The regime operates political prison camps such as Yodok’s Camp 15, where detainees — including children and the elderly — are subjected to forced labor, torture, and public executions.

Human rights violations: A UN report documented crimes against humanity in North Korea, including murder, enslavement, torture, rape, and political persecution.

International Abductions

Kidnapping of foreign citizens: Between 1977 and 1983, North Korean agents abducted Japanese citizens for use in espionage and propaganda programs. It is estimated that up to 80 Japanese nationals were victims of these abductions.

These acts reflect the brutality of Kim Jong-un's regime and have drawn international condemnation for gross human rights abuses and violations of international law.