'N. Korea military superiors raped all of us'

North Korean female soldiers / Yonhap

By Ko Dong-hwan

A former North Korean female military officer says male superiors raped all the women in her squad.

In an interview with a media outlet, North Korean defector Lee So-yeon, 41, said 20 male officers sexually harassed 100 lower-ranking female soldiers in the squad.

“Those who got pregnant were sent to a hospital in the city of Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, the only hospital in the vicinity of the military base,” Lee said, according to the report. “Medical personnel in the hospital who found out about the incident divulged the fact after two years.”

Rape targeting female soldiers is frequent at North Korean military bases and those responsible are rarely punished, she said. Victims are often dishonorably discharged from the military.

“Authorities, aware of time and money invested in nurturing high-ranking male officers, are reluctant to punish them, although they are responsible for the crime,” Lee said.

Lee, who helps North Korean defectors, said she is on a list of 24 people North Korea wants to execute. The list was issued in April last year.

When asked why she is so passionate about her humanitarian work, she said: “It breaks my heart to recollect the pain I had gone through there and I want to offset the hardship.”