North Korea Using Executions To Keep Citizens In Line

North Korea is using public executions as a way to keep citizens in line according to an U.N. investigation on human rights in the nation. The report came out on Thursday that the use of executions are intimidating the residents of the communist county.

It was also reported that there are restrictions on long distance calls to curb outside news on the growing food shortages plaguing the country. Vitit Muntarbhorn told the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee on Thursday about the grave conditions inside North Korea. The Associated Press reports:

"The human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains grave in a number of key areas," Muntarbhorn said.

"Particularly disconcerting is the use of public executions to intimidate the public," he said. "This is despite various law reforms in 2004 and 2005, which claim to have improved the criminal law framework and related sanctions."

Food is often available only for the elite. Millions are facing severe food shortages and it is estimated that 2.7 million people on the west coast would be without food in October. The World Food Program is assisting 6.5 million in the nation with food. The one positive note is that because of its nuclear program North Korea is having to open up with the world about human rights concerns. Muntarbhorn also noted that when the the nation was devastated by flooding in August 2007 it cooperated relatively well with the U.N. and other humanitarian agencies that came to the citizens aid with food and supplies.