The death penalty is mandatory for political offenses...

The death penalty is mandatory for political offenses and has reportedly been handed down for ordinary crimes and for theft and embezzlement. The death penalty is prescribed in North Korea for listening to foreign radio broadcasts, writing "reactionary" letters and "opposing socialism". The age at which one is subject to criminal penalties in North Korea was lowered from 16 to 12. The minimum age for the death penalty was allegedly raised from 17 to eighteen. Public executions are held frequently in North Korea, though the North Korean authorities try to deny the fact. These executions are conducted after summary trials or Kangaroo courts at which judges or lawyers are not present. Usually local police officers conduct the summary trials and sentence the criminals to death. The police authorities generally put up a public notice informing the residents of the time and place of the executions together with the names of criminals to be executed. The executions are held in open areas where the masses can watch the execution process. The executions are usually conducted by a firing squad under the orders of police officers. Sometimes the condemned are hanged. The crowds watch while the condemned criminals are gagged, and their eyes covered. After the executions, people watching are told by police officers to throw stones at the dead bodies as a token of their hatred for the criminals. Over 750 public executions had been carried out between 1995 and 1998 as part of a campaign to repress the criminality engendered by the country's economic crisis.