ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Human rights in North Korea

Let's imagine you have a friend named Kim who lives in North Korea. Unlike your life in your country, Kim has some problems with the government there. Kim isn't allowed to express himself freely or talk about what he feels or thinks about his own country, because the government wants to keep everything very secretive. For example, your friend can't use the internet like you do, because there's no such thing in North Korea. The government controls most of the communication channels, and they decide what content is OK for the people to see.

Moreover, the government controls the economy, so people don't have much choice when it comes to deciding what job they want to do or what food they want to eat. It means that your friend cannot buy whatever he wants because there aren't many options.

Another thing is the government gives strict orders to people, regardless of their age, gender, or social status, that everyone has to follow. If someone breaks the laws, they can get imprisoned or face cruel punishment like labor camps, where people work all day long for little to no pay, and they are not allowed to leave. These hard labor camps are like a prison where people are treated terribly, and it's sad and unfair.

Your friend Kim deserves to have the freedom to live, speak, work, and choose what he wants to do in life, like you do in your country, with his own choices. Here, people have a lot more rights, and the government exists to protect them, not to control their every move. But unfortunately, it's the opposite situation in North Korea, which makes it challenging to live there without their rights, leading to suffering and pain for all people.