Mao Zedong died nearly four days later just after midnight, at 00:10, on September 9, 1976, at age 82. The Communist Party of China delayed the announcement of his death until 16:00 later that day, when a radio message broadcast across the nation announced the news of Mao's passing while appealing for party unity.
The internment camps are located in central and northeastern North Korea. They comprise many prison labour colonies in secluded mountain valleys, completely isolated from the outside world. The total number of prisoners is estimated to be 150,000 to 200,000.
The tale of Shin Dong-hyuk, North Korea's only concentration camp escapee, exposes the regime's real face, writes Emily Dyer. Shin Dong-hyuk, one of the few known survivors of North Korea's prison camps, travelled to London last week to share his experiences in Parliament at an event held by the Henry Jackson Society. Shin, born into Kaechon internment camp (Camp 14), endured twenty two years of punishment for the supposed crimes of his parents.