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.
When I arrived in Yodok, there were hundreds of prisoners there. They were treated like beasts. Most prisoners were political offenders, including students who had studied in foreign countries such as Germany or China. They were put into this prison camp because they had criticised the political system in North Korea.