2nd of March: Execution took place empty lot near the railway station in Yuson district of Hoeryong city; it's around 10 km west from the city center. 1 person was executed, also for 'human trafficking'. Other one received 10 years in prison.

To be precize: Another defector who witnessed the executions said the three were accused of trafficking North Koreans across the border to China and trying to sell U.S. military dog-tags.

Quoting from http://northkorearefugees.com (about political or social context of the video release):

Defectors from North Korea tell us that when open trials or public executions are scheduled, the people are mobilized by the organizations to which they belong. Sometimes, children attend, being led by teachers. Announcement bills are posted throughout the city, and loudspeaker cars drive around announcing the events.

All inhabitants are expected to attend the events, although absentees are allegedly not punished.

As shown in the video, the executions were carried out immediately after the sentences were announced. Each condemned prisoner was tied to a pole, and three riflemen each fired three shots. Several North Korean defectors commented that the procedure in these public executions was almost identical to others they had witnessed in the past.

Our coverage discovered that the number of public executions peaked in the late 1990s. At that time, huge numbers of North Koreans were starving, and it became difficult to maintain law and order.

Crimes leading to execution during the 90s involved people stealing materials from factories or killing cows and eating them to survive. According to some North Korean defectors who lived in Hoeryong city, those executions were by shooting or by hanging.

After 2000, the number of public executions fell drastically, probably in response to protest from the international community.

There seem to have been few public executions since then. News of the recent public executions in Hoeryong city spread quickly in South Korea and among ethnic Koreans living in China.

Special political factors underlie the recent public executions.

The number of escapees from North Korea into China has fallen dramatically since a large-scale operation against “anti-socialism” was begun in the border area at the end of 2004.

Map of the places mentioned in post:

⠀⠀SECOND ONE

Second North Korean execution videotaped was carried in Hamju on 10th of July, 2006. Asahi TV was first to show the footage. Circumstances went as follow:

The women was accused of stealing 10 kg of corn from the kitchen of a colleague and murdering the colleague's 12-year-old daughter in the process. She then allegedly sold the corn for W3,500 (on the black market $US1 is exchanged for 3,000 North Korean won) at a local market and buying food with the money.

The video shows the public trial of the women in April, followed by the execution which occurred out in the open, with young students and residents looking on.

⠀⠀SOURCES

http://www.northkoreanrefugees.com/dvd/statement.htm

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2005/03/16/2005031661028.html

https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2005/03/30/2005033061021.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20061023083426/http://www.ogrish.com/archives/north_korea_execution_video_obtained_by_japanese_media_Mar_19_2005.html

Second video

https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2006/09/21/2006092161025.html?related_all