North Korea’s Prison Camps Are Absolutely Horrifying (Photo)

As international leaders fear what Pyongyang may do beyond its borders, perhaps the biggest issue is what happens within.

North Korea operates a growing network of prison camps containing up to 200,000 prisoners in conditions likened by survivors to Nazi concentration camps. This atrocity gains little international attention, though the United Nations Human Rights Council is considering a formal inquiry for possible crimes against humanity.

Information about the camps is limited to reports from the few successful escapees, notably Shin Dong-hyuk, who told 60 Minutes about spending 23 years behind the wire.

Although there are no pictures from inside the camps, satellite images plus a set of illustrations supposedly done by a defector (the source of these images is unconfirmed) give a hint of the terror inside.

 There are over 24 million people living inside North Korea.

But there are between 150,000 and 200,000 who have 'disappeared'. They live in brutal concentration camps throughout the country.

Former prisoners say conditions are so bad that 20 to 25 percent of the prison population dies every year.

The North uses guilt by association to lock up entire families just for knowing someone convicted of "wrong thought."

Shin Dong-hyuk was born inside one camp, and lived there 23 years before he was able to escape.

Successful escapes have been few. That's because anyone who tries, plans, or has knowledge of an escape is executed, and all prisoners are required to watch.

Starvation is common, as prisoners are usually only fed gruel made of cornmeal and cabbage. "We were always hungry, and the guards always told us 'through hunger you will repent,'" Shin said. They often eat rats and insects just to stay alive.

Without protein and calcium in their diet, prisoners develop hunchbacks from bending over in the fields or lose toes and fingers due to frostbite.

The guards are relentless in their brutality.

The guards are relentless in their brutality.

They often terrorize and torture their captives, sometimes just for fun, according to escapees.

The tip of one of Shin's fingers was chopped off as punishment for accidentally breaking a machine while working in a factory.

When he was just 13 years old, Shin was sent to an underground torture center when his mother and older brother were accused of attempting an escape. "They hung me by the ankles and they tortured me with fire."

All of the methods of torture are appalling — but some are more disturbing than others.

And women aren't afforded any leniency.

Pregnancy is strictly forbidden, except in the case of a 'marriage' arranged by the prison guards.

Prisoners are categorized as their conditions deteriorate …

.. While guards and party officials are treated well for their dedication to the regime.

But if prisoners can make it past guards and electrified fences …