Revealed! Kim Jong Un Allegedly Operates Secret Prison in Beijing
North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, is alleged to be operating a secret detention facility in the basement of its embassy in Beijing, China. This allegation was revealed by the Seoul-based human-rights group, the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG).
In a report released on 28 September, the TJWG stated that several sources identified the basement of the North Korean Embassy’s consular section as a ‘black site’—a location used for detention outside of formal legal procedures. North Korean citizens suspected of intending to defect are reportedly detained at this location before being forcibly repatriated.
According to the TJWG, these operations target North Koreans living abroad who are deemed a risk for defection, particularly those with access to information considered sensitive by the government. This includes diplomats, students, party officials, weapons and science experts, hackers, and workers stationed overseas.
In several instances, individuals suspected of intending to defect are reportedly lured to Beijing under false pretences before being detained at the embassy.
“They are first detained at the embassy for a minimum of one week and a maximum of one month for initial interrogation,” said a manager who oversees North Korean workers in China to the TJWG, as quoted by The Korea Herald on Thursday (1/10/2026).
During detention, their passports and mobile phones are confiscated, and they undergo repeated interrogations.
“After that, they are sentenced upon their return to North Korea,” the source added.
According to the TJWG, these operations are supervised by North Korean security representatives stationed at diplomatic missions. Although officially holding consular positions, these officials are said to be tasked with monitoring North Koreans abroad, coordinating searches for those who disappear, and reporting cases to Pyongyang within 12 to 24 hours.
The TJWG also highlighted the case of Pae Yong Ju, a North Korean hacker who reportedly attempted to defect to South Korea via Mongolia. After being arrested by Chinese authorities and undergoing investigation for approximately six months, Pae was handed over to the North Korean consul in Shenyang and subsequently taken to the embassy in Beijing, where he was reportedly detained and interrogated for about a year.
The TJWG stated that Pae was eventually returned to Pyongyang after his body was placed in a cast and he was placed in a wheelchair to prevent resistance, while simultaneously disguising his repatriation as a patient transfer.
The group stated that Pae has since passed away in North Korea and is urging stricter oversight regarding the alleged complicity or involvement of Chinese authorities in the tracking, capture, and forced repatriation of North Korean citizens.