POW CAMPS IN NORTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000100290005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2009
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: February 5, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000100290005-7
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
SUBJECT POW Camps in North Korea
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORTI
DATE DISTR. 5 February 1953
NO. OF PAGES 2
REQUIREMENT NO. RD 25X1
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
0
POW at YD-121 November 1952 a POW camp with approximately 500 ROK POW's was in civilian
Y,,i se-:w> at YD-1217'35, near Naedong-ni (N 39-30, E 125-28) (YD-1275). This camp
was establirshed in late duly 1952.
POW Camp at YDay_313
2. On. 15 October 1952 a POW camp with 2,000 ROK POW's was in a. three-story cement
biztl.dirig at YD-353213, near Sosong-ni (N 39-019 E 125-4+3) (YD-3522).l This
camp bad been moved to its present location in early September 1952. POW's
were moved in and out of the camp frequently. Four hop (1.2 pints) of rice and
other cereals were rationed to each POW daily. POW's wore blue fatigue clothes
and each was issued a blanket. Details of 30 to 4+0 POW's did reclamation work
on bombed-out areas under the supervision of guards armed with PPSh's. The camp
had 250 guards, 70 percent armed with PPSh's and 30 percent armed with Soviet '_
,rifles..
P
3, in mid-October 1.952 a POW camp with approximately 200 ROK POW's was in a former
2 ) .2
Ja nese army barracks at YD=55723+) near Taesong-ni (N 39-02, E 125-57)
There were four buildings 20 meters long) 6 meters wide, and 3 meters high) with
cement walls and roofs. The two characters for POW, P'o Ro (21985712)) were
written on the roofs.. There were 60 guards armed with PPSh's and Soviet rifles.
A'North Korean army lieutenant was in charge of the guard unit, Five hundred
DPMO review completed.
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 Approved For Release 2009/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000100290005-7
SECRET
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grams of grain, 30 percent rice and 70 percent other cereals, were rationed to
each POW daily and each was issued a blanket. POW's were engaged in cutting
logs. in the forest., farming at government farms, and reclamation work on
boinbed-out areas. Medical facilities were very poor. POW's were given ideolo-
gical indoctrination for 2 hours daily. Those who showed a possibility of
being converted to Communism were given further indoctrination and received
better treatment. Converted prisoners were moved out of the camp to other
places for advanced training.
Approved For Release 2009/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000100290005-7