PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS IN NORTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002000270005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: August 10, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
DPMO review completed.
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. Ccde, 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.
REPORT
SUBJECT Prisoner of War Camps in North Korea DATE DISTR. 10 August 1953
NO. OF PAGES 2
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Anju Prisoner of War Camp
1, On 16 March 1953 the Anju (N 39-37, E 125-40) (YD-2988) prisoner of war campl
was in the Anju Middle School at YD-282872. The prisoners were housed in the
main school building, 100 meters long, 12 meters wide, and 9 meters high, and
in the former auditorium, 50 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 7 meters high.
The camp was guarded by a security unit of 50 men from the Civil Affairs
Department of the Ministry of Defense Affairs. The buildings were surrounded
by a concrete wall and six sentry posts were maintained throughout the camp.
The prisoners were transported to this camp directly from the front lines, and
in several cases, prisoners died on the way. The prisoners arose at 0600 hours,
received meals at 0800, 1200, and 1700 hours, and retired at 2100 hours. Each
platoon of prisoners was given light labor and guarded by one man. In September
1952 an international party composed of a Soviet escort, an interpreter, a
Hungarian and a Czechoslovakian visited the camp and questioned the prisoners
for names, ages, and home towns. Soviet advisors, visited the camp.
Prisoner of War Camp Number 37
2. On 21 February 1953 Prisoner of War Camp Number 372 was at YD-556277 in Masan-ni
(N 39-04., E 125-57) (YD-5528). There were approximately 300 ROK prisoners and
70 North Korean army guards at the camp. One guard was assigned to each group
of 10 prisoners during working hours; one guard was assigned to each house; and
STATE X ARMY X NAVY X AIR
CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
FBI
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several other guards patrolled the camp. The prisoners received good treatment
and favored prisoners received extra food and cigarettes. Prisoners caught
while attempting to escape were tortured. The entire area had been off limits
to all civilians since the camp moved to this location in May 1952. The
prisoners wore old North Korean army uniforms, shoes, and wrapped their feet
in cotton cloth, One mattress and one blanket was issued to every two men.
Each prisoner received a daily ration of 300 grams of cereals and 400 grams of
rice. The cooking utensils were boiled once a week, and the mattresses and
blankets were washed with creosol soap once every 4 days. Although the POW's,
appeared to be healthy, many of them had attacks of dyspepsia and dysentery.
Two medical technicians attended the sick and the more serious cases were sent
to some other camp. Medical supplies included anodyne made in Hungary,
digestive medicines, and penicillin. The daily routine was as follows: reveille
at 0600 hours, breakfast at o800 hours, lunch at 1200 hours, repair work from
1300 to 1700 hours, rest from 1700 to 1800 hours, supper at 1800, political
indoctrination from 1900 to 2030 hours, entertainment from 2030 to 2100, and
taps at 2100. Only one third of the prisoners worked in the afternoon, and
the groups rotated each day.
In February 1953 Prisoner of War Camp Number 37,2 with 300 ROK POW's, was at
YD-556278 near Masan-ni. The camp was moved to this location from P'yongyang
in March 1952. Twenty-five North Korean army troops, armed with one Soviet
light machine gun, PPSh's, and automatic rifles, guarded the camp. There
were three guard posts in the camp; the first post was manned by three guards
who were armed with automatic rifles, the second post was manned by three
guards armed with a light machine gun, and the third post was manned by three
guards armed with one rifle and two PPSh's. Three guards patrolled the camp
every three hours at night. The prisoners received a daily ration of 700
grams of grain which included 500 grams of rice, salt, soy bean paste, and
vegetables. One North Korean army winter uniform, one summer uniform, one set
of underwear, and two pairs of sneakers were issued each year. There were no
medical facilities available for the prisoners. The prisoners arose at 0600
hours and went to bed at 2100 hours. Three hours were spent each day for
ideological training, and North Korean. songs were taught during the recreation
period. The prisoners take an examination every two months, and those converted
to Communism were to be enrolled into North Korean army unite. No prisoner,
had been converted to Communism since the camp moved to its present location.
Comment. A prisoner of war c with 300 United Nations POW's, was
listed in this area on 10 March 19537m
25X1
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2. Comment. Prisoner of War Camp Number. 15, a transient camp with 300
RO prisoners, was listed at YD-553233 and YD-555234, which is in this
ax-ea.- I
(Comment.
on 25 February 1953 POW Camp Number 37 was at YD-555277 in
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/01/28: CIA-RDP80-0081OA002000270005-5