of law. Interviews have also revealed that cases occur in which prisoners are transferred from a high-security to a maximum-security camp and vice-versa. The information about PPC until now has been collected and made available through the interview of witnesses who have experienced life within PPC, as well as via related surveys. However, the number of witnesses has been relatively small and most of them were drawn from the Yodok PPC. Information on the overall management and conditions of PPC is extremely limited. The in-depth interviews that constitute this survey include 17 witnesses, whose experience range` from PPC No.’s 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 22, thereby contributing significantly to the overall understanding of conditions in the PPC, both past and present. The existence of PPC has been recognized for decades, but exact locations, size, scope, purposes and camp titles have come to light only recently. Locations of PPC have been confirmed by testimonies of North Korean defectors and satellite photographs. In the light of the above, it has been confirmed that the PPC system has been in operation since the late 1950s. Often undergoing an evolution that frequently included a launch of operation, relocation, division and integration with other facilities over the years, the PPC system at present consisted of six locations, including the PPC in Pukchang. The total number of PPC on record exceeds 10 but at present we are convinced that five PPC are operating under the management of the SSA, including PPC No. 14 in Kaechon, No. 15 in Yodok, No. 16 in Hwasong, No. 22 in Hweryong and No. 25 in Susong and, additionally, another one, PPC No. 18 in Pukchang that are under the control of the police. The total number of prisoners in all these PPC is estimated at approximately 200,000. 37