three years in the high-security camp, including the two years for preliminary investigation. Therefore you are staying your last year at the Yodok Control Camp. His implication was that I should be grateful to him.” (A10, former prisoner from Taesuk-ni No. 15, 1995~1998) No judges, lawyers nor official trial were involved in all these proceedings. Some prisoners were informed of the decision by the SSA investigator and his superior. There were cases where the prisoner was transferred to a PPC at the same time of arrest, with or without any notice of a determination of his/her case. In general, however, the suspect is asked to sign the statement and informed of the decision. Nevertheless, most families are detained without trial and notice of a decision. Some prisoners at the high-security camp of Yodok were informed of the decision and period of detention to be served. However, little documentation is available at present to confirm the situation with prisoners at maximum-security camps in the absence of testimonies26. “In the evening of one day in 2003 my investigator told me, “You are going tomorrow.” When I asked him, “Where am I going?” He replied, “To spend three years at a high-security camp in order to clean up your brain. Then, you are going to be all right.” There was no such thing as a trial.” (A06, former prisoner from Sorimchon, Camp No. 15, 2003~2006) “My investigator once told me that the investigation was almost over. He said,”Someone from the Central Office will come. Just tell him what you have told me. If you start to tell him anything else, your stay here will be prolonged.” Sometime later, a man from the Central Office dressed in civilian clothes came and showed me my papers and asked me if I confirmed the statement as true. The statement said that I intended to live in China. I said that I went to China intending to stay briefly, and then return to North Korea after finding the whereabouts of my mother. My proposed revision was accepted and I inked my fingerprint on all the pages. There was no trial. One day, the cell guards told me, “Get ready! You are going now.” So, I obeyed him. I asked them where I was to go. They didn’t tell me. Then I was taken to Yodok.” (A12, former prisoner, from Taesuk-ni, PPC No. 15 1994~1997) 26 To this date, Shin Dong-hyuk is the only officially recognized former prisoner from a maximum-security camp of North Korea. As he was born in the camp, he is not in position to testify on his admission to the PPC. 68