According to a global human rights group against the death penalty, North Korea carried out at least 17 executions last year.

In its latest report, it said that all known executions in North Korea in 2013 were conducted by firing squad.

The group pointed out that "the number of executions may, in fact, be much higher" since the reclusive communist nation does not issue official statistics on the practice of the death penalty.

Even though North Korea reduced the number of executions in the 2000s due to international pressure, the number has been rising again in recent years.

SOURCE: The Korea Times