North Korean leader Kim-Jong un (Credit: Reuters)

Former detainees of North Korea's prison camps recall horrible experiences of torture and other human rights abuses before the UN Commission of Inquiry in South Korea's capital, Seoul.

North Korea's most popular defector recalled the incident when his finger was cut off as punishment for dropping sewing machine. Shin Dong-hyuk said he had no idea what was about to happen. He thought his entire hand will be chopped off. He was relieved to know that only his finger was cut off.

Mr Donghyuk's horrifying recollections of his fellow inmates' experiences included eating live rats and goat hooves discarded by prison guards out of severe hunger. He also told the UN Commission about a seven-year-old girl who was beaten to death for taking a few measly grains of wheat.

Mr Donghyuk, who was born inside North Korea's prison Camp 14, was forced to see his parents being executed. He watched his first public execution at five years old. He escaped the prison camp in 2005.

Now 31 years old, Mr Donghyuk further testified that the North Koreans ate whatever the guards brought them and did what they asked. The inmates suffered severe beatings and grew weak from starvation when the guards didn't give them anything to eat. They were treated as expendables and used for labour until most them died.

Former North Korean prison inmate testifies before UN Commission in Seoul, South Korea (Credit: Reuters)

Another North Korean defector and former inmate, Jee Heon-a, also testified before the UN Commission. He said North Korean guards tortured and beat women. Many also suffered from forced miscarriages inside the detention facilities.

Ms Heon-a, 34 years old, told the story of a woman who was forced to kill her own baby. She said she was happy to see a newborn baby inside the prison camp. Suddenly, Ms Heon-a heard footsteps as a prison guard went in and ordered the newborn baby's mother to turn the infant upside down into a bowl of water. The guard wanted the baby to die.

North Korean defector recalls horrible experiences in prison camps (Credit: Reuters)

Ms Heon-a recalled how the mother begged the guard to let her baby live, but the guard was already beating her. With shaking hands, the mother obeyed the guard and turned the baby upside down into the water. The baby's cries finally stopped. Ms Heon-a said a bubble of air rose to surface as the baby's short life ended.

Ms Heon-a also described her experience of eating salted frogs to keep hunger away. Aside from live rats, the salted frog was one of the few things starving prisoners were given to eat.

The UN Commission was organised in March to conduct investigations regarding the alleged human rights violations, including crimes against humanity by North Korea.

North Korean authorities declined to accept the invitation extended by the UN Commission and denied the accusations of human rights abuse.