A human rights organization in Japan is claiming that North Korea publicly executed at least 52 people after its currency reform failed at the end of 2009.

The “Rescue the North Korean People Urgent Action Network” quoted a report by a South Korean organization that deals with North Korean affairs as saying Tuesday that the North publicly executed 52 people between December 2009 and last July.

The organization said that among the executed was Director of the Planning and Financial Department of the Central Committee Pak Nam-ki, who was widely blamed for the North’s failed currency reform.

The organization said the North apparently raised the number of such public executions after being faced with public anger over setbacks resulting from the currency reform.