The Daily Populous Saturday June 29th, 2024 day edition
Authored by timesofindia.indiatimes.com and submitted by Carla_DFW

A recent report by South Korea's unification ministry has revealed the extreme measures taken by North Korean authorities to control the influx of foreign culture and information, particularly from South Korea. The 2024 Report on North Korean Human Rights, which compiles testimonies from 649 North Korean defectors , highlights a disturbing case of a 22-year-old man from South Hwanghae province who was publicly executed in 2022 for "listening to 70 South Korean songs , watching three films, and distributing them," violating a 2020 North Korean law that prohibits "reactionary ideology and culture".The Guardian said that the report also details other instances of crackdowns on practices deemed "reactionary," such as brides wearing white dresses, grooms carrying the bride, wearing sunglasses, or drinking alcohol from wine glasses, all of which are perceived as South Korean customs.Additionally, mobile phones are frequently inspected for contact name spellings, expressions, and slang terms that are considered to be influenced by South Korea, despite the fact that both Koreas share the same language with subtle differences that have emerged since the division after the Korean War of 1950-1953.The ban on K-pop is part of a larger campaign initiated by former leader Kim Jong-il and intensified under his son Kim Jong-un to protect North Koreans from the perceived negative influence of Western culture .In 2022, the US government-funded Radio Free Asia reported that the regime was cracking down on "capitalist" fashion and hairstyles, targeting skinny jeans, T-shirts with foreign words, and dyed or long hair. Experts believe that allowing South Korean popular culture to infiltrate North Korean society could threaten the ideology that demands absolute loyalty to the Kim dynasty, which has ruled the country since its founding in 1948.Despite the harsh measures implemented by the North Korean government, the influence of South Korean culture appears to be unstoppable, according to a recent North Korean defector.The woman in her early 20s, who defected from North Korea, said, "The speed of South Korean culture influencing North Korea is seriously fast. Young people follow and copy South Korean culture, and they really love anything South Korean."Information continues to seep through and be distributed via informal networks, even with the border to China largely sealed off due to the Covid-19 outbreak.In recent weeks, North Korea has retaliated against the launch of balloons from the South containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets, dollar bills, and USB sticks loaded with K-pop and K-dramas by sending thousands of balloons over the border containing waste.The defector also shed light on the hidden resentment against the regime, saying, "Of course we cannot say anything bad against Kim Jong-un publicly, but among close friends, lovers or family members, we do say those words."She added, "After watching Korean dramas, many young people wonder, 'Why do we have to live like this?' ... I thought I'd rather die than live in North Korea."

EifertGreenLazor on June 28th, 2024 at 21:26 UTC »

Apparently 69 K-Pop songs is ok.

BubsyFanboy on June 28th, 2024 at 21:21 UTC »

Imagine music being enough to get a death penalty.

BranWafr on June 28th, 2024 at 21:08 UTC »

Not that it makes it any better, but he was also distributing the South Korean media, including movies. I don't think it was the listening to the music part that got him executed. It's still unacceptable, but the title is click-bait and should be discouraged.