In a rare glimpse into the reclusive state of North Korea, a disturbing video has emerged showing two teenagers being publicly sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for the seemingly innocuous act of watching South Korean TV dramas. This shocking revelation sheds light on the extreme measures taken by the North Korean regime to suppress any influence from South Korean culture, including the immensely popular K-Pop genre.
The Shocking Video
The video, which was obtained by NBC News from the South and North Development (SAND) Institute, a think tank working with North Korean defectors, offers a rare insight into the secretive nation. However, its authenticity and the date of its recording remain unverified. The CEO of the institute, Choi Kyong-hui, who herself defected from North Korea in 2001, suggests that the video may have been edited in 2022. Regardless of its precise timing, the footage serves as a grim reminder of the regime’s ruthless control over its citizens.
Public Sentencing
The video shows two 16-year-olds in gray jumpsuits standing before a large crowd of students in a stadium. Uniformed officers berate them for not “deeply reflecting on their mistakes.” Such public sentencing events are used as a means of intimidation to deter North Koreans from engaging with South Korean culture, including K-Drama and K-Pop, which have gained immense popularity worldwide.
Cultural Suppression in North Korea
North Korea, often referred to as the most isolated country in the world, enforces strict regulations against the consumption of anything related to South Korean culture. These measures include severe penalties for watching South Korean TV shows, listening to K-Pop music, or possessing any materials associated with South Korean culture.
Defections on the Rise
The recent surge in the number of North Korean defectors since 2021 is indicative of the growing dissatisfaction and desire for freedom among the North Korean population. According to South Korea’s Unification Ministry, the number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea tripled in 2021 compared to the previous two years. The closed borders in 2020 due to the pandemic further isolated North Korea, making it even harder for its citizens to access information from the outside world.
The Stringent Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act
The video, ominously titled “Let’s Intensify Efforts to Eradicate All Forms of Reactionary and Non-Socialist Phenomena,” reinforces a law enacted in 2020 known as the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act. This law allows officials to impose harsh penalties, including capital punishment, for importing or distributing materials showing South Korean culture. While it is challenging to ascertain the exact number of people punished under this law, enforcement is often inconsistent, with the North Korean government launching campaigns against South Korean culture to divert attention from domestic issues, especially economic hardships.
The Crackdown on South Korean Culture
It is worth noting that the focus of the North Korean government’s law is to prevent the circulation of South Korean cultural content. Individuals involved in selling or distributing CDs or USBs containing K-Drama or K-Pop have faced the harshest punishments, including death sentences.
Changing Tides
Ironically, just a few years ago, North Korea had witnessed a surprising change in tone. In 2018, South Korean musicians, including the popular girl band Red Velvet, were invited to perform in Pyongyang in front of hundreds of citizens and Kim Jong Un himself. At that time, the North Korean leader expressed his appreciation for their performance. However, since then, the regime has grown increasingly critical of North Korean women adopting “foreign” styles, such as shorts, slippers, or dyed hair, as part of a broader effort to curb the influence of South Korean culture.
The Resilience of Culture
Despite the regime’s stringent measures, Choi Kyong-hui believes that the crackdown on South Korean cultural influence will ultimately fail. She asserts that when the government launches campaigns to purge South Korean entertainment, people will lay low, but once the pressure subsides, they will inevitably return to watching K-Drama and listening to K-Pop. The resilience of North Koreans in the face of such extreme censorship serves as a testament to the enduring power of culture and the human spirit.
In Conclusion
The video showing the sentencing of two teenagers to 12 years of hard labor for watching K-Pop provides a chilling glimpse into the oppressive regime in North Korea. It underscores the lengths to which the government will go to suppress any influence from South Korean culture, even among its youth. While the crackdown may deter some temporarily, it is a reminder that culture has a remarkable ability to transcend borders and restrictions, ultimately persevering in the face of adversity.