Apparently Kim Jong Un has gone full culture warrior in attempts to “protect” the North from a K-Pop invasion, calling South Korea’s pop culture style which has in past years gone global a “vicious cancer” which is corrupting the youth, but is still increasingly making inroads into the DPRK. A new state media quote this week indicated his belief that it would make North Korea “crumble like a damp wall.”
These latest statements in the war on K-Pop come after months of Kim himself or other officials in state media ranting against the corrupting “attire, hairstyles, speeches, behaviors” which comes from outside influence, especially from South Korean music and film, and is threatening to induce changes in the “ideological and mental state” of the country’s youth.
Months ago Kim also ordered that authorities across all provinces to “mercilessly” combat increasing “capitalist tendencies” and all external forms of cultural influence.
Multiple international reports are now highlighting a law which was passed last December, but is receiving much more attention in light of the K-Pop comments, given it means a citizen could literally face 15 years of hard labor if they’re found to be in possession of South Korean popular entertainment:
It calls for five to 15 years in labor camps for people who watch or possess South Korean entertainment, according to lawmakers in Seoul who were briefed by government intelligence officials, and internal North Korean documents smuggled out by Daily NK, a Seoul-based website. The previous maximum punishment for such crimes was five years of hard labor.
And worse, “dealing” has been made a capital offense…- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --