North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has made sure that no international influence should ever seep into the land, and in a recent development reported by The Guardian, an article published by North Korea’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun, mentioned that the leader is desperately cracking down ‘anti-socialist’ elements while the country is continuing building its nuclear arsenal.
The newspaper mentioned the latest ban on skinny jeans, expressing wary of youngsters embracing the ‘’Western Fashion Trends’’ and it's an “invasion of capitalistic lifestyle”
“History teaches us a crucial lesson that a country can become vulnerable and eventually collapse like a damp wall regardless of its economic and defense power if we do not hold on to our own lifestyle. We must be wary of even the slightest sign of the capitalist lifestyle and fight to get rid of them.” the official newspaper said.
In December 2020 it also toughened punishments for possessions of video made in South Korea, seen as an inflow of outside culture to influence its people’s ideology.
Here is a list of other such bizarre bans which the totalitarian state has imposed:
- It has only 3 government-controlled channels. It is no surprise that it has such tight control over its media.
- On the 8th of June, the founder and North Korea President Kim II-sung died. It’s not allowed to dance, have alcohol, or even smile on this day.
- The internet can be surfed via their intranet called ‘Kwangmyong’, or Bright which was launched in 2000. For other official purposes, only 28 websites can be accessed under government supervision.
- Their elections have only one candidate to choose from. Be it for the mayor, provincial governors, or local assemblies, you don’t have much of a choice. The elections are just for namesake!
- If one person commits a crime, then the coming three generations of the person are sent to prison in the country.
- The country has banned blue jeans as a symbol of US imperialism.
- Men in the country can choose only out of 28 haircuts otherwise leading to arrest. Unmarried women are required to keep their hair short while married women have a lot more options.
- If anyone is found in the possession of the bible or pornography will get the death penalty as punishment.
- In case of a fire accident, you will have to save the supreme leader’s picture first as he is the holiest.
- You will get executed if you fall asleep during Kim Jong-un’s meeting. Once a defence minister fell asleep during a meeting of Kim Jong-un leading to his execution.
- After South Korea stopped sending fertilizer to North Korea, the country started collecting its people’s poop for the country’s agriculture.
- However, the country has allowed the consumption of cannabis or weed, which is easily available on the roadside.
