New Delhi: North Korea has reportedly executed around 30 teenage students for watching South Korean dramas. According to a report by South Korean cable channel TV Chosun, all middle schoolers were publicly shot last week. The students had been accused of watching South Korean TV shows stored on USB drives.The USB drives allegedly entered North Korea via balloons launched by North Korean defector groups from Seoul the previous month. These groups often send information and media into North Korea to expose the population to the outside world.The South Korean Unification Ministry did not confirm the report but acknowledged the severity of punishments under North Korean law. An official from the ministry noted that North Korea has strict laws against consuming foreign media, according to media reports.What is Culture Rejection ActThe Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act, enacted by North Korea in December 2020, imposes the death penalty on those who distribute South Korean media. Viewers of such content face up to 15 years in prison. The law also extends to books, songs, and photos, with penalties including up to two years of forced labor for using South Korean speech or singing styles.Life imprisonment as penaltyIn an effort to curb the spread of South Korean culture, North Korean authorities recently sentenced around 30 teenagers, approximately 17 years old, to life imprisonment or death. Earlier this year, a video produced by North Korean authorities showed a public trial where two 16-year-old boys received 12-year forced labor sentences for watching South Korean dramas. The same video depicted women being punished for adopting South Korean clothing and hairstyles.What do human rights reports sayThe 2024 North Korean Human Rights Report, published by South Koreas Unification Ministry, includes testimonies from defectors about the harsh punishments for exposure to South Korean culture. Defectors have reported that North Korean authorities consider actions like wearing a white dress at weddings instead of traditional hanbok, drinking from wine glasses, and wearing sunglasses as reactionary behavior.
