North Korea Executes K-Pop Listeners Publicly… Strengthens Block on External Cultural Inflow

Shocking testimonies from defectors reveal that North Korea has been executing individuals who distribute Hallyu content publicly.

This information came to light during a recent event titled "The Human Rights Situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Over the Last 10 Years as Viewed by Victims and Witnesses," held by the UN Human Rights Office at the Global Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 25th.

Defector Kim Il-hyuk testified that "a 22-year-old man was executed by firing squad for distributing three South Korean dramas and about 70 K-pop songs," adding that "public executions occurred twice every three months, with as many as 12 people executed at a time."

Kim is reported to have defected to South Korea in May 2023 by crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL) with his family in a fishing boat. These executions appear to be based on the 'Law on Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture' enacted by North Korea in December 2020.

This law mandates the death penalty for those who distribute South Korean media, while viewers can face prison sentences of up to 15 years.

Increased Mobile Phone Surveillance and Restrictions on Freedom of Expression

North Korea's cultural control has expanded to everyday expressions.

Female defector A stated, "In the past, if you were caught watching South Korean dramas or listening to music, you could quietly get away with it by paying $300-$400," explaining that "the amount required to avoid punishment has significantly increased recently."

She added, "I loved South Korean dramas, so I lived in fear that I could also be executed."

Since 2015, intensified mobile phone surveillance has been restricting even personal expressions of freedom. It has become problematic to save older men as 'Oppa,' and defector A reported that "members of the Youth League pointed out that 'Oppa' should be changed to 'Comrade 00.'"

Even more astonishingly, it is also prohibited to attach a heart (♥) emoji next to a name.

Deterioration of Food Crisis and Human Rights Violations During COVID-19

North Korea’s human rights situation reportedly worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kim testified that "there were far more people who died of starvation than from COVID-19," adding that "food and commodity prices skyrocketed, and violent crimes surged."

The rights of women are also being seriously infringed upon.

Defector B remarked, "As life became increasingly difficult, it became common for women to fear childbirth and opt not to have children," noting that "a law was announced in 2023 imposing a one-year prison sentence for divorce."

According to the Korea Institute for National Unification’s 'North Korean Human Rights White Paper 2024,' multiple testimonies from defectors have been collected stating that women in North Korea who choose divorce or pregnancy termination are sent to labor training camps.

The UN Human Rights Office is set to hold another public testimony event with defectors on the 26th.

The UN Human Rights Office, which has conducted interviews with around 400 defectors, plans to submit their testimonies as part of a follow-up report to the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea (COI) at the 60th Human Rights Council meeting scheduled for September.

Image source: Kim Il-hyuk, a North Korean defector, speaking at a public session on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea over the last decade, held by the UN Human Rights Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 25th / News1, News1