No laughing, celebrating birthdays, drinking alcohol, and even speaking loudly in public for 11 days: North Korea is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong Il, father of the current Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un who , from the prohibition of jeans and long hair to that of leather coats, he has always faithfully followed in his footsteps. The anniversary of the death of Jong Il, and that of his father Kim Il Sung are celebrated every year in Pyongyang, but for the tenth anniversary the celebrations have been extended by one day, the bans increased and the penalties for offenders tightened. “During the period of mourning, we cannot drink alcohol, laugh or engage in recreational activities,” a resident of the city of Sinuiju, on the border with China along the Yalu River, told the Korean service of Radio free Asia. your family member dies during the period of mourning, it is not allowed to speak loudly during the funeral and the body must be buried immediately after – another resident tells Rfa – and it is also forbidden to celebrate one’s birthday, if it falls during the period of mourning. “Any excess, including drinking and substance use, is prohibited.” In the past, many people were caught drinking or smoking during the mourning period – says a resident of the southwestern province of South Hwanghae – they were arrested and treated as political prisoners and the police have been told this year to pay particular attention to identifying and punishing offenders, keeping watch night and day without rest. ” “Spoil the atmosphere of collective mourning”. In short, “the living are punished to honor the dead,” ventures an anonymous source. Kim Jong Il, the leader whose memory is celebrated, succeeded his father, the founder of the nation Kim Il Sung, on his death in 1994. He then ruled the country until his death, which occurred from a heart attack, at 69. years, in 2011, and was later replaced by his son, current leader Kim Jong Un.
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