Image source,AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
An article on the 18th in North Korea’s “Rodong Sinmun” warned the younger generation of North Korea not to follow South Korean pop culture.
North Korean state media urged young people in the country not to use Korean slang on July 18 and asked them to use the standard language of the country.
At the same time, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun once again warned young people not to learn Korean fashion, hairstyles and music.
This is part of North Korea’s recent efforts to combat foreign cultural influence. North Korea introduced the “Reactionary Ideological and Cultural Exclusion Act” in December last year, which aims to eradicate all foreign influences. Once discovered, they will be severely punished and may be imprisoned or even executed.
“More dangerous than an enemy with a gun”
An article on the 18th in the “Rodong Sinmun” warned the younger generation of North Korea not to follow South Korean pop culture.
The article stated that a major reason for the collapse of the Eastern European socialist camp was that the socialist countries at the time “failed to prevent the deterioration of young people’s thinking.”
Image source,EPA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un emphasized at a meeting that ideological rule over young people is “the most important thing.”
“More dangerous than an enemy with a gun is the infiltration conspiracy of bourgeois ideology and culture under the glamorous display boards,” the article said.
The article also emphasized the superiority of Pyongyang dialect, stating that “there is no language in the world that is more beautiful, noble and richer than the cultural dialect of Pyongyang.”
South Korea’s “Joongang Daily” pointed out that “Pyongyang cultural language” is the standard language of North Korea. According to the report, although North Korea has always emphasized that Pyongyang cultural language is a symbol of the country in the past, using it to defend the cause of socialism is the latest change in North Korea.
Jun Yongsun, a professor at Konkuk University in South Korea, told the Joongang Daily that North Korea has recently begun to associate language use with “non-socialist and anti-socialist.”
He pointed out that in the early days of Kim Jong-un’s administration, he tried to establish a “view of the country” side by side with the world. However, with the frustration of this attempt to globalize, North Korea has now turned its attention to guarding against external threats and guarding the regime from within.
Can’t call “Ouba” and “boyfriend”
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly on July 8 that the North Korean authorities have recently tightened controls on young people and prohibited them from using some Korean-style titles and expressions.
For example, North Korean women cannot call their husbands “Ouba” (sound) at home, but need to call them “husband”. In South Korea, “Ouba” can be used both for women in the family to refer to the elder brother, or for women in lovers to refer to the other half.
North Korea also prohibits women from addressing boyfriends in the Korean style of “boyfriends”, and stipulates that they must be referred to as “comrades.”
Wearing Korean-style clothing, hugging on the street, and other behaviors are also the contents of this rectification. The picture shows a street view of Seoul, South Korea.
South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo reported that wearing Korean-style clothing and hugging on the street were also the contents of this rectification. North Korea has also specially produced a promotional video for this, saying that these practices of young people are “enemies of the revolution” and this kind of deviant behavior needs to be eliminated.
In North Korea, foreign influence is seen as a major threat to the consolidation of power by the North Korean communist regime and its leader Kim Jong Un.
In April of this year, Kim Jong-un emphasized at a conference that the ideological control of young people is “the most important thing.”
He said, “You must always educate and control young people’s clothing, hairstyles, words and deeds, and interpersonal relationships.” The New York Times also reported that Kim Jong-un recently referred to K-pop as a “malignant cancer” that corrupts North Korean young people.
External influence
North Korea introduced the “Reactionary Ideological and Cultural Exclusion Law” in December last year. Media reports such as “Daily NK” (Daily NK) that specialize in collecting news from North Korea stated that this bill will severely punish those who contact and spread external cultures such as South Korea and the United States.
According to the content disclosed by the media, if North Korean residents directly browse, listen to, or keep South Korean movies, video recordings, compilations, books, and songs, they will be punished with up to 15 years of reeducation through labor, and residents who disseminate these contents will be punished with life labor. Indoctrination or death penalty.
Image source,GETTY IMAGES
Kim Jong-un previously called K-pop a “malignant tumor.” The picture shows the Korean idol group BTS.
If a North Korean resident writes or expresses in a Korean-style tone, or sings Korean-style singing songs, he will be sentenced to labor training or reeducation through labor for a maximum of two years.
If residents browse or import cultural content from the United States and Japan, they will be sentenced to up to 10 years of reeducation through labor. If the content of the contact flows into North Korea in large quantities, it may be sentenced to death.
However, despite the risks, there are still many contents carrying these “external influences” that continue to infiltrate North Korea.
There are reports that some highly sophisticated smuggling gangs continue to bring media content banned by the authorities into North Korea. Some defectors said that watching Korean dramas played a role in their plan to escape from North Korea.
Professor Yang Wujin of the University of Korea Studies told the Korea Herald that Kim Jong-un, who had studied in Switzerland, knew very well that “K-pop or Western culture can easily penetrate into the younger generation and bring negative effects to the socialist system. influences.”
“He knows that these cultural fields may put a burden on the system. Therefore, Kim Jong Un is trying to prevent more troubles in the future by eradicating them,” said Yang Wujin.