We don’t mess with censorship in North Korea! The country is known for its fierce desire to shield its inhabitants from Western influences. To do this, the government does not hesitate to introduce very strict laws concerning media content from other countries.
Well, these laws strictly prohibit viewing this content. Movies, series or even music videos, North Korean citizens have absolutely no right to take a look at them. And if ever someone dared to transgress the rules… the sentence is none other than death.
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This is how a student was reportedly sentenced to death for illegally watching Squid Game. It is a real crime against the nation when you consider that the North Korean government considers the famous series as “An example of the bestial nature of South Korean capitalist society where humanity is wiped out by extreme competition”.
A sordid story
The case was reported by Radio Free Asia or RFA which revealed that a student (whose identity has not been disclosed) was arrested by the North Korean authorities for having bought and watched the Netflix series ( and South Korean on top of that!). The episodes were in a USB stick that the boy allegedly got on the black market. He would have brought it to his school and watched with friends.
“It all started last week when a high school student secretly bought a USB stick containing the South Korean drama Squid Game and watched it with one of his best friends in class. The friend told several other students, who were interested, and they shared the USB stick with them ”, reported the FRG, also reporting that the young man was quickly apprehended.
It’s really not kidding
Still according to the FRG, it would be outright death hovering over the head of the poor North Korean student. His friends were also arrested, but they only got a few years of community service. School administrators and teachers have also been sanctioned and dismissed from their posts. Like what, the government is really not laughing!
Yet these severe restrictions fail to stop the proliferation of foreign media smuggling into North Korea. Indeed, despite the risks, many citizens are still buying USB keys or SD cards containing the films and series so despised by the authorities. They then stare at them in secret during the night.
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Source From: Fredzone
I am a technology author with 8 years of experience in journalism. My writing covers the latest technology advancements and trends, drawing on my expertise in news journalism and social media platforms. I have contributed to major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters.
