North Korea Punishes Anti-socialist Behavior with Forced Farm Labor
- Daily NK
VIVA – North Korea will punish its citizens involved in "anti-socialist behavior" such as dyeing their hair, wearing unapproved or tight-fitting clothing styles, and brewing or making alcoholic beverages by sending them to work in farm, according to residents in the country as reported by Radio Free Asia.
"Anti-socialist behavior" is a vague term used by the North Korean government to describe activities considered to be South Korean, foreign, or capitalist cultural practices.
In 2020, the country enacted the Law on the Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture, which imposes penalties for certain anti-socialist actions, including several years of imprisonment for watching South Korean media.
However, some offenses are not as serious as others, and violators caught in recent crackdowns in the northeastern city of Chongjin may receive relatively lenient punishment, such as only five days of work in agriculture, according to a resident there who spoke to RFA's Korean Service anonymously for security reasons.
VIVA
- 1476146
"They crack down on the production or sale of clothes in markets that are not our style," said the resident, using the Korean term "uri," which literally means "our own" but refers to concepts that originate or are accepted everywhere as part of Korean culture.
They said that tight clothes, clothes that reveal shoulders, and clothes with foreign writings are all considered anti-socialist.
"The Socialist Patriotic Youth League also cracks down on young men and women who dye their hair yellow or brown, grow their hair long, and wear jeans or tight clothing in public," said the resident.
"Recently, authorities have instructed hairdressers and stylists not to dye customers' hair brown or create unusual hairstyles, such as cutting only one side of the hair and leaving the front and back," they said.
"These hairstyles are a priority for harsh action on the streets."
