A human rights report from the South Korean Ministry of Unification stated that a 22-year-old North Korean was executed for "watching and sharing South Korean films and music." According to the report highlighted by the British newspaper "The Guardian," the ministry relied on testimonies from 649 North Korean "defectors."
According to the testimony of an unnamed defector, the young man from South Hwanghae Province was publicly executed in 2022 for listening to 70 South Korean songs, watching three films, and distributing them, which is a violation of North Korean law enacted in 2020 that prohibits "reactionary ideology and culture."
The report details North Korean authorities' efforts to control the "flow of foreign information, especially targeting youth." Other examples of Pyongyang's campaign include imposing punishments for "reactionary" practices such as brides wearing white dresses, grooms carrying brides, wearing sunglasses, or drinking alcohol—all considered "South Korean customs." Additionally, "mobile phones are frequently checked for any potential South Korean influences." While both Koreas share the same language, differences in the languages have emerged since the division following the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.
