North Korea executes 22-year-old for listening to K-pop, watching South Korean films

North Korean authorities have sparked international outrage after publicly executing a 22-year-old man for engaging with South Korean pop culture, including listening to 70 K-pop songs and watching three films.The execution, detailed in a human rights report by South Korea’s unification ministry highlights Pyongyang's severe crackdown on what it deems as "reactionary ideology and culture".

Under North Korea’s stringent laws banning Western influences, enacted in 2020 to fortify ideological purity, the young man from South Hwanghae province was accused of violating these regulations. Such measures, initially championed by former leader Kim Jong-il and continued under his successor Kim Jong-un, aim to shield North Koreans from perceived corrupting influences of South Korean entertainment.

The report highlights a broader campaign where authorities monitor mobile phones and scrutinize cultural expressions seen as tainted by foreign influence. Activities like wearing Western-style wedding attire or adopting unconventional hairstyles can also lead to harsh punishments, reinforcing Pyongyang's grip on societal norms.