North Korea has executed two teenagers for allegedly watching and distributing South Korean and American movies. The boys, aged 16 and 17, were shot by the firing squad in front of the public on an airfield in Hyesan as their crime was “evil”. The killing reportedly took place in October but the report of the execution of two boys for watching and distributing K-dramas just recently got around.
Another boy of a similar age was executed recently for murdering his stepmother. Locals have said that they have been told both crimes were "equally evil." Witnesses have said that they were forced to watch the executions of the two boys.
“The authorities put the teen-aged students in front of the public, sentenced them to death, and immediately shot them,” the witnesses were quoted as saying.
The locals said they were told: “Those who watch or distribute South Korean movies and dramas, and those who disrupt social order by murdering other people, will not be forgiven and will be sentenced to the maximum penalty–death.”
Just a few days ago, public meetings were held and the locals were told that a crackdown on the people who commit crimes involving foreign media is underway. They were warned against watching movies and listening to songs from South Korea.
A few months ago, Kim Jong-un had his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, executed for crimes against the government. He was also labelled as a traitor.
It was earlier reported that North Korea wants the parents to apparently give ‘patriotic’ names such as ‘Bomb’, ‘Gun’ and ‘Satellite’ to their children and not give them names that are considered “too soft”.
Last year in December, North Korea had imposed a ban on laughing, drinking, and shopping for 11 days as a mourning period had been imposed in the country to mark the death anniversary of Kim Jong-il, the former leader of North Korea.
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