North Korea Publicly Executes 30 Middle School Students for Watching Korean Drama

North Korean authorities publicly executed about 30 middle school students on the grounds that they watched Korean dramas stored on USB drives attached to anti-North Korea leaflets.

According to TV Chosun on the 10th, last month, defector organizations sent large balloons carrying USB drives containing Korean dramas to North Korea. However, it is reported that most of those who saw them were shot. A government official stated, "It has been confirmed that about 30 middle school students who were caught watching dramas after picking up USBs from the balloons were publicly executed by shooting last week."

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News Agency·Chosun Central TV screen]

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Last month, teenagers around 17 years old were sentenced to life imprisonment or death for similar reasons, but this time about 30 middle school students were executed.

North Korea also responded strictly to 'rice PET bottles' sent out to sea by defector groups. Several residents who cooked and ate rice from the PET bottles were sentenced to labor reform. North Korea spread the directive from Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, to "burn immediately upon discovery," claiming that the coronavirus was introduced through anti-North Korea leaflets. However, due to difficult food conditions, proper control is reportedly not being maintained.

Nonetheless, despite North Korea's extreme governance, there are expectations that resistance from the younger generation, known as the 'Jangmadang generation,' will continue. The Jangmadang generation, North Korea's MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), refers to those in their 20s and 30s who grew up during the 'Arduous March' period marked by the worst food shortages. They are known to have a strong curiosity about Korean Wave (Hallyu).

Earlier, in December 2022, reports also emerged that North Korean teenagers caught watching Korean dramas and movies were publicly executed. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), a resident of Yanggang Province in North Korea said, "Three teenage students were publicly executed in Hyesan City," adding, "Two of them were caught by the 82nd United Command for watching South Korean movies, dramas, and pornographic videos and distributing them to friends."

The resident explained that in North Korea, if a teenage student is caught watching South Korean movies for the first time, they receive labor training camp punishment, but if caught again, they are imprisoned in a labor reform camp for five years. The parents of the students were also reportedly imprisoned in labor reform camps for 'child rearing' responsibilities.

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