North Korea bans laughing, drinking for 10 days on Kim Jong-il's 10th death anniversary
Kim Jong-il controlled North Korea from 1994 until 2011 when he was deposed and replaced by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.
FollowNorth Korea has prohibited its population from smiling, buying, or drinking as part of an 10-day mourning period that began from Friday, the tenth anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il. Kim Jong-il controlled North Korea from 1994 until 2011 when he was deposed and replaced by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. According to Radio Free Asia, a North Korean from the north-eastern border city of Sinuiju stated that in addition to consuming alcohol and laughing, participating in leisure activities is prohibited during this period. Grocery shopping stalls are also prohibited on the anniversary day.Â
According to the RFA source, in the past, when people were caught breaking these regulations, they were regarded as "ideological criminals" who were "taken away and never seen again." According to them, people are not permitted to cry aloud during mourning time, even if a family member has died.
According to the source, birthdays are also not to be celebrated during this period. Another source from the western province of South Hwanghae told RFA that police are on the watch for those who don't appear to be grieving enough and that they have a mission to punish anyone who "damage the spirit of collective mourning" beginning in early December. According to the source, this is a particular job for the police this month, and they have heard that law enforcement personnel are not to sleep.
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Kim Jong-un banned wearing skinny jeans, mullet haircuts, and various body piercings earlier this year as part of the country's assault on 'capitalistic lifestyles' and Western influences on adolescents. According to the Yonhap news agency in South Korea, the state-run publication recently cautioned the government to prevent "capitalistic culture from creeping into the country". North Korea has scheduled a number of activities to honour Kim Jong Il's life. These include a public exhibition of his photography and art, a concert, and a presentation of the 'Kimjongilia,' a flower named after him.
