Roughly 80 North Koreans Have Been Publicly Executed For Watching Soap Operas

In case you needed to be reminded of how lucky you are not to have been born in the Republic of Crazy that is North Korea, there’s this report from a South Korean newspaper.

The source, said to be “familiar” with the North’s internal affairs and recently returned from the country, said the executions were carried out in seven cities on November 3.

In the eastern port of Wonsan, the authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium to watch the execution of eight people by firing squad, the source quoted one eyewitness as saying.

Most were charged with watching illicit South Korean TV dramas, and some with prostitution.

Watching unsanctioned foreign films or TV — especially those from the capitalist South — is a serious offence in North Korea.

However, efforts to control their distribution have been circumvented by technology, with an increasing number being smuggled in on DVDs, flash drives and mp3 players.

As well as South Korean soap operas, US shows like Desperate Housewives are believed to have a small but avid following.

As you may recall, hungry  North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un had his girlfriend executed recently for being in a “sex tape,” and it’s been reported that the country’s number of political prison camps has increased considerably under the Jong-Un regime.

But hey, Dennis Rodman says he’s a swell dude, so whatever, right?

(Via Filmdrunk)

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