Now that Kim Jong-un is defiant “testing” nuclear missiles with power several times more destructive than those that sadly launched in Hiroshima last century, world leaders are looking closely at North Korea and all its movements. Dictator Kim Jong-un, the country’s supreme leader, is one of the most disturbing figures we currently have on the international scene.
Kim is a person that everyone likes to hate, and there are many movies and television series (The Interview, Team America) that have been made to comment and sometimes make fun of his figure. But what is it hiding? After he took office as leader after his father’s death, Kim Jong-il, his lifestyle in all luxury has not changed (rather it has increased), and from his dominions, he is dedicated to terrorizing his citizens and everything he dares to contradict him. The power he possesses allows him to do practically what he wants, with the consequent moral and ethical considerations. So, it’s not surprising that he has so many enemies.
The citizens of North Korea are the ones who get the worst part: the list of things forbidden by their leader is so long that the end is not in sight; things that if not complied with can more than likely lead to execution, whoever you are (remember that this man even has members of his family executed). Of course, this does not prevent him from wearing a full-fledged style, enjoying the things that his citizens cannot. Here are 10 of the most absurd things Kim Jong-un has banned in North Korea:
#1. Sarcasm
The most recent measure imposed by the dictator has been the prohibition of sarcasm in the country. The government has prohibited its citizens from making sarcastic comments about their leader or their totalitarian regime in their everyday conversations. This also includes criticizing the government indirectly. It’s scary, but there are too many things North Koreans can’t say.
#2. Weddings and Funerals
Apparently, weddings and funerals are an apparent distraction from what is important: your figure as a leader.
#3. Expensive Alcohol
The cost of these products increases their price. So much so that a bottle of anything is worth what a North Korean citizen earns in a week. Of course, the leader has no problem sending a few boxes to his house (they say he’s a big fan of Johnny Walker whiskey)
#4. Cartoons
A confessed fan of cartoons, it is not uncommon to see him visiting animation studios in the country to see what they do. This would not have greater significance if foreign cartoons were not prohibited since you can only see authorized animations that have him as the protagonist in the country.
#5. Skiing
Considering that it doesn’t snow much in North Korea, what good are the ski slopes? Well, there is a complex to practice the sport, Masikryong, but that nobody uses except its leader. Kim prohibits visits when there is snow for skiing, as she likes to spend her private vacations there. The rest of the time, it is empty since it does not snow or visits are allowed. Build for your own enjoyment? A seamless plan.
#6. Foreign Food
As with alcohol and, for example, clothing brands, Kim bans foreign food imports. The staple of North Korean citizens’ diet is noodles and rice, but of course, it is not for their supreme leader. Kim imports her menus from all over the world, and they say she loves Iranian caviar or Danish pork chops. If you fancy a snack, send someone to Thailand for mangoes.
#7. Watch TV
Not only cartoons are subject to their control: television programs have censorship that reaches unsuspected limits. Such is the control that in recent years the country has publicly executed more than 150 people for watching South Korean series (the popular k-dramas), some of which are smuggled on DVD and sold on the black market.
#8. Drive
One of the last measures approved by the dictator is the free movement through the country. According to statistics, there is one car for every thousand citizens, but that does not prevent its leader from having a collection that could raise that figure considerably.
#9. Travel
Leaving the country is prohibited, and those who manage to do so fare no better: if discovered, they are deported for public execution.
#10. Browse the Internet
Like the media, the North Korean country does not have access to the internet, except for the government-approved “internet,” which contains only pro-regime propaganda and can be used with prior authorization.
Well, that all sounds very scary. What did you think of this list? Let us know in the comment section below!