People in North Korea, including schoolchildren, are being executed for watching foreign TV shows such as Squid Game and listening to South Korean K-pop, according to testimonies released by Amnesty International.
The rights group said it interviewed 25 North Korean escapees, who revealed that consuming or distributing South Korean dramas and music is treated as a serious crime under Kim Jong-un’s regime.
According to the testimonies, watching shows like Squid Game or sharing South Korean content has led to public executions in multiple provinces. Some interviewees said students were among those killed, while others were sentenced to years in labour or re-education camps.
Escapees said punishment often depends on wealth and connections, with poorer citizens facing harsher penalties, while wealthier families allegedly bribe officials to avoid prosecution.
Under North Korea’s 2020 Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, South Korean media is labelled “rotten ideology.” Those caught watching it face up to 15 years of forced labour, while distributors risk death sentences.
