If your next vacation is to North Korea then you might want to cross these activities off your itinerary…driving, drinking, and making phone calls are just a few of the things that can land you in prison if you perform them in the DPRK.
North Korea is almost always a headline feature. Between power changes, blustery rhetoric, and threatened nuclear attacks, North Korea holds the attention of the world captive. Condoleezza Rice called it an “outpost of tyranny.” George W. Bush said it was one-third of the “axis of evil.” Despite all of that, we really don’t know that much about North Korea. But what we do know is rather mind-blowing.
Check out these 10 everyday activities that are North Korean no-nos.
10Watching Television
Citizens are forbidden to watch anything other than state propaganda. In the last two years North Korea has publicly executed around 130 People for watching South Korean TV.
09Practicing Religion
Atheists North Korea has “freedom of religious belief” despite torturing thousands for their faiths. In 2013, eighty Christians were publicly executed in a stadium just for owning BiIBLES.
08Drinking Alcohol
North Koreans can only drink on special holidays and students face interrogation if they´re caught. In 2012 a military officer was killed with a mortar for drinking during the 100 day mourning period of Kim Jong-Il.
07Driving
Citizens are banned from freely moving around their country – there is less than one car per 1000 people. However, senior officials are chauffeured in extravagant cars to flaunt their political commitment.
06Playing Music
All Music in North Korea is controlled by the state and must glorify the regime. Decadent western music is a “crime against the state” and playing it will get you killed.
05International Calls
Communication with the outside world will incur the death penalty. In 2013 a North Korean man was publicly executed by firing squad for calling his friend in South Korea.
04Talking
Citizens caught criticizing or discussing the North Korean government will be sent to “re-education camps”. Prisoners will endure hard labor and ideological indoctrination to relearn the values of the regime.
03Traveling Abroad
The ultimate crime is for a North Korean to leave their country. Defectors flee to China for refuge but if they´re caught by authority they´ll be forcibly returned for execution.
02Pornography
Viewing or selling pornography can lead to the death penalty. In 2013 leader Kim Jong-Un had his ex-girlfriend executed in front of her family for making a sex tape.
01Surfing the Web
North Koreas State – run internet is pure propaganda and can only be used with authorization. In 2013 an online journalist was imprisoned for six months for a typo in a web article.
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