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Life inside the totalitarian nation of North Korea is stranger than fiction. The more stories that are shared by defectors, the more bizarre the country's reputation becomes. It is characterized by an extremist authoritarian regime and its rules are quite different from any others around the world. For example, listening to foreign music or making international calls may be punishable by death.
Click through the gallery and get to know some of the strangest and most shocking laws followed by residents of North Korea.
North Koreans must idolize their leader. Anything that disrespects the Kim family, the government, or the politicians of North Korea is considered a form of blasphemy and can be met with severe punishment.
Due to financial restraints and the requirement of a special permit, very few citizens in North Korea own and drive cars. Most people rely on public transport and bicycles.
Since the death of North Korean President Kim Il-sung in 1994, June 8 has become a day of mourning. People are restricted from some activities on this day, including drinking alcohol.
Smiling or talking loudly on June 8 is also strictly prohibited as it's considered to be disrespectful towards the deceased president.
Since dance is considered to represent joy, it is also prohibited on June 8. Anyone who doesn't respect these rules can be severely punished or imprisoned.
Falling asleep while the chief speaks can mean big trouble. The North Korean defense minister, Hyon Yong-chol, was reportedly executed with an anti-aircraft gun for having fallen asleep during one of Kim Jong-un's events, which was considered extremely disrespectful.
North Korea holds elections to choose the party leaders who'll rule the country. However, there is usually only one candidate, so voters don't even need to tick a box. They simply pick up a ballot with Kim Jong-un's name on it and drop it in the box.
Consuming marijuana is forbidden in most countries around the world, however, it's believed that there are no laws that punish the trade and consumption of the drug in North Korea.
When North Koreans mention the name of their leader, they always have to prefix it with an adjective that exalts him, such as 'dear Kim' or 'supreme Kim'.
International calls are also forbidden. The act is considered a crime and can be punished by death, as was the fate of a factory owner who was caught making international calls from his basement in 2007. He was executed by firing squad in front of 150,000 people.
Basketball has its own rules in North Korea. This might be due to the fact that the sport was invented in the United States and the relationship between the two countries is not the best. The changes mainly affect the way points are awarded.
The use of some types of clothing is also restricted in North Korea. Skinny jeans, for example, are considered a symbol of capitalism and therefore people are not allowed to wear them.
North Koreans are forbidden to "flee" or travel abroad without permission. Unless you have been given permission, you are not allowed to spend a holiday or even a short weekend in neighboring South Korea.
The supervision of tourists is taken very seriously. People who visit the country are accompanied by guides and officials and must adhere to specific rules of conduct. Every instruction given by the guards must be rigorously followed.
North Korea is one of the only countries in the world where internet access is strictly prohibited. Only in some professions is it possible to access websites, and even then it is done under government supervision.
The penalty for those who don't comply with this law is also severe: they are sent to a concentration camp to do forced labor.
It was prohibited for women in North Korea to wear trousers until 2009. The government decided to lift this ban and allow women to wear "neat trousers," but the influence of "capitalist" fashion from South Korea and the West led to another crackdown and a return to tradition in recent years.
Have you ever noticed that North Koreans have very similar hairstyles? This is not by chance. When Kim Jung-un took office in 2013, he introduced a list of haircuts that would be allowed in the country.
North Koreans don't choose where to live. The government technically owns all the property in the state and assigns housing to citizens.
When a fire breaks out, the first thing citizens must do is save the pictures of North Korean political leaders, and only then can they save their belongings and their own lives. A mother of two was arrested in 2020 for saving her two children but leaving behind the portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il when a fire broke out in her home.
Women are expected to maintain a modest coverage of their bodies, so the use of a bikini is not allowed. Swimwear only became available in 2014 when North Korea attempted to relax its fashion rules to appear more modern.
North Korea is also a very nationalistic country, so watching foreign movies or listening to foreign music is considered a crime.
The sentence is determined according to the place of origin of the movie or music. For example, someone who watches a South Korean movie may face 15 years of correctional labor, while those distributing such materials may be executed.
Another thing that is not allowed in North Korea is to have the same name as the current president. The government made everyone named Kim Jong-un change their name in 2014.
Western religious practices and ideologies are forbidden in the country. There have been cases of public executions of people who have distributed copies of the Bible to North Korean citizens.
Any tourist visiting North Korea is subject to a very meticulous inspection. Phones, cameras, and computers are seized as soon as visitors cross the country's border and are only returned after they leave the country.
North Koreans work six days a week and the average person works almost seven hours of overtime each week, meaning they get very little time off.
Sources: (HuffPost) (India Times) (BBC) (Insider) (The Guardian) (Ranker)
The strange laws of North Korea
The totalitarian regime of North Korean has its own rules
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Life inside the totalitarian nation of North Korea is stranger than fiction. The more stories that are shared by defectors, the more bizarre the country's reputation becomes. It is characterized by an extremist authoritarian regime and its rules are quite different from any others around the world. For example, listening to foreign music or making international calls may be punishable by death.
Click through the gallery and get to know some of the strangest and most shocking laws followed by residents of North Korea.