Japundit translates an article from the Japanese Nishinippon Shimbun which reports that North Korean authorities are concerned that the Internet is allowing the popular culture of South Korea to seep into the country and pervert the right thinking of the country’s elites:
A joint investigation by Japanese and South Korean NGOs has discovered that affluent North Koreans are enthralled by South Korean television dramas and music they access through the Internet, and have begun imitating the hair styles and fashions of Southern show business personalities. The North Korean Workers’ Party is adamantly opposed to this influx of culture and customs, and is attempting to crack down on these practices as it conducts a citizens’ education campaign.
During the course of their investigation in the city of Chongjin in May, the groups acquired a 16-page guidance manual published by the Workers’ Party titled “Completely Foiling the Enemies’ Schemes to Spread Different Lifestyle Customs”. The groups report that some North Korean citizens are patronizing Internet cafes operated by companies or individuals and paying 20,000 won—10 times the monthly salary of the average worker—to learn how to use PCs. They then use the PCs to enjoy South Korean television programs, movies, and music. (The photo shows an Internet cafe in Pyongyang.)
The Workers’ Party has begun to take such steps as cutting off power supplies to these users, and party leaders are giving lectures to citizens’ organizations based on the manual. According to the manual, Chairman Kim Jong-il has declared that “Imperialists and reactionary elements are using falsehoods of every kind to paralyze the ability of the masses to think and to disseminate bourgeois reactionary ideas and rotten lifestyle trends.”
The manual enumerates the practices considered unacceptable: viewing decadent video recordings, banquets, cohabitation, self-indulgent divorce, long hair, bizarre and unusual clothing, and pointless and sybaritic lifestyle practices in imitation of other countries. It says that becoming accustomed to these practices will paralyze revolutionary and class consciousness. The result will be the disappearance of the spirit of absolute worship of Chairman Kim Jong-il.
The Chinese are combatting the threat of increased internet use with the help of sophisticated filtering software. The North Koreans just cut off the power.
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