North Korean Officials Executed - Ten members of North Korea's ruling party have reportedly been executed by firing squad after they were caught watching South Korean soap operas. Other charges include bribery or womanising.
North Korea has publicly executed at least 50 people this year, about 10 of which are officials from Kim Jong-un's Workers' Party for watching the soaps, according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The North Korean officials executed were known to be close to Kim Jong Un's deceased uncle from execution, Jang Song-thaek, reported the Yonhap news agency.
All forms of television and media are under the strict control of the state. Access to the internet is also limited. However, the banned foreign shows and films have gained popularity in recent years since pirated copies of South Korean and Chinese television programmes are made available through the black market, The Telegraph reports.
While some North Koreans secretly stream the shows over the internet, others watch through smuggled DVDs, video cassettes or memory sticks sold on the black market. The North Korean officials executed would have most likely gotten their copies there.
In a Channel 4 documentary last year, "Mr Chung," a North Korean defector, revealed North Korea's preferences in entertainment.
Chung is a smuggler of radios, USB sticks and DVDs of soap operas and entertainment shows. He transports these into the North whilst posing as a mushroom importer.
"The men prefer watching action films," said Chung. "Men love their action films! I sent them Skyfall recently. The women enjoy watching soap operas and dramas."
Kim Jong-Un's father, Kim Jong-Il and grandfather Kim Il-Sung, have kept the North Korean people from experiencing any form of foreign or modern influences. However, because of technology, Jon-Un has had problems shielding the North's borders, especially with mobile phones and the internet widely available, reports the Daily Mail.
"The more people are exposed to such media the more likely they are to become disillusioned with the regime and start wanting to live differently."
South Korean activists led by another defector from the North sends satchels of anti-regime flyers, noodles, $1 bills and USB sticks which contains South Korean soap operas over the border by attaching them to balloons, according to the Independent.
The North Korean officials executed recently are amongst the North's 24 million people forbidden from watching foreign broadcasts and videos, out of Jong Un's fear that outside influence may affect his dictatorship's ideology.
Anyone caught smuggling or distributing illegal material can be executed for crimes against the state. Viewers have reportedly been sentenced to years in prison camps or hard labour as well.
Last year Novemeber, a purge occurred similar to the one the North Korean officials executed have been part of. Around 80 people were executed for watching South Korean television shows. The execution was made public as authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium in the eastern port of Wonsan to view eight people's death by firing squad, reported JoongAng Ilbo .
It remains unknown whether the most recent group of North Korean officials executed include six missing officials reported earlier this month.
As NPR reported before, Kim's long absence from the public for 40 days has resulted to many people speculating that he might have been overthrown.
The North Korean officials executed recently may have been Jong Un's regime trying to keep a hold of the dictatorship's power, but it appears that it will only be a matter of time before the nation becomes aware. According to South Korean spies, the leader is recovering following an operation to remove a cyst from his right ankle. However, his condition could reportedly recur given his weight.
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