This is a video released by U.S.-based Radio Free Asia, identified as ideological education material for the North Korean military.
Soldiers and women in civilian clothing stand with their heads bowed, and moments later, handcuffs are placed on their wrists.
They appear to be facing public punishment after being caught watching so-called "impure recordings and video materials," such as South Korean dramas and movies.
A speaker argues for summary execution.
["In the name of all military unit employees, I strongly urge that these individuals, who are thoroughly tainted by imperialist ideological culture and lifestyles, be summarily executed and struck down with a merciless iron hammer."]
Next, a series of photos appears showing soldiers looking at something on their mobile phones.
The Workers' Party of Korea prohibits soldiers from using mobile phones, but the video states that there have been cases of soldiers violating this rule to secretly watch and distribute banned video material.
["In the end, civilian mobile phones led them down the path of treason and counter-revolution, ruining their destiny."]
A soldier who had been punished writes a letter and sobs, saying that getting caught is only a matter of time.
["While watching impure recordings once or twice, the speech of the puppets gradually entered my mind, and... I truly regret it, I deeply regret it."]
Another soldier appearing in the video said that offenders caught watching outside videos were sentenced to more than five years of reform through labor, and that they are not even granted pardons.
North Korea's compilation of these crackdown cases into dedicated educational materials appears to reflect heightened wariness over the influx of outside culture, including from South Korea, penetrating into the military.
Radio Free Asia stated that these videos were produced in 2023 and continue to be used as internal educational material.
Reported by Kim Ayeong | Video by Cho Mu-hwan | Provided by RFA | Produced by SBS Digital News
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