[Anchor]
It has been learned that North Korean authorities are punishing soldiers who watched so-called "impure recordings," such as South Korean dramas, and are using footage of these punishments as ideological education materials. Watching banned videos is reportedly equated to acts of treason and aiding the enemy.
Reporter Kim Ayeong has the details.
[Reporter]
This is video footage released by Radio Free Asia (RFA) in the United States, described as ideological education material targeting the North Korean military.
Soldiers and women dressed in civilian clothing stand with their heads bowed, and moments later, handcuffs are placed on their wrists.
They appear to be undergoing public punishment after being caught watching so-called impure audio and video recordings, such as South Korean dramas and movies.
A panelist demands summary execution.
["In the name of all military unit employees, I strongly propose that these individuals, who are utterly steeped in imperialist ideological culture and lifestyles, be summarily executed and brought down with a merciless iron hammer."]
Next, a series of photographs showing soldiers looking at something on their mobile phones appears.
The Workers' Party of Korea prohibits soldiers from using mobile phones, but the material highlights instances where troops violated this rule to secretly watch and distribute banned videos.
["Ultimately, civilian mobile phones guided them down the path of treason and counterrevolution, ruining their fate."]
A soldier who faced punishment is seen writing a letter and weeping, remarking that being caught was only a matter of time.
["In the process of watching impure recordings once or twice, the speech mannerisms of the puppets gradually crept into my mind... I truly, deeply regret it."]
Another soldier appearing in the video stated that offenders caught watching external video materials were sentenced to more than five years of labor reeducation and that pardons are not granted to them.
North Korea's compilation of such crackdown cases into dedicated educational materials appears to reflect heightened vigilance over the infiltration of outside culture, including from South Korea, into the military.
Radio Free Asia reported that the videos were produced in 2023 and continue to be utilized as internal education materials.
(Video by Cho Mu-hwan | Footage courtesy of RFA)
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