A new report from Amnesty International reveals that North Korea's communist regime does not hesitate to punish its citizens, including schoolchildren, for watching South Korean series like Squid Game. Witness testimonies suggest that those caught engaging with this 'illegal' content could face imprisonment in labor camps or even execution, reflecting the harsh realities of censorship and cultural repression in the nation. The report was based on interviews with 25 North Korean defectors who escaped from 2012 to 2020, most of whom were between 15 and 25 years old at the time of their escape.

Eyewitness accounts detail alarming incidents, including reports of students being executed for their consumption of entertainment from South Korea. One notable case involved the execution of several individuals, including high school students, in Jangkang province near the Chinese border for watching Squid Game. Additionally, similar reporting has been corroborated by Radio Free Asia, which documented more executions in North Korean provinces, underlining the extreme measures the regime will take to enforce its sovereignty over culture and information.

This brutal enforcement highlights the regime's fear of foreign influence and cultural exchange, viewing any exposure to South Korean media as a direct challenge to its authority. The implications are significant, revealing the lengths to which North Korea will go to maintain strict control over its populace and the isolated nature of its society, which remains largely closed off from external media and ideas. The international community has been urged by human rights organizations to take notice of these violations as part of a larger pattern of oppression under Kim Jong-un's regime.