In North Korea, Teen Gets 14 Years in Jail For Watching 5 Mins Of Banned Film

New Delhi: A teenager in North Korea was sentenced to 14 years in prison for watching five minutes of a banned film. The 14-year-old student from Yanggang Province was sentenced for 14 years hard labour for watching five minutes of the South Korean movie ‘The Uncle’. All cultural materials from South Korea and other ‘hostile’ countries including US are banned in North Korea.

The student was arrested from Hyesan City’s Elementary and Middle School while watching the movie, LAD Bible reported from a local publication Daily NK.

As per the legal document attained by Daily NK, it stated that ‘correctional labour’ is set for those ‘who have directly seen, listened to, or kept South Korean films, recordings, compilations, books, songs, paintings, and photos for more than five years and less than 15 years’.

Earlier, students in North Korea received severe punishment after they were caught watching popular Netflix show Squid Game, American news media outlet Radio Free Asia reported. Few citizens were caught importing the Netflix show on USB drives across the border but the authorities got to know of the same and while two of them were sentenced to five years of labour reformation, one of them was sentenced to life prison. Many others who were charged with importing labour USB sticks with the South Korean drama were shot dead.