There will be no laughing, drinking, celebration, leisure, or shopping in North Korea for 11 days, as part of a mourning period imposed in the country to mark the anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death.
The mourning period began on December 17 and was imposed by current leader Kim Jong-Un, the son of Kim Jong-il. It is typically a 10-day mourning period, but this year was extended to 11 days as 2021 is the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death. The former leader ruled for 17 years. Three generations of the family have ruled the country since 1948.
The ramifications for breaking the rules are extremely strict. If a citizen breaks the rules, they can be arrested. When people previously have broken the rule, they were arrested and “treated as ideological criminals.” Witnesses have told news outlets that the people were taken away and never seen again.
Celebrations are completely banned during the period. For example, for someone’s birthday in this period, they cannot host a celebration. Expressing emotions out loud is also banned during the period. If a family member were to die during the mourning period, the bereaved are not allowed to cry out loud.
Reports say that police are told ahead of the mourning period to look for people who are not “appropriately bereaved” and crack down on anyone who is harming the mourning period.
The mourning period began December 17 with three minutes of silence, during which all citizens of the capital Pyongyang bowed their heads. On the first day, the greatest restrictions were imposed, including a ban on even grocery shopping.
Newspapers in North Korea, which are all heavily controlled by the government and completely censored, praised Kim Jong-il as the greatest man, and that all people should want to adhere to his son Kim Jong-Un’s ideas and leadership.
Be the first to comment