New testimony shared with has revealed that North Korean citizens, including school students, have reportedly been executed for watching South Korean television shows and listening to K-pop music.
The findings are based on 25 detailed interviews with former North Korean residents, including 11 individuals who escaped the country between 2009 and 2020. Most of those interviewed were between 15 and 25 years old at the time of their escape. Their accounts describe extreme punishments, including public executions, forced labour, and public humiliation, for consuming foreign media.
According to the testimonies, one interviewee said they learned through family connections that several high school students were executed in Yanggang Province for watching . Another execution related to the distribution of the series was previously reported in North Hamgyong Province in 2021. Amnesty International stated that these reports indicate multiple incidents linked to the consumption of South Korean content.
Escapees also highlighted the risks associated with listening to foreign music, especially K-pop. Popular groups such as were mentioned in several testimonies. In one case from 2021, teenagers in South Pyongan Province were reportedly investigated for listening to the group’s songs.
In 2020, North Korea introduced the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, which criminalised access to South Korean dramas, films, and music. Under the law, individuals caught watching or possessing such material can face five to 15 years of forced labour. Those involved in distributing large amounts of foreign content or organising group screenings may face the death penalty.
Kim Eunju, a former resident, said public executions were used as part of ideological training in schools. She recalled being taken to witness executions as a teenager. According to her, authorities used these events to warn students about the consequences of consuming banned media.
Another escapee, Choi Suvin, who fled the country in 2019, described witnessing a public execution in Sinuiju around 2017 or 2018. She said tens of thousands of residents were ordered to attend. According to her testimony, such executions were used to instil fear and enforce loyalty to the regime.
Several interviewees also spoke about corruption within the system. They claimed that wealthier individuals were sometimes able to avoid harsh punishment by paying large bribes. In some cases, families reportedly sold their homes to raise between $5,000 and $10,000 to secure release from re-education camps.
Amnesty International said the testimonies point to systematic human rights abuses and widespread efforts by the North Korean authorities to control information and restrict outside influence. The organisation has called on the international community to hold Pyongyang accountable and increase pressure to protect basic freedoms in the country.