Posted 4/5/2024, 2:05:00 PM
North Korea Cracks Down on Shoulder Bags, Seen as Symbol of Western Decadence
- North Korean authorities are stopping people carrying bags slung over just one shoulder, saying it symbolizes Western decadence and capitalism
- Offenders have had bags confiscated or been expelled from school; some sent to labor camps for persisting
- Students influenced by South Korean TV prefer shoulder bags; officials condemn this as spreading South Korean culture
- North Korea prosecuting campaign against external influences under Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Law
- Growing list of banned behaviors seen as contrary to socialist principles, including certain clothes, hairstyles, pet dogs, and wedding customs