Curiosity
North Korea Executes 80 For Watching Soap Operas: Reports
Coronation Street becomes the longest-running TV soap opera in the world Photo: PA
Everyone knows that the choices made in life come with consequences, sometimes serious consequences. Most people would think that watching television would be a rather innocuous choice, but if you live in North Korea it’s not.
In North Korea, watching unauthorized films or television shows is a serious crime especially shows from South Korea, yet new technologies such as compact discs, flash drives, and mp3 players make them easier to smuggle.
Early in November, sometime around November 3, 2013, one unidentified source reported that 80 people were publicly executed for watching illicit South Korean television shows, some of which contained prostitution.
One source claimed that government officials gathered 10,000 spectators in a sports arena in the eastern port of Wonson to watch 8 executions. Executions were also reported to take place in seven cities throughout the region. A North Korean defector group said it had heard credible rumors that supported the story. Daily NK, a news website operated by North Korean defectors, reported that it had no information on the executions. However, Intellectual Solidarity, another news website operated by North Korean defectors, said it had sources that revealed several months ago that the government was planning public executions.
Clearly, recent events in North Korea should give the world pause to think. The next time you get ready to change the channel or pop a show in the dvr, you might want to question what it is you’re watching and who’s watching you.
North Korea executes 80 for watching soap operas
http://www.news.com.au/world/n-korea-executes-80-people-most-for-watching-foreign-tv-shows/story-fndir2ev-1226757723839
North Korea ‘publicly executes 80 people’
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iFGsdiySVF3DgbG1ITB6YjknxiwQ?docId=eeb22846-f316-4d7a-a22e-195199f42b55