In an absurd move, North Koreans may face death if they speak ‘like a South Korean’

The North Korean government has escalated its efforts to suppress what they refer to as "puppet language", which refers to the South Korean dialect of Korean. Individuals in North Korea who are found using slang or vocabulary from the southern region may be subjected to punishments such as forced labor in a prison camp or even death, in accordance with the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act. “Residents who are already accustomed to the South Korean way of speaking now feel like they have to practice the Pyongyang dialect,” a resident in the northwestern province of North Pyongan told Radio Free Asia (RFA). “They are worried that South Korean words will unintentionally or unknowingly come out of their mouths and that they will be punished,” he said.

According to the report, North Korean women are prohibited from using terms like "jagiya" or "oppa" to refer to their husbands or boyfriends. Instead, they are required to use the term "dongji" (comrade). Additionally, North Koreans are expected to refrain from incorporating South Korean loan words derived from English into their language, including words like "paesyeon" (fashion), "heeoseutail" (hairstyle), and "waipeu" (wife), reported South China Morning Post.

“Even openly saying ‘I love you’ is evidence that they have seen South Korean movies and such language has become normalised,” the report added. North Korean authorities are making this change as they are intent on “wiping out the rotten language of capitalism,” RFA reported. There have been documented cases in the past of individuals facing consequences for adopting South Korean speech patterns in North Korea. Additionally, there have been disturbing incidents where people have been executed for attempting to sell prohibited videos and music.

South Korea picks North Korea human rights critic as Unification Minister

In a cabinet reshuffle, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has appointed a conservative scholar who is known for being critical of North Korea's human rights record as the new unification minister responsible for handling relations with Pyongyang, reported Reuters. Kim Yung-ho, a political science professor at Sungshin Women's University, has been nominated for the position. Yoon has been actively highlighting human rights abuses in North Korea, especially given the recent increase in tensions on the Korean peninsula. Back in March, Yoon emphasised the need for the international community to have a better understanding of the situation in North Korea. Kim, aged 63, previously served as a presidential secretary for unification and a human rights envoy during the conservative administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.