AFP GETTY North Korea has banned all products bearing marks that resemble a cross

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Government officials are confiscating items with crosses on labels and raiding shops for the markings. In a bizarre move, students have even been told to be careful how they write the mathematical plus sign in case it is mistaken for a crucifix. Clothing and hair clips are also being inspected by Kim Jong-un's regime which is opposed to organised religion. One trader, based in capital Pyongyang, told Radio Free Asia: “We’ve always had to make sure there were no Korean characters on the labels of products that we brought in from China.

If customs officers confiscate these products, insisting the shape looks like a cross, we have nowhere to complain Trader

“Now we have to check again to see that there isn’t anything that looks like a cross. “Some designs on women’s clothing can look a lot like a cross, depending on who is looking at it. "Cross designs also appear on women’s hairpins and hair bands and on men’s neckties. “These products are more likely to be confiscated during customs checks."

AFP GETTY Kim Jong-un's despotic regime is said to reserve its harshest punishments for Christians

AFP GETTY North Korea dictator Kim Jong-un also banned piercings and Western-style clothes

North Korea has been named the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. Kim Jong-un's despotic regime is said to reserve its harshest punishments for Christians, with believers facing arrest, torture, imprisonment and death. The crackdown extends to Chinese sweets which are sometimes shaped like the letter X. Traders say they cannot argue with customs officials. One trader, based in North Hamgyong province, said: “If customs officers confiscate these products, insisting the shape looks like a cross, we have nowhere to complain.

“And if young women carry key chains or wear earrings that have designs resembling a cross, these are also taken away.” It's estimated 70,000 Christians are currently in prison or labour camps in North Korea because of their faith. Many are forced to worship in secret and risk torture and death to do so.

GETTY There are a number of church buildings in Pyongyang which defectors say are used as showpieces

GETTY The cross, a symbol of Christianity, has been banned from products in North Korea

It’s believed there are 300,000 Christians in North Korea with defectors claiming four church buildings in the capital of Pyongyang are used as showpieces by the authorities. Under the country’s strict class system Christians are classed as “hostiles” receiving less food and harsher punishments. The crackdown on items including clothes and accessories comes after Kim Jong-un banned piercings and Western-style clothes. North Koreans are also expected to style and cut their hair in a regime-approved style and there are restrictions on dress.

Inside North Korea Thu, July 28, 2016 Take a look inside North Korea and the unseen world of Kim Jong Un. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 59 North Korea leader Kim Jong Un visits the Chollima Building Materials Complex