North Korea is reportedly detaining more young people in re-education camps for secretly watching South Korean movies.

The crackdown on the clandestine viewing of foreign media comes amid fears by the regime that its “ideological purity” will be eroded, reported the Daily NK.

A source in North Pyongan Province told the news website that the country’s youth were increasingly using illegal memory cards for entertainment and to satisfy their curiosity about the outside world.

“But those that are caught are being sent to youth labour-reform centres and kept there for about a year for re-education,” said the source.

The strategy appears to be part of a wider effort to shape youth opinion in favour of the authoritarian regime and as future supporters of the government.