Three North Koreans from Yanggang Province

have reportedly been executed for watching South Korean TV dramas with their

mobile phones. The execution, although carried out in private, is seen as being

part of Pyongyang’s drive to stamp out illegal viewing of outside content by

setting an example.

“Last month, three residents were shot to

death for watching South Korean dramas using memory cards,” the source from

Yanggang Province told Daily NK on September 9th. “In the past, we had seen

cadre members who had watched dramas or vendors who made CDs being executed,

but now that seems to include residents (who watch dramas) as well, making

everyone very nervous.”

This information was crosschecked with

an additional source in the same province.

The three executed were exposed during

beefed up inspections. State Security Department agents arrested them and handed them over to Ministry of People’s Security personnel after interrogation. The execution was not public and instead

carried out somewhere in Kimjongsuk County, according to the source.

“Even though it wasn’t public, a lot of

people are aware of the news, so they’re taking extra precautions,” she

explained, adding that because word of mouth quickly spreads the news many will

likely take extra precautions regarding their viewing habits of media from

below the border.

Those executed were caught in the act of

watching the dramas from memory cards on Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. They

were killed to send a message to others about what happens when people ‘get

caught up in corrupt and depraved ideologies and go against the Party to watch

such video content’, the source explained, citing a cadre with close knowledge

of security agency matters.

“The people who were executed were from

Kanggu, Keomsanri, and Yonbongdong, and they had obtained the memory cards (packed with South Korean shows) from Chinese traders while they were working

as smugglers,” the source said. “With border security being at much higher

levels, they had temporarily halted their smuggling operations; the problem

stemmed from them filling the extra time on their hands by watching South

Korean dramas.”

The number of people who own smartphones

that can play back video is limited in the North, and this enables security

agents to keep closer tabs on those who do, said the source. Around two to

three people out of ten own a smartphone, so it is easy for security and safety

agents to monitor them and wiretap their devices if they need, she asserted.

“The three thought if they were on the move

constantly enough while watching the dramas, they wouldn’t get caught,” the

source said. “But having figured out that people were watching with memory

cards, security agents narrowed down their surveillance to those who have

Bluetooth phones and were able to apprehend them.”

Within one inminban (people’s unit), there

are up to two to three or even five Bluetooth-enabled phones, and they are

mostly used by Party cadres and smugglers. Those who have Bluetooth access need

to sign up and pay roughly 500,000 KPW a month for the service, so, citing

costs, the source said that most people use flip phones or sliders.

At a mobile communications vendor in

Yanggang Province, a Bluetooth-enabled phone fetches around 2,500 to 3,000 RMB

(4 mil. KPW), while simpler flip phones or sliders are priced anywhere between

800 to 1,200 RMB (1 mil. to 1.6 mil. KPW).

*The content of this article was broadcast

to the North Korean people via Unification Media Group.