Tobias Sylvester
North Koreans have been its citizens banned from laughing and drinking for 11 days to mark the tenth anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il‘s death.
Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1994 until his death in 2011, and was then succeeded by his third and youngest son, current leader Kim Jong Un.
In order to commemorate a decade of Kim Jong-il’s death on Friday, December 17, North Koreans are being forced to observe the 11-day period of mourning where they are not allowed to laugh, drink alcohol or show any signs of happiness.
“During the mourning period, we must not drink alcohol, laugh or engage in leisure activities,” a North Korean from the northeastern border city of Sinuiju told Radio Free Asia (RFA).
Daily Mail quoted a source saying that North Koreans also are not allowed to go grocery shopping on December 17 – the anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death.
The source added: “In the past many people who were caught drinking or being intoxicated during the mourning period were arrested and treated as ideological criminals. They were taken away and never seen again.
“Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it’s over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period.”
Another source, a resident of the southwestern province of South Hwanghae, said police officers were told to watch for people who fail to look appropriately upset during the mourning period.
They told RFA: “From the first day of December, they will have a special duty to crack down on those who harm the mood of collective mourning. It’s a month-long special duty for the police. I heard that law enforcement officials cannot sleep at all.”
The source also added that citizens groups and state-owned companies have been ordered to take care of those in poverty during the period of mourning, as the country grapples with a food crisis.
They said: “Social order and safety must be ensured, so companies are responsible for collecting food to give to residents and employees who cannot come to work due to food shortages. Residents must also work together to help out the kotjebi [North Korea’s street beggars].”
The anonymous resident added that mourning for Kim Jong Il, and his father Kim Il Sung, is affecting North Korean’s daily lives.
They said: “I just hope that the mourning period for Kim Jong Il will be shortened to one week, just like the mourning period for Kim Il Sung. Residents are complaining that the living are forced to mourn these two dead people to death.”
Three generations of the Kim family have ruled North Korea since Kim Il Sung established the country in 1948. When Kim Il Sung died in 1994, his eldest son, Kim Jong Il, inherited power.
Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack on December 17 2011 at the age of 69 after ruling the country for 17 years in a brutal and repressive dictatorship.
While the mourning period held every year for Kim Jong Il is usually 10 days, this year it will be 11 days to mark the tenth anniversary of his death.
Kanyi Daily recalls that North Korea recently banned people from wearing leather trench coats to stop citizens from emulating the fashion sense of its dictatorial leader, Kim Jong-un.
