North Korea is in news again and like always for a weird reason. This time North Korea has banned skinny jeans, ripped denim, mullets, dyed hair, and a few other fashion trends. Kim Jong-un is in a self-proclaimed war against capitalism. As a result, the decision is taken to keep the western influence out of the country. Here is more.
What prompted the ban?
The crackdown came after a state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmum published an appeal to citizens to do away with capitalistic culture.
The report said: “History teaches us a crucial lesson that a country can become vulnerable and eventually collapse like a damp wall regardless of its economic and defence power if we do not hold on to our lifestyle.”
The anti-foreign sentiment sparked again when the state made an outburst slamming South Korea’s K-pop industry for treating its idols poorly and exploiting them like slaves.
What all has been banned?
According to reports, Kim Jong-un has banned “non-socialist” hairstyles like the mullet.
North Korea has also banned Spikes and dyed hairs.
According to the new laws, citizens must only have one of the 15 alternative haircuts. The order read- mullets and other unauthorised hairstyles are “anti-socialist behaviour” and are part of the “yellow wind of capitalism.”
Western-style clothing such as ripped or skinny jeans, sloganed T-shirts, and nose and lip piercings will also have to go, according to the new laws.
North Korea is also cracking down on pop music. This is because of the success of South Korean K-pop bands such as BTS and Blackpink.
How is North Korea dealing with the pandemic?
According to several reports, North Korea is suffering from a shortage of food and medicine imports as it sealed its borders last year because of the pandemic.
“The North Korean economy is on the brink of a huge recession. A lot of people are suffering. I have spoken to contacts who say there are more people begging for food and money at markets, and a rise in the number of homeless people. There is also a desperate need for antibiotics and other medicines.” – Jiro Ishimaru, Japan-based North Korean Journalist
Meanwhile, North Korea has repeatedly claimed that it has not recorded a single coronavirus case because of its efforts to quickly seal borders and quick preventive measures.