North Korea Bans Laughing and Drinking for 11 Days
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has banned laughing and drinking for 11 days to commemorate his father Kim Jong-il’s death.
Citizens attended the memorial service at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun last week, as reported by Reuters. For the 10th anniversary, Kim ordered the country to enter an 11-day-long period of mourning — a day longer than the usual 10 days. Throughout this time, North Koreans are prohibited from laughing or drinking alcohol, as well as participating in leisure activities.
“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,” a source told Radio Free Asia.
On top of these restrictions, citizens are also not allowed to go grocery shopping on December 17, which is the day Kim Jong-il died in 2011.
