20 North Korean Athletes Sentenced to Reeducation
"Talking About Namjosun During Recreation Was the Cause"
According to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 11th, citing sources from residents in Yanggang Province, 20 young North Korean athletes were sentenced to labor reform for using South Korean language during a recreational gathering.
According to the report, the source said, "On the afternoon of the 3rd, there was a public denunciation meeting targeting youth graduates of advanced middle schools at the square in Hyesan City," and added, "The athletes who had been to Samjiyon City caused trouble by speaking South Korean during the recreational gathering."
In February, Yanggang Province recruited youth athletes from within the province and conducted winter training in Samjiyon City. Some of the athletes participating in the training reportedly spoke South Korean during a word chain game at the recreational gathering.
The source stated, "At the public denunciation meeting, it was revealed that all 20 participants in the recreational gathering were subjected to legal punishment in the form of labor reform," and added, "Residents criticized this as an excessive punishment, saying that promising athletes with bright futures were sent to reform centers over a single word."
Most of the athletes were children of powerful cadre families, but as the issue was raised up to the central authorities, a harsh punishment order was issued. The relevant cadres were dismissed, and their families were decided to be exiled to Samsu, a remote mountainous area.
Another source from Yanggang Province explained, "Someone recorded the recreational gathering video on a mobile phone during training, and a female student was caught during a surprise inspection while watching the saved video."
He continued, "The security personnel who inspected the female student's phone took issue with the recreational gathering video, and as the provincial party cadres tried to cover it up, they were reported to the central party, which escalated the problem."
The source could not confirm exactly which South Korean words were spoken but presumed that words like 'oppa' or 'jagiya' were used.
"Using South Korean language results in labor reform of 6 years or more"
Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. [Image source=Chosun Central TV screen·Yonhap News]
Previously, North Korea enacted a law stipulating that using South Korean language results in imprisonment of six years or more, and teaching South Korean speech patterns can lead to the death penalty.
A document obtained by RFA last month titled 'On Thoroughly Understanding and Strictly Observing the Newly Adopted Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law' contains parts of the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law adopted in January.
Article 58 of the law states, "Anyone who speaks or writes in the 'Goerye' (a derogatory term for South Korea) dialect, sends notifications or emails in the 'Goerye' dialect, or produces printed materials, recordings, edited works, paintings, photographs, or scrolls written in 'Goerye' language or script shall be sentenced to labor reform for six years or more."
Article 59 specifies, "Anyone who teaches the 'Goerye' dialect to others or distributes printed materials, recordings, edited works, paintings, photographs, or scrolls written in 'Goerye' language or script to others shall be sentenced to labor reform for ten years or more, and in severe cases, to life labor reform or the death penalty."
Additionally, Article 63 states, "If items written in 'Goerye' language or script are displayed for sale or hidden, the business shall be closed."
North Korea defines 'Goerye language' as "a mixed language that has completely lost the foundation of the Korean language (North Korean language) due to Westernization, Japanization, and Sinicization of vocabulary, grammar, and intonation, and is a filthy and disgusting garbage language that does not exist in the world."
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