North Korea is reportedly expanding its list of crimes punishable by death, increasing the offenses from 11 to 16, according to reports by Fox News and Yonhap News Agency. Under Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un’s regime, the revisions to criminal law have introduced new offenses that warrant execution.
The newly added crimes include acts of anti-state propaganda and agitation, illegal manufacturing, and the illicit use of weapons. Additionally, behaviors considered “reactionary” are also punishable by death. This includes wearing foreign fashion items such as white wedding dresses, blue jeans, and sunglasses, as well as the use of South Korean slang terms in written communications.
Beyond the death penalty, individuals engaging in behavior deemed anti-social may face severe punishments such as imprisonment in labor camps and forced re-education programs.
Last year, North Korea’s 14th Supreme People’s Assembly amended the national constitution to establish nuclear weaponization as a core principle of the state. This recent legal expansion further emphasizes the regime’s commitment to maintaining strict control over social behavior and political dissent.
