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Pornography in North Korea

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Pornography in North Korea is LEGAL The production, distribution and importation of pornography as well.. Nevertheless, pornography is widespread in the country because people secretly import it, or locally produce it.

Law

According to the Criminal Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea:

A person who, without authorization, imports, makes, distributes or illegally keeps music, dance, drawings, photos, books, video recordings or electronic media that reflects decadent, carnal or foul contents shall be punished by short term labour for less than two years. In cases where the person commits a grave offence, he or she shall be punished by reform through labour for less than five years. In cases where such a person imports, keeps or distributes sexual video recordings, the punishment shall be reform through labour for more than five years and less than ten years.

— Article 193 (Import, Keeping and Distribution of Decadent Culture), Chapter 6 (Crimes of Impairing Socialist Culture)[1]

The law specifies that viewing such material is also illegal:[2]

A person who watches or listens to music, dance, drawings, photos, books, video recordings or electronic media that reflects decadent, carnal or foul contents or who performs such acts himself or herself shall be punished by short term labour for less than two years. In cases where the person commits a grave offence, he or she shall be punished by reform through labour for less than five years.

— Article 194 (Conduct of Decadent Acts)[1]

The State Security Department is tasked with monitoring illegal imports of pornographic materials. Involvement in illegal import results in the culprit being shot or sent to a kyohwaso (re-education camp) for 10 to 15 years.[3] Executions of several persons accused of watching or distributing pornography took place in late 2013.[4] It is illegal for tourists to bring pornography into the country.[citation needed] Access to "sex and adult websites" on the Internet has been blocked from the country,[5] but in the past BitTorrent downloads of pornography have been detected, likely relating to foreigners residing in Pyongyang.[6] Likewise, North Koreans living near the border with China use mobile phones equipped with Chinese SIM cards to access Chinese porn sites.[7]

When Kim Jong-un's uncle Jang Song-thaek was executed in 2013, distributing pornography was counted among his crimes.[8]

North Korea has ratified the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,[9] but has enacted no legislation specific to child pornography.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Criminal Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (PDF). Translated by Sang hyup Lee; Hyeong Su Park; Kyung Eun Ha; Simpson Bell, Markus; Lee, Lilian; Wolman, Andrew. Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  2. ^ Hassig, Ralph; Kongdan Oh (2015). The Hidden People of North Korea: Everyday Life in the Hermit Kingdom (2nd ed.). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 106. ISBN 978-1-4422-3719-3.
  3. ^ United Nations Human Rights Council Session 25 Report of the detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea A/HRC/25/CRP.1 page 60, §216. 7 February 2014.
  4. ^ United Nations Human Rights Council Session 25 Report of the detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea A/HRC/25/CRP.1 page 61, §218. 7 February 2014.
  5. ^ Talmadge, Eric (1 April 2016). "North Korea now blocking Facebook, Twitter, other websites". The Big Story. Associated Press. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  6. ^ Hotham, Oliver (15 August 2014). "Popular downloads in N. Korea include Top Gear, porn". NK News. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  7. ^ Hokkanen 2013, pp. 23–24.
  8. ^ Saul, Heather (13 December 2013). "Jang Song Thaek profile: The rise, fall and execution of Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle". The Independent. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  9. ^ "North Korea". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  10. ^ Child Pornography: Model Legislation & Global Review (PDF) (8th ed.). International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children. 2016. p. 34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.

Works cited

  • Hokkanen, Jouni (2013). Pohjois-Korea: Siperiasta itään [North Korea: East of Siberia] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Johnny Kniga. ISBN 978-951-0-39946-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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