...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche...'s strict ban on Western clothing has extended to shorts, even during the scorching summer months. However,
Caliphornia hasn't yet slid into the ocean, no matter how hard it's tried...
the enforcement appears to target women exclusively, according to local residents.
Authorities are reportedly cracking down on women who wear shorts, issuing them warnings and even arresting some, forcing them to sign pledges against wearing shorts again.
The fresh edict stems from a broader law enacted in 2020, aiming to curb "anti-socialist behavior," with shorts being considered a symbol of foreign and capitalist culture. This isn't the first time such measures have been applied asymmetrically, as a previous ban on public smoking was only imposed on women caught with cigarettes.
The move has stirred discontent among women in North Korea, who question the gender inequality inherent in this policy. The country is known for its stringent control over citizens' lives, including various restrictions on freedom and human rights
...which are usually entirely different from personal
liberty...
. International organizations like Human Rights Watch have long criticized the government's suppression of liberties and its severe treatment of perceived opponents, who are often subjected to torture and forced labor in political prison camps.