North Korea Executions Surge: K-Pop, Foreign Media & Kim Jong-un’s Brutal Laws

North Korea has dramatically expanded its use of the death penalty, including executions for offenses like distributing foreign media such as South Korean dramas and K-pop, according to a report by Amnesty International released on February 4, 2026. The report details a system of arbitrary punishments, where the severity often depends on an individual’s wealth and connections.

The Amnesty International report, based on interviews with North Korean escapees, reveals that those caught consuming South Korean entertainment – including popular series like Squid Game, Crash Landing on You, and Descendants of the Sun – face severe consequences. These range from public humiliation and years in labor camps to execution. Wealthier individuals are often able to avoid the harshest penalties by bribing corrupt officials, while those without financial resources are disproportionately affected.

“These testimonies show how North Korea is enforcing dystopian laws that mean watching a South Korean TV show can cost you your life – unless you can afford to pay.”

Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director

The testimonies highlight a climate of fear, where secret consumption of South Korean TV is widespread, but the penalties for violating vaguely worded “culture” laws are arbitrarily applied. Some interviewees recounted being forced to witness public executions as schoolchildren as part of their “ideological education.”

Increased Executions Linked to COVID-19 Crackdown

Recent reports indicate a significant increase in executions in North Korea, particularly following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A United Nations report released in September 2025 found that the use of the death penalty had “significantly expanded” over the past decade. The report, based on interviews with 300 defectors, details public executions carried out for distributing foreign media.

Kim Jong-un has publicly denounced K-pop as a “vicious cancer,” and the government has implemented increasingly harsh laws criminalizing the consumption of foreign media. According to reports from Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber, the number of executions has risen dramatically in recent years.

Dünya Gazetesi reported that executions increased by 116 percent following the pandemic, indicating a tightening of control over information and a harsher response to perceived ideological threats. NTV Haber also reported on the trend of executions linked to watching foreign television series.

System of Corruption and Inequality

Amnesty International’s report emphasizes the corrupt nature of the system, where officials profit from the fear of punishment. The organization notes that this “repression layered with corruption” disproportionately impacts those without wealth or connections. The laws criminalizing access to information violate international law, according to Amnesty International.

The report details how North Korea maintains one of the world’s most restrictive information environments, with strict controls on access to outside media. Border closures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have made it increasingly difficult for North Koreans to escape and share information about the situation within the country.

Most of the escapees interviewed by Amnesty International were between 15 and 25 years old at the time of their departure, with the most recent escape occurring in June 2020.