Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
North Korea will enter a period of mourning to remember a decade father Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il, died on Friday (17/12). For 11 days, North Koreans are prohibited from doing various fun activities, such as recreation to laughing.
“During the mourning period, we are not allowed to drink alcohol, laugh or engage in fun activities,” a North Korean resident in the city of Sinuiju told reporters. Radio Free Asia, earlier this week.
The resident then said, the North Korean government usually monitors the movement of citizens during this mourning period closely.
“In the past, many people caught drinking or drunkenness during mourning were eventually arrested and considered perpetrators of ideological crimes. They were taken away and never seen again,” said the resident.
He then shared, “Even if a member of your family dies during the mourning period, you should not cry too hard and the body can only be taken after the mourning period is over. People cannot celebrate birthdays if it falls during the mourning period.”
In order to build an atmosphere of mourning, the police have been deployed since early January. The police are ordered to take immediate action against residents who act in violation of the rules.
“From the first day of December, they have to take action against residents who destroy the atmosphere of mourning. That’s their special task for a month. I heard that law enforcement officers can’t sleep at all,” he said.
To maintain the atmosphere of mourning, residents are also prohibited from shopping for daily necessities. The government also ordered state-owned companies to take care of starving people during the mourning period.
“Welfare and security must be guaranteed, so companies are responsible for collecting food and giving it to the people and employees who cannot work because of food shortages,” he said.
The North Koreans also complain about this rule because it is very detrimental to their time to raise money, looking for food in the midst of a crisis.
“I just hope the mourning period for Kim Jong-il is only a week, like the mourning period for Kim Il-sung. People complain because they are forced to mourn their deaths like dead people,” said another resident.
The mourning period in memory of North Korea’s leaders is usually only held for a week. However, this mourning period was extended because it was considered special, namely a decade.
As reported by Reuters, Kim Jong-il himself led North Korea after his father who was the founder of the nation, Kim Il-sung, died in 1994. Since then, he led North Korea until his death in 2011.
After Kim Il-sung’s death, Kim Jong-un ascended the throne. Thus, this decade of Kim Il-sun is also a welcome sign for the celebration of Kim Jong-un’s decade in power.
(has/bac)
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