North Korea is a country shrouded in mystery. Isolated from much of the world, there is a lot about North Korea that Westerners simply do not know. One of the more unusual and unknown elements of North Korea are the strange laws that govern its society. These unusual laws range from:
state-sanctioned haircuts
the government deciding who gets to live in the capital
your entire family being punished for crimes you commit
The North Korean government has almost complete authority over its citizens and these strange and invasive laws are reflective of the incredible paranoia the small state is renowned for.
While some of these laws are comical, it’s important to consider and reflect on how these bizarre laws could affect the populace. Certainly, this explains the strained, nervous faces of North Korean citizens when they are shown in documentaries or on the news.
- The first of these strange laws concerns your hair. There are 28 government approved hair styles in North Korea. That’s it. 10 for men, 18 for women. While I certainly think some haircuts should be discouraged (man-buns!), no haircut should be illegal.
2.Want to live in the capital? You Need Permission, bud. That’s right, if you want to live in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, then you need to get state permission.
3.Only 55% of eligible U.S citizens voted during the 2016 election. In North Korea it is illegal not to vote, as the government mandates that all of its citizens must vote. Unfortunately, the government also mandates that all 100% of North Korean citizens vote for the same person.
4.If there is one thing authoritarian states want to control, it’s information and communication. And because of that, North Korea controls the airwaves. There are only 3 TV channels to choose from and the programming is all strictly controlled by the government.
