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This article states that North Koreans face similar consequences of the leader's death anniversary as in previous years, now being banned from laughing for 11 days. Is the regime so authoritarian that it would make this rule and strictly enforce it?

In another words since information from NK is sparse, is this just propaganda? I have read that Radio Free Asia is not reliable source of information.

Jesper
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toddddos
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    Radio "Free" Asia is directly funded by NED so yes, it's pure propaganda. – ChanganAuto Dec 17 '21 at 18:20
  • @ChanganAuto but it is based on something, right? it's not a straight-up lie? To the extent of it, this question is asking a specific point, to maybe see how bad western propaganda is – toddddos Dec 17 '21 at 19:20
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    The story is reported widely in the press. One anonymous source apparently said “It’s a month-long special duty for the police. I heard that law enforcement officials cannot sleep at all.” I wonder if the sources simply believe whatever they are told. – Weather Vane Dec 17 '21 at 19:31
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    It would be a first. All claims so far from that "media" source have been cleverly constructed out of thin air. Not evidence of anything but something any person concerned about DPRK should know in an easily digestible little video: https://youtu.be/EzDhqXuELjo – ChanganAuto Dec 17 '21 at 19:34
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    @WeatherVane They do indeed. The weirder the better. Even physical impossibilities like a dozen people having to push a non-working train (I wonder why they don't just walk?) which has been claimed by a famous dissident and repeat without a single molecule of skepticism by most mainstream mass media. – ChanganAuto Dec 17 '21 at 19:37
  • It's not implausible per se. Just like burning the official flag is a criminal offense in many countries (because disrespect etc.), and certain activities can be banned during mourning, so laughing (at least publicly) during official mourning can be treated as a (possibly criminal) offense. It doesn't take a dictatorship to establish such things. The question is, how is it _actually_ policed and prosecuted. – Zeus Dec 20 '21 at 07:15
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    In the linked story, *"In the past many people who were caught drinking or being intoxicated during the mourning period were arrested and treated as ideological criminals"* might well be verifiable fact, but it is followed by *"Police have been forewarned to look for those who do not look sufficiently upset"* which is where the bounds of credulity are stretched. – Weather Vane Dec 20 '21 at 14:10

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