With the US-North Korea Summit in Singapore right around the corner, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is on people's minds. For the first time in decades, the idea of Korean reunification, or at least of a more stable North Korea emerges as a realizable goal. North Korea has been one of the most secluded and isolated regions in the world since the 1950's. It also happens to be one of the most repressive and conservative countries in the world. As a result, possession or distribution of serious contraband like drugs, Bibles or pornography can easily earn you a decade in a forced labor camp or even public execution. Just 5 years ago Hyon Song Wol, an ex-girlfriend of Kim Jong-un was <a href="https://nypost.com/2013/08/29/kim-jong-uns-ex-girlfriend-executed-in-pornography-scandal/">executed by a firing squad for her alleged role in filming and distributing pornography</a>.
As a result, you won't find pornography for sale anywhere. It's even rare to even see kissing or cuddling in North Korean movies or television. UK's The Guardian shared testimony from a North Korean about North Korean attitudes on pornography:
<blockquote>When I was a high school student, students went on dates but even cuddling was inconceivable to us, let alone kissing. The bravest thing we could do was walk holding each others’ hands in alleys when no one else was watching. If we ran into someone unexpectedly, we would pretend we hadn’t been doing anything as “obscene” as holding hands.
What shocked me most when I arrived in South Korea was learning about abortion. I watched something about it on the news, and I it was the first time I had heard anything about it.
If North Korea opens its doors to the outside world or becomes reunified with South Korea, I can only assume that these types of films and X-rated magazines would be introduced. But of course, they should be clearly rated and kept away from minors.</blockquote>
Despite this, <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/34022-pornhub-north-korea-japanese-game-show-orgasm-wars">apparently a few scant thousand users have accessed PornHub from North Korea</a>. PornHub analyzes the data regarding the content accessed. The top searched for terms in North Korea are Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese game show, Korea, Korean, Japanese, creampie, public humiliation, Swedish, hairy creampie, Indonesian, Mongol and Japanese massage sex. Top viewed categories include Japanese, Asian, Big Tits, Cartoon, Double Penetration, MILF, Mature, Big Dick, Korean, Threesome. Oddly, the term "Lesbian" does not show up though it's one of the top most searched categories or terms in pornography searches around the world.
Most countries search for pornography related to the region they are from though, so it's possible that some of these few thousand PornHub users are actually tourists. It's likely if they are North Koreans it is likely to include a few members of the inner party. Party members are generally privy to more information from the outside world. The inner party members are the only citizens who are able to escape the North Korean intranet to even access sites like Facebook or PornHub.
Pornography is also sold on the border between North Korea and China. <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/842732/north-korea-viewing-study-japanese-korean-kim-jong-un">The intelligence firm Recorded Future spent three months monitoring internet traffic and discovered that VPN and VPS services were used</a> for browsing likely to prevent internet monitoring or to retrieve censored material.
That said, porn, though rare certainly exists in North Korea. Former CIA official Henry Crumpton mentioned in his book The Art of Intelligence, "I’ve never met a North Korean diplomat who did not want porn, either for personal use or resale." Then there are also "risque" films of girls in short skirts or shorts and bare shoulders dancing to 80's pop music which are widely circulated and traded among the elite.
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Speaking of dancing girls, any mention of North Korean pornography would be incomplete without mentioning the pornography scandal that resulted in a dozen girls, including Kim Jong-un's ex-girlfriend Hyon Song Wol. The girls were members of the Unhasu Orchestra and Wangjaesan Light band and were accused of selling sex tapes involving themselves. Some of the girls were <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/north-korea-reportedly-executed-pop-singers-and-dancers-2584342/">also accused of having Bibles in their possession</a>.
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Hyon Song Wol actually had a bit of internet fame in the West before the scandal due to her role in a music video for the song "Excellent Horse-like Lady" a hymn to finding joy in hard work. If North Korea does end up abandoning the secluded state they've existed in for decades chances are the "porn curtain" will fall and more North Koreans will be exposed to pornography. There's certainly a lot to be gained by joining back up with the "the global village" but by the same token, there's no doubt that not all the glittery, trappings of Western Degeneracy are what they're cracked up to be at first.
Not from what I've read. The North is rich in natural resources but no infrastructure for extraction or processing, the South has the industrial infrastructure. I actually fear for the culture shock the Norks will experience, but being freed somewhat from the complete dominance of the Kim dynasty would be nice.
you don't need pornography when almost any woman and girl is available for a few loaves of bread and a party job.
"Former CIA official Henry Crumpton mentioned in his book The Art of Intelligence, "I’ve never met a North Korean diplomat who did not want porn, either for personal use or resale"
Frankly, bullshit. Just like how giving china and russia a few branches of mcdonalds would make them reject communism that some fans of regan suggested in the 80s.
millions of big macs and porn scenes haven't changed china or anywhere else. grow a fucking backbone and actually help defectors and dissidents for once.
It's well nigh impossible. North Korea aligning with south? How stupid? One a good democracy, other a sycophancy of chauvinism. Almost ridiculous an idea, which will only destroy south Korea because North has no hope.