North Koreans Can't Laugh For 11 Days. It's Kim Jong-il's 10th Death Anniversary

Kim Jong-il succeeded his father Kim Il-sung in 1994 and ruled till his death on December 17 in 2011. He was succeeded by the current leader, Kim Jong-un.

People pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il to mark the tenth anniversary of the latter's death | Photo: AFP

New Delhi: As North Korea observes the 10th death anniversary of its former leader Kim Jong-il this month, its residents have been banned from laughing or consuming liquor in public, among other things, for 11 days, Radio Free Asia reported. The country marks the mourning period of its former leader’s death anniversary every year, but since this was the 10th anniversary, the mourning period stretched a bit longer.

Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011.  

During the mourning period, North Koreas should not show any signs of violation to the national mood of collective mourning. A resident of the northeastern border city of Sinuiju told RFA: “During the mourning period, we must not drink alcohol, laugh or engage in leisure activities.” The resident said that people were also not allowed to go grocery shopping, and grocery shops are to remain closed on December 17.    

People cannot celebrate birthdays during the mourning period and cannot cry out loud either if someone died in their family during this time. “Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it’s over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period,” the resident was quoted as saying. 

Another resident of the southwestern province of South Hwanghae told RFA that police were told in advance to look out for the violators. “From the first day of December, they will have a special duty to crack down on those who harm the mood of collective mourning,” said the resident. 

Kim Jong-il succeeded his father Kim Il-sung in 1994 and ruled till his own death in 2011. He was succeeded by the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. During Kim Jong-il’s term, North Korea went through the darkest phase of its history — the 1994-1998 famine killed millions of people in the country.