It was reported that young North Koreans who were caught watching South Korean dramas were sentenced to ten or more years in labor education camps. The North Korean youths were caught watching various South Korean dramas such as the popular SBS drama 'Penthouse.'

According to the Daily NK report, an open trial was held at a stadium in Pyongsong, North Korea, on the 3rd of June for four North Korean youths who were caught watching South Korean dramas. They were accused of gathering together to watch the Korean dramas until late in the evening to celebrate one of their birthdays on May 25.

Daily NK also reported that the trial was conducted in a heavy and fearful atmosphere in which the four young people were shackled to a podium.

More than 30 South Korean movies and dramas, along with music videos, were discovered in the memory stick that was found. The Daily NK reported that the memory stick also included the popular drama 'Penthouse.'

This violates the North Korean 'Anti-reactionary Ideology Cultural Exclusion Act.' In the end, the four young people were each sentenced to 10 to 12 years, with the individual celebrating their birthday serving the longest term of 12 years. 

The 'Anti-reactionary Ideology Cultural Exclusion Act' was enacted late last year by North Korea, which recently began to thoroughly control anti-socialist ideas, culture inflow, and dissemination activities.

Although the details were not disclosed, according to the NIS analysis, external video distributors of contents from South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will be given the maximum sentence of death, and those involved will be sentenced to 15 years of labor if they are found guilty.