North Korea bans enjoyment, liquor and birthdays in the course of 7 days-very long mourning for Kim Jong Il

North Korea is in the midst of a 7-day period of forced mourning to mark the 11th anniversary of the dying of previous chief Kim Jong Il, and no singing, drinking or celebrating will be permitted, sources in the state convey to Radio Free of charge Asia.

The federal government has purchased its citizens to manage an perspective of solemn reflection on the life of the late ‘Dear Chief,’ the father of latest leader Kim Jong Un, who died on December 17, 2011. The mourning period started on Wednesday and will conclusion on December 20.

‘You have to in no way drink liquor or engage in amusement this kind of as singing or consuming throughout the interval of commemoration,’ a resident of the northern province of Ryanggang informed RFA’s Korean Service on Wednesday on situation of anonymity for protection explanations.

Furthermore, persons are intended to tone down or stay clear of vital daily life situations, these as coming of age ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and even jesa, the ceremony to don’t forget the lifeless.

Pictured: Kim Jong Un attends a conference of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on January 19, 2022

Pictured: Chinese then-President Jiang Zemin, appropriate, fulfills with North Korean then-leader Kim Jong Il in Beijing

‘The atmosphere of fear that controls and pressures the citizens will be solid for the duration of the commemoration interval,’ the resource explained. ‘If you do not observe your self and are not very careful during this time, you may perhaps get into really serious difficulties.’

Authorities have also informed people to prevent earning political statements or offer any criticism versus the authorities throughout the interval, and threatened that magic formula agents ended up on the lookout.

Movement between different elements of the region would also be far more limited than typical, and bribing officers for journey passes would be just about difficult throughout the mourning interval, the source reported.

Residents in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong have been explained to to ‘be watchful about what [they] say and do’ in the course of the mourning time period, a resident there advised RFA on problem of anonymity to talk freely.

Pictured: People pay a visit to Mansu Hill to pay their respects in entrance of statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, to mark the eleventh anniversary of the demise of Kim Jong Il

National flags are observed at 50 %-mast on the 11th anniversary of the loss of life of Chairman Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, on Saturday, December 17, 2022

The second source claimed that in addition to the directives about performing respectfully and refraining from criticizing or complaining about the authorities, the central governing administration purchased the community enjoy models to implement a tighter surveillance of the people.

‘Documentaries about Kim Jong Il’s achievements and his adore for the persons are staying aired on tv each working day,’ the 2nd source claimed. ‘Various memorial-relevant occasions this sort of as museum visits, intense lectures, and commemorative lectures are consistently staying held, but they always finish with a topic of infinite loyalty to Kim Jong Un.’

December is also the birth month of Kim Jong Il’s mom, Kim Jong Sook, and she also has commemorative functions, so the persons obtain the concentration on the Kim Dynasty this time of yr to be exhausting, the 2nd resource mentioned.

Pictured: Kim Jong Un offers a lecture at the Central Cadres Education Faculty in North Korea on October 17, 2022

Pictured: Individuals presented bouquets around the statues of previous leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on December 17, 2022. This was to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the dying of Kim Jong Il

Some of the occasions throughout Kim Jong Il’s mourning period are becoming held outside in the chilly.

In South Pyongan province, North of the funds Pyongyang, citizens have been manufactured to go to memorial services all working day starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday. Temperatures ranged from minus 12 levels Celsius (10.4 levels Fahrenheit) to minus 2 (28.4 F), a supply there told RFA.

The authorities mandated that all women of all ages in attendance don Korean standard garments, in accordance to the South Pyongan supply. There are each winter season and summer season versions of the standard garb, but most gals have only just one established that they have on only for formal activities, most of which are indoors. These would have available minor protection towards the chilly.

‘The authorities are ignoring the shivering women even if they clearly show indicators of frostbite, these types of as hypothermia and itchy skin, so people below are about to burst with resentment,’ the South Pyongan source explained.

In North Hamgyong’s Musan county, authorities on Friday collected coal miners in entrance of a governing administration building for a two-hour memorial company when the climate was minus 20 C (minus 4 F), a resource there told RFA.

‘The grumbling staff explained factors like, ‘[Kim Jong Il] even now starves the folks and helps make them suffer in the chilly climate even prolonged after his demise.’