North Korea: Kim Jong-un 'bans drinking and singing parties' as UN sanctions begin to bite
Pyongyang 'trying to forestall dissent' among citizens, South Korean spy agency claims
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has banned drinking and singing parties as economic sanctions begin to bite, South Korean spies have claimed.
The South’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told parliament Pyongyang was trying to prevent dissent among its citizens as UN sanctions – imposed after repeated missile and nuclear weapons tests – begin to affect its economy.
According to Yonhap, the NIS told MPs: “[The North] has devised a system whereby party organs report people’s economic hardships on a daily basis, and it has banned any gatherings related to drinking, singing and other entertainment and is strengthening control of outside information.”
The report comes as China’s ambassador to the UK called sanctions “a means, not a purpose”, adding that more rounds should not be imposed for their own sake.
China has consistently voted to support UN sanctions since 2006, and 16 such restrictions have been imposed in that time, Liu Xiaoming told Robert Peston on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump named China and Russia specifically during his recent tour of the Asia-Pacific region as countries that should sever trade ties with North Korea “entirely”.
He has previously criticised China for failing to do enough to persuade its communist neighbour to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
South Korea’s NIS said that while there had been no sign of preparations for a new nuclear test in the North, “we forecast that depending upon North Korean leader Kim’s determination, a nuclear test is possible any time”.
Pyongyang has also punished senior officials in its military’s General Political Bureau, according to Yonhap, but what this entailed the NIS could not reportedly say.
The bureau manages personnel for a number of other key military bodies.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments