North Korean couples seeking divorce face a new punishment: up to six months of forced labor. The measure, implemented after a reported surge in divorces during the COVID-19 pandemic, targets both spouses regardless of fault or circumstances, including cases of domestic abuse. Dictator Kim Jong-un views divorce as a threat to social stability and adherence to the socialist lifestyle.
A bride and groom pose for a wedding photo shoot in North Korea in 2019 North Korea n couples who get divorced are being punished with up to six months of forced labour, according to a report. Under Communist Party rule, couples in North Korea were previously banned from ending their marriage by mutual agreement. Divorces could only be recognised by a court if it was persuaded that a spouse has ‘seriously betrayed’ their partner or the marriage cannot continue for some other reason, experts say.
Speaking anonymously, North Koreans told the outlet the punishment is dished out to both spouses even if physical abuse is involved. ‘I went to the Kimjongsuk County People’s Court … where 12 people received divorce decrees’, a resident of the northern province of Ryanggang told Radio Free Asia. ‘Immediately after the verdict, they were transferred to the county labor training camp.
North Korea Divorce Punishment Forced Labor Kim Jong-Un
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