North Korea's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, has warned the country's youth against adopting slang from the South, stressing that the Pyongyang dialect is superior, The Korea Times reported.

In an article put out on July 18, the Rodong Sinmun said, "The ideological and cultural penetration under the colourful coloured signboard of the bourgeoisie is even more dangerous than enemies who are taking guns."

The media outlet, which is part of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, also re-issued warnings against adopting the fashion, lifestyle and music of South Korea, according to the BBC.

It added, "When the new generations have a sound sense of ideology and revolutionary spirits, the future of a country is bright. If not, decades-long social systems and revolution will be perished. That is the lesson of blood in the history of the world's socialist movement."

North Korea is cracking down on the spread of South Korea's culture

The warning is part of North Korea's crackdown on the spread of South Korea's culture within the country, amidst growing external pressure from global sanctions and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The country criminalised the consumption and distribution of outside information, including foreign news, radio broadcasts and South Korean music and entertainment under a new anti-reactionary thought law implemented late in 2020.

Those caught with large amounts of media from South Korea, the U.S., or Japan, can be sentenced to death, while those caught watching it can face 15 years in a prison camp, the BBC highlighted.

The Korea Times further reported that the crackdown also extends to banning North Koreans from using the word "oppa" to address their husbands, like South Koreans.

It is believed that such media is deemed forbidden by Pyongyang as they can be subversive, and lead to people changing their thinking or questioning the regime.

South Korean dramas are being illegally watched and sold in North Korea

Previously in June, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un lashed out at K-pop, calling it a "vicious cancer", while state media warned that K-pop would make the country "crumble like a damp wall", as it is corrupting young North Koreans' "attire, hairstyles, speeches, behaviours".

May also saw around 10,000 students giving themselves up to the authorities for secretly watching South Korean dramas and movies, in the hopes of receiving a lighter punishment.

And in April, North Korean authorities reportedly publicly executed a citizen by firing squad, in front of 500 people, for the crime of illegally selling USBs and CDs that contained South Korean movies, dramas, and music videos, under the new law.

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