North Korea's security agency has ordered the shutdown of karaoke bars and Internet cafes, saying they are a threat to society, a South Korean newspaper reported Wednesday.
Refugees from the reclusive state say such outlets are
largely located in the northern region that borders
The North's Ministry of People's Security said in a
directive that all karaoke bars, video-screening rooms and Internet cafes operating
without state authorization must shut immediately, the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said.
The paper did not say how it obtained a copy of the directive.
"It is so promulgated under the mandate of the Republic
in order to crush enemy scheming and to squarely confront those who threaten
the maintenance of the socialist system," the daily quoted the ministry
directive as saying.
"Most of the people who would go to these places are
people who made quite a bit of money, normally not officials or the average
person," said Park Sang-hak, an activist for
human rights in the North based in
