Kim Jong Un declared K-Pop a 'vicious cancer' that threatens North Korean culture

<p><img src="https://static4.businessinsider.com/image/60c333fe23393a00188e298b-1838/2019-12-31t222656z_606443297_rc2m6e9tw1d4_rtrmadp_3_northkorea-politics.jpg" alt="kim jong un" data-mce-source="KCNA via REUTERS" data-mce-caption="North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in this undated photo released on December 31, 2019 by North Korean Central News Agency." border="0"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called K-Pop a "vicious cancer" and painted it as a threat to his country.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/world/asia/kim-jong-un-k-pop.html">The New York Times reported</a> that Kim made the comments as part of a broader campaign against the catchy music genre that originated in South Korea.</p><p>He said it harmed the "attire, hairstyles, speeches, behaviors" of North Koreans. The Times reported that state media said it could make North Korea "crumble like a damp wall."</p><p>Insider previously reported that North Korea <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-kim-jong-un-culture-crackdown-2021-6">has been cracking down</a> on foreign cultural influences.</p><p>The Times reported that North Korea made a new law in December that could give people up to 15 years in a labor camp for consuming South Korean entertainment.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kim-jon-un-called-k-pop-vicious-cancer-framed-threat-2021-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-1999-russian-apartment-bombings-led-to-putins-rise-to-power-2018-3">How the 1999 Russian apartment bombings led to Putin's rise to power</a></p>
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