North Korea is known for its harsh legal measures, and recently, the government has significantly revised its criminal laws, expanding the scope of the death penalty from 11 to 16 categories, including cases where individuals are executed for watching Korean dramas. According to a recent report from the South Korean Ministry of Justice, the North Korean government is taking severe actions against South Korean cultural infiltration, with reports of high school students being publicly executed for secretly watching South Korean films, drawing international outrage.

This report was collaboratively compiled by the South Korean Ministry of Justice, legal scholars, and experts, highlighting the "Anti-Reacting Thought Cultural Rejection Law" enacted in 2020, which primarily targets the younger generation. Under this law, individuals found watching K-dramas or listening to South Korean pop music can face the maximum penalty of death. In a report from Radio Free Asia (RFA) in 2022, it was reported that three high school students in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, were publicly executed for watching and distributing South Korean films.

Furthermore, North Korea has also increased penalties related to drug offenses. In December 2023, the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea officially defined inter-Korean relations as "hostile" and amended related criminal laws, introducing new articles primarily concerning cultural governance and drug control. South Korean legal experts have pointed out that this may be connected to the early 1990s when Kim Jong-il ordered large-scale opium cultivation and drug manufacturing to earn foreign currency, leading to worsened drug abuse issues in North Korea.

The report also reveals that North Korea has added provisions for the destruction of national flags and emblems, as well as clauses related to money laundering and financing of terrorism, reflecting the adjustments made by North Korea in response to international sanctions. The South Korean Ministry of Justice stated that this "North Korean Criminal Law Commentary" is a research product combining the efforts of South Korean legal scholars and experts, providing a clause-by-clause explanation of North Korea's 329 criminal law articles, and will serve as a foundation for future legal integration on the Korean Peninsula.