North Korea has introduced new fashion restrictions, specifically targeting the so-called “rooster hairstyle” and blouses with transparent sleeves, according to sources within the country. These new regulations are described as measures to prevent “distortion of the socialist image” and are set to impose severe penalties on those who violate them.
Sources informed Radio Free Asia that individuals found in violation of these fashion prohibitions face potential sentences of up to six months of labor. The bans, communicated through a recent video lecture to the public, include severe consequences for hairstyle infractions, with offenders reportedly being forced to shave their heads, as revealed by a resident from the northeastern province of North Hamgyong, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
These new restrictions are part of an ongoing crackdown on fashion deemed contrary to state ideology. The North Korean government has previously prohibited a range of clothing styles, including sleeveless tops, jeans, dyed hair, non-creased pants, T-shirts with foreign text, shoulder bags, and, for women, styles such as long hair, shorts, and form-fitting tops.
The Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Law, under which these bans fall, is designed to eliminate influences perceived as capitalist or anti-socialist. This latest round of fashion restrictions reflects the state’s efforts to prevent citizens from emulating styles popular in South Korea or other capitalist nations.
In addition to targeting styles reminiscent of Western fashion, the new regulations seem to extend to preventing citizens from adopting the personal style of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un. Those seen imitating his hairstyle, wide-legged pants, or iconic leather trench coat risk punishment.
The new bans have sparked criticism among residents, who argue that the regulations create a double standard. Observers point out that members of Kim Jong Un’s inner circle, including his daughter Kim Ju Ae and Hyon Song Wol, a deputy department director of the ruling Korean Workers’ Party, have been seen wearing items now deemed illegal for ordinary citizens. Kim Ju Ae was recently spotted in a blouse with semi-transparent sleeves, while Hyon Song Wol has sported the “rooster hairstyle,” characterized by long hair styled atop the head with bangs covering the forehead and one eye.
Residents have voiced their discontent, questioning the fairness of the bans. “People are frustrated, asking, ‘Are we to become machines?’” said a North Hamgyong resident. Another resident from North Pyongan expressed similar concerns, highlighting that the leader’s own family appears to disregard the restrictions. “Even the leader’s daughter has worn see-through clothing,” he noted. “Why is it deemed anti-socialist for ordinary people to do the same?”