Previously, North Korea set a legislation to force citizens to accept traditional hairstyles. This new rule is broadening the range of regulation. Citizens are now not allowed to wear jeans. People who violate the law will be sent to a labor camp.
International Business Times: North Korea bans jeans and piercings in crackdown against Western culture
It looks ridiculous, and I believe many people agree with my opinion. Indeed, jeans have a symbolic meaning of Western culture. It is originally used by miners who attempted to dig gold in the US. Jeans were loved because of its toughness. On the other hand, some young people are fond of wearing jeans deliberately damaged as fashion. "Damaged jeans" are also sold in Japan.
However, I hardly believe that exiling a particular culture will make a society superior to other ones. If you never see jeans in your country, jeans are still respected in some other countries. Closing your eyes is no use to enhance your own strength.
During WWII, Japan government prohibited the use of English language. For playing baseball, technical terms such as "strike" and "out" were replaced by Japanese words with similar meaning. What does it bring to our ancestors? A simple answer: the defeat. Furthermore, now many Japanese are loving American culture as well as our traditional one. And Japan is one of the closest ally of the US.
Protesting the superiority of domestic culture is commonly performed in most countries. It is quite natural for all of us to respect our originality. However, refusing foreign cultures make us blind and get rid of precise judgment.
I think North Korea will collapse within a few years. Then it is decisive to handle the situation appropriately.
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