“A South Korean court has sentenced a 68-year-old man to 14 months in jail for praising the North in a poem,” according to BBC Nov. 27, 2023. Lee Yoon-seop, a South Korean poet, was convicted of promoting North Korea’s socialist system in 2016, arguing that a united Korea would provide free housing, healthcare, and education. The piece, “Means of Unification,” was published in the North’s state media and won a poetry contest in the North. Lee had previously been jailed for 10 months for similar offenses. The Seoul court ruled that Lee continued to generate and disseminate propaganda glorifying North Korea. He had previously posted comments online praising North Korea’s military in 2013 and anti-state content on South Korean blogs and websites. South Korea’s National Security Act prohibits the praise and promotion of “anti-government” organizations.
World Map: South Korea 12/6/23
December 6, 2023
About the Contributor
Grace Dannemiller, International News Corespondent
Hello! my name is Grace Dannemiller. I am the International News Correspondent. This is my second year on staff. In my free time I have been writing and public speaking about neurodiversity and mental health. I hope to continue to pursue my passion for journalism as a career one day.