North Koreans would not be permitted to style their hair in mullets or wear tight jeans, according to reports in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun.
This is to safeguard the isolated nation from pernicious external influences that could tear it down.
‘History teaches us a crucial lesson that a country can become vulnerable and eventually collapse like a damp wall regardless of its economic and defence power if we do not hold on to our own lifestyle’, the paper said.
‘We must be wary of even the slightest sign of the capitalistic lifestyle and fight to get rid of them,’ it added.
This apparently follows laws introduced in December. Also targeted was possession of South Korean music and videos, as well as body piercings.
The North Korean state has long sought to regulate not just the structure of society, but the conformity of individuals within it. Hairstyles have been limited to a number of approved cuts for men and women.
However, the regime’s tight grip has not been able to stem the penetration of cultural influences from abroad. Since the 1990s, economic difficulties have forced many North Koreans into a growing market economy. This has been viewed ambivalently and inconsistently by the authorities, but has helped to open some windows on the outside world.
The country’s government, however, shows no sign of being willing to concede any notable opening of its political and social system.