Mobile Phone Users are War Criminals: North Korea

The "Dear Leader" is long gone but anyone who is not ready to "honour" his legacy during the mourning period will be deemed as "war criminals" and dealt with accordingly.

Even the use of mobile phones during this period is a punishable offence. The autocratic government of North Korea has threatened its hapless subjects of serious action if they are caught crossing the borders to China or South Korea or trying to use a mobile phone during the 100-day mourning period for Kim Jong-il.

According to the Telegraph, the supply of food has been dwindling in the East Asian country, forcing hundreds of people to defect to the neighbouring countries in search of food and jobs.

"Border crossing must be eliminated by any means. All illegal cell phones must be confiscated and all cell phone users must be thoroughly investigated," Good Friends, a charity group that aims to help North Koreans, quotes a government document as saying.

The Telegraph report, which quotes human rights groups, has added that those who were caught trying to flee the country would be sent to North's network of hard labour camps. Repeat offenders face death penalty.

Earlier, it was reported that North Koreans who failed to cry out at the death of Kim Jong-il were sent to labour camps for six months. According to the Daily NK, a rights group, orders had also been issued to shoot anyone who is trying to defect to South Korea during the mourning period.