North Koreans Face Six Months Labour Camp for Not Crying at Kim Jong-il’s Death

North Koreans, who did not cry their heart out at the death of the former dictator Kim Jong-il, are facing tough punishment at the hands of the regime, it has been reported.

A South Korea based website, Daily NK, has reported that the authorities have held "criticism sessions" for those who "transgressed" during organised weeping in the wake of the dictator's death.

Punishments of six months labour camps are apparently given to those who did not attend the orchestrated crying sessions or did not seem genuine at the organised crying events.

Citizens who have been criticizing the country's new leader Kim Jong-un is also being punished by the North Korean regime. There were orders to shoot anyone who tried to defect to South Korea during the mourning period.

"The authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn't participate in the organized gatherings during the mourning period, or who did participate but didn't cry and didn't seem genuine," the Daily NK has quoted a source from the North Hamkyung province as saying.

The North Korean regime has already started efforts to idolize Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of Kim Jong-il through widespread propaganda about the greatness of the new ruler. Children in schools and workers in factories are being taught the virtues and greatness of the new ruler for hours.

Propaganda vehicles also ply the roads announcing the greatness of Kim Jong-un.

"Every day from 7 am until 7 pm they have vehicles for broadcast propaganda parked on busy roads full of people going to and from work, noisily working to proclaim Kim Jong-un's greatness," the Daily NK has reported a source as saying.

Meanwhile, North Korea announced on Thursday that the body of Kim Jong-il would be displayed permanently at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace alongside his father, Kim Il-sung, the BBC reported.

The birth day of the late leader which falls on February 16 would be marked as the "Day of the Shining Star" and there were plans to build memorial towers for him, the BBC report said, quoting North Korea's official news agency KCNA.

Kim Jong-il died of heart attack during a train journey on December 17 at the age of 69. His funeral was held on December 28.