A human rights report details a surge in executions in North Korea. The executions targeted citizens for consuming South Korean media, such as K-dramas, films, and K-pop, and engaging in religious practices.

When people were told to stay home during the Covid-19 pandemic, watching K-dramas became a solace for fans of South Korea’s best-known export around the world. But for North Koreans, it spelled death. A report released by North Korea-focused human rights organisation Transition Justice Working Group (TJWG) on Tuesday showed that the number of people executed for consuming South Korean cultural content – such as K-dramas, films and K-pop – and religious practices surged by 250 per cent after...