White Wedding Dress, Groom Lifting Bride Banned in North Korea
North Korea's campaign against foreign cultural influences has intensified, with a particular focus on South Korean customs infiltrating its society. The latest crackdown targets practices associated with weddings, specifically the wearing of white wedding dresses and the tradition of the groom lifting the bride. This move, detailed in a report from South Korea's Unification Ministry, is part of a broader effort to root out any sign of South Korean influence, encompassing fashion, music, and language. The report, based on interviews with 649 North Korean defectors, paints a grim picture of life under the regime's watchful eye. Since 2021, home searches have become more frequent, with officials actively seeking out any hint of South Korean culture. The presence of a white wedding dress, a groom lifting his bride, or the use of wine glasses for drinking alcohol are now considered suspicious and indicative of South Korean influence. North Korea's government views these
