North Korea has banned women to wear shorts as an extension of their initiative to ban Western clothing. A crackdown has been launched against women who wear shorts. Some of those who were found in shorts were also arrested and forced to sign pledges on not wearing shorts again.
The plan, under which North Korea has banned women to wear shorts, came in 2020 to curb anti-social behaviour and shorts are considered a representation of capitalist & foreign culture. Previously, the North Korean government applied a ban on women smoking publicly.
The women are feeling discontent as they question the glaring gender inequality in these policies. North Korea is known for its stringent control over freedom and human rights which is why Human Rights Watch have criticized the government’s suppression of liberties.
Kim Jong Un has prioritized nuclear and missile technologies over tackling the situation of limited resources for citizens, a lack of necessities and challenging living conditions.