North Korea bans leather jackets so people don’t imitate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) Wearing a leather jacket is prohibited in North Korea. Police patrol the streets to confiscate the wearer. Party-state leaders say it is disrespectful to wear a leather jacket against a wise leader.
Quoting an unnamed source, the news portal wrote that austerity began after people started imitating Kim Jong-un’s style.
“At the military parade in January of this year, the highest dignity and all high-ranking officials wore leather jackets.” The leather jacket has become very popular among North Korean women after Kim’s sister Kim Gojong wears it often, said the source, who added that the leather jacket has become very popular among North Korean women.
RFA stated that the leather jacket is a status symbol in North Korea, adding that since leather jackets in the country are very expensive and few people can afford them, it has pushed clothing vendors to import imitation leather to replicate the leather worn by Kim Jongun in the design.
However, the North Korean leadership recently banned residents from wearing leather jackets due to their disrespect for the “wise leader” and anyone who wears them calls into question their power. If someone wears a leather jacket on the street, the police will confiscate them.
The South Korean newspaper JoongAng Daily reported in 2018The average North Korean earns about $4 a month. This is complemented by bonuses that give the North Korean worker an annual income of $201 (65,000 HUF)