North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a strict ban on certain Western words including “hamburger,” “ice cream,” and “karaoke.” This unusual linguistic crackdown is part of a broader effort to promote local culture and eliminate foreign influence. Tour guides at the country’s new Wonsan beach-side resort have reportedly been instructed to avoid English loanwords popular in the West and South Korea.
Instead of “hamburger,” guides must use the phrase “dajin-gogi gyeopppang,” which translates to “double bread with ground beef.” Ice cream is referred to as “eseukimo” (Eskimo), and karaoke machines are called “on-screen accompaniment machines.” Guides undergo rigorous state-run training where they must memorize these alternative terms alongside various slogans and phrases.
The move aligns with a recent UN report highlighting worsening human rights conditions in North Korea, including repression and public executions related to sharing foreign media. The regime’s crackdown extends beyond language to banning foreign films, music, and online materials deemed “anti-socialist.” Homes are frequently searched by government task forces for so-called “anti-socialist materials.”
Despite severe penalties aimed at silencing dissent and controlling culture, many North Koreans still risk punishment to access prohibited foreign content. Kim Jong Un’s government continues tightening surveillance and ideological control across every facet of life, using propaganda and public trials to instill fear and maintain power.
The ban on Western words is thus symbolic of North Korea’s extreme isolationist policies and its unyielding desire to control not only actions but even the language and thought of its citizens.
