Man in South Korea sentenced to 14 months in jail for expressing admiration for North Korea in a poem

A 68-year-old man in South Korea has been sentenced to 14 months in jail for writing a poem praising North Korea. Lee Yoon-seop expressed his support for the unification of the two Koreas in his poem, which was published in the North's state media in 2016. He stated that if the two countries were united under North Korea's socialist system, people would have access to free housing, healthcare, and education. Lee was found guilty under a law that prohibits public praise of North Korea. In his poem, titled "Means of Unification," he also argued that a united Korea would lead to a decrease in suicide rates and people living in debt. The poem had won a poetry contest in North Korea in November 2016. This is not the first time Lee has faced legal consequences for similar behavior, as he had previously served a 10-month jail term. The court in Seoul stated that Lee continued to spread propaganda glorifying and praising North Korea, leading to his conviction. He had also posted comments online in 2013 praising North Korea's military, while simultaneously sharing anti-state content on South Korean websites and blogs. South Korea's National Security Act prohibits the promotion or praise of "anti-government" organizations.