BTS's influence has been crossing borders, and it now has an impact on the North Korean people. New research revealed that the South Korean boy band-related content is circulating among the teenagers in North Korea. Also, a Democratic Party member in the country is looking forward for the group to perform in their nation.
In an appearance on KBS 1's "Jung Joon Hee's Ultimate Current Affairs," Democratic Party member Ahn Min Seok revealed his interest to see BTS perform in Pyongyang, via Soompi. As he discussed North Korea and South Korea's relations, the Special Committee for Inter-Korean Cultural and Sports Cooperation's chairman said that their special committee is working to have the Bangtan Boys sing in front of the North Korean audience "around next year."
When asked if the possibility of BTS's performance in Pyongyang is high, Ahn Min Seok said that they would "build all the roads" to make it happen. He added that if North Korea and South Korea work together, the "exchange of culture, sports, and arts" would be possible. "It is a national task for the two Koreas to gather their strengths and work hard until the sanctions are lifted," he continued to say.
Ahn Min Seok then asked everyone to support his plan to make BTS perform in Pyongyang. It is the first time that a North Korean politician revealed his interest to have a South Korean group of performers entertain its people.
Aside from taking the stage, the Korea Herald reported that the BTS crazed is now circulating among the young people in North Korea. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon recently revealed during the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts' plenary session that youngsters in the country are opting to search the contents often related to the South Korean group amid the surge of mobile phone usage.
Cho Myong-Gyon explained that the internet in North Korea could not be openly accessed compared to the local network in the country. However, despite the restrictions, teenagers still find a way to search for BTS-related contents.
To recall, Democratic Party member Rep. Yoon Hu-Duk asked Cho Myong-Gyon to confirm the number of mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea. The results revealed that the country has about 6 million users, and each device costs $100 to $200.
The figure surprised everyone as North Korea is known as a strictly "censored state." Also, with the country's average monthly income of only around $80, it left a big question how could they possibly afford that big amount.
