South Korea’s ban on praising the North is ridiculous

Making someone do porridge (or “eat rice and beans”, to use the Korean expression) for expressing their political views is expected of despotic North Korea. It is not generally associated with its prosperous, democratic southern neighbour. Yet Lee Yoon-seop, a South Korean poet, is currently languishing in prison for just this. The 68-year-old was sentenced to 14 months in November for threatening South Korea’s “existence and security”. His crime? Writing a poem in praise of the North.