North Korea Cracks Down on Illegal Breast Augmentation Procedures Amid Rising Complications

Recent reports indicate a surge in illegal breast augmentation procedures among young women in Pyongyang, North Korea, leading to serious complications. According to the North Korean news outlet Daily NK, the Ministry of Social Security issued an urgent crackdown directive on July 13 due to the increasing demand for breast enhancement surgeries.

Sources from Pyongyang revealed that the trend for fuller figures has become popular among women in their 20s and 30s, resulting in a rise in complications from unregulated procedures performed by unlicensed practitioners. The Ministry of Social Security criticized these actions, stating that women are succumbing to bourgeois ideals and engaging in behaviors that are contrary to socialist values.

In North Korea, breast augmentation is classified as an anti-socialist act, making it unavailable in official medical facilities. Instead, some surgeons are reportedly conducting these procedures illegally in private homes using silicone materials smuggled from China, which poses significant health risks, including infections.

A notable incident occurred earlier this month when a woman in her early 30s suffered severe complications after undergoing two illegal breast augmentation surgeries. The unlicensed surgeon responsible for the procedure was subsequently arrested by local authorities. Investigations revealed that the individual was a dental specialist, not a qualified surgeon, who had been performing these operations for profit.

In response to the growing issue of illegal breast augmentations and associated complications, the Ministry of Social Security has organized task forces to intensify enforcement efforts under the pretext of eradicating anti-socialist activities. These task forces are set to conduct operations until the end of September, employing tactics such as undercover operations to infiltrate locations where illegal medical practices occur and conducting physical examinations on women with noticeable breast enhancements.

Sources indicate that these enforcement teams are operating in civilian clothing throughout central Pyongyang, and those caught, including women seeking these procedures and the practitioners, could face criminal penalties, including labor training camps, for their anti-socialist activities.