Has anyone seen confirmation of this report of musicians being executed in North Korea?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/08/dreadful-news-concertmasters-executed-in-north-korea.html

Reports in South Korean media say that a dozen well-known musicians were executed in the North on August 20, supposedly for possessing pornography. Among them was an ex-girlfriend of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and two concertmasters of the Unhasu Orchestra.They were named as Moon, Gyeong-Jin, Jung, Sun-Young.

[quinnox]

1. No, but I would tend to believe it

North Korea is a hell hole. And it brings to mind some heavy irony when I see some self-righteous folk talking about "saving the children"
in Syria, and yet they ignore a place like North Korea, where the suffering of the common people is unimaginable. If they cared so much, why are they not pushing to go to war with North Korea, and free the people there?

[jberryhill]

2. There isn't any way to confirm anything out of DPRK

[Pommie Dinko Cirtbag]

5. This is the correct answer.

[joshcryer]

11. I consider Chosun fairly credible.

You are of course correct that confirmation is impossible, though it really depends, they were on the border crossing closures while CNN had reporters there acting as if it was a bigger deal than it was. Obviously that is a situation where information can flow fairly well (workers could speak and be assured that their identity wouldn't be revealed).

[jberryhill]

12. I wasn't suggesting they weren't credible

Regardless of the fact that news from NK can't be confirmed, this story is the least outrageous thing to come out of there anyway. North Korea is a loony bin.

[DirkGently]

3. It's all coming from a South Korean newspaper.

Widely reported, but it all seems to come back to that one paper.

The ex-girlfriend of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was among a number of musicians who were executed by firing squad on August 20, according to South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100996245

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/10272953/Kim-Jong-uns-ex-lover-executed-by-firing-squad.html

If it's true, Surprise: Insane N. Korean dictator is insane?

[Tx4obama]

4. Additional article on the link below

DU OP here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/11331689

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. Thank you...Couldn't find this earlier.

[spanone]

6. NBC news...link

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/29/20247358-bizarre-report-claims-kim-jong-uns-ex-girlfriend-executed?lite

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Here again, "Bizarre report claims"...

They aren't willing to confirm. Awful...

[spanone]

9. why print what is not confirmed? those used to be called rumors.

[davidpdx]

10. I saw an article about Kim Jong Un's ex-girlfriend being executed for participating in pornography

on DU yesterday. Pornography is illegal in North Korea. Essentially a person can be executed for almost any offense against the state.

[joshcryer]

13. The video is unconfirmed, though.

If such a video does exist it would go viral and it would at least confirm one part of the story. So I'm skeptical until said video goes viral... not that...

[davidpdx]

15. After seeing that I'm highly skeptical

The best evidence would be someone who defects and had first hand knowledge.

[WCGreen]

14. Tough crowd....