A North Korean man was recently executed by firing squad in front of 500 people for illegally selling music and films.

Authorities branded the man, whose surname is Lee, as an “anti-socialist element” for trading the videos that included dramas and movies from South Korea and he was killed last Thursday, a Daily NK source said.

His family were forced to stand in the front row of the crowd of 500 people to see the execution in Wonsan, Gangwon province – 40 days after he was arrested.

In another report, the state news said dozens of children from two orphanages have “volunteered” for hard labour in coal mines and farms to repay “the love” showed by the ruling party.