To the people reporting this: Yes, it's a prank by the governor. But he really did so it, even as a prank, and the news covered it. So the story can stay.
The fact that non-credible sites like "barstoolsports" picked up the story says nothing about the credibility of the New Zealand Herald or other, credible sources with good reputations for fact-checking.
Also, your comment looks like it was written by ChatGPT. Was it?
The problem with reporting on the DPRK is that information is extremely limited on what is actually going on there. Most reports come from defectors, and said defectors are notoriously dubious in their accounts, something the WikiPedia page on Media Coverage of North Korea spells out quite clearly.
That Wikipedia page is deeply problematic. Do you know who Felix Abt is? He's one of a few businessmen who went into business in North Korea specifically to get rich off the backs of slave labor there, pioneering the use of the "China +1" strategy to avoid export restrictions for items that are partially manufactured in North Korea and subject to sanctions.
And as you yourself point out, he's the source on a lot of attempts to whitewash the North Korean government's treatment of people.
Because of these issues, there is a long history of what we consider legitimate news sources of reporting and then walking back stories. Even the famous “120 dogs” execution ended up to have been a fabrication originating in a Chinese satirical column, reported entirely seriously and later walked back by some news outlets. The famous “unicorn lair” story ended up being a misunderstanding:
I'm not saying that news reports never get it wrong, but do you have reason to believe this report is wrong?
Regarding the haircuts, you are correct that they weren't specifically state-mandated, but this really did happen. In 2005, they really did run a series on state television called, "Let us trim our hair in accordance with Socialist lifestyle."
You can watch it online yourself if you look for it, so don't pretend it didn't happen.
Finally, the fact that Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe receive U.S. government funding doesn't mean their stories are fictitious. RFA has a sterling fact-checking record.
Questioning the story is fine. Brigading isn't, and failing to actually attack the credibility of the reporting isn't.
Yes, the origin of the story is the Sun, but until there's a reason not to trust it, the fact-checking by other, less tabloid-y outlets that have also carried the story seems trustworthy.
The story is also well within the norm for the behavior of the North Korean dictatorship.
Do you have an actual reason to suspect the story is false? Post it here. I won't delete it if you credibly back your claims up.
Hey guys, we all hate landlords. A lot. The phrase that immediately comes to mind is "scum-sucking weasels." But let's not go overboard with the violent language, OK?
It's old, but... I'll allow it.
Also...
Dingdong. Willy. Johnson. One-eyed sailor. Trouser snake.
Now it's your turn.