North Korean comedian sent to do hard labour in a coal mine after making a ‘slip of tongue’ about regime during performance A North Korean comedian was sent to do hard labour in a coal mine midway through her performance after she made a ‘slip of the tongue’ about the country’s draconian regime. Lee Choon Hong, a popular comedian known for satirising and mimicking people in North Korean society, was performing for workers on a vast farm project ordered by leader Kim Jong Un when she commented on ‘sensitive issues’, it was reported. The comedian was immediately taken off and sent to the Jikdong Youth Coal Mine, without even having a chance to say goodbye to her family, according to local reports in the notoriously secret country. It is not known how long Lee will be held for, but a typical punishment is likely to involve a six-month evaluation period during which she would be observed at work in the mine before a decision to release her was made. What the comedian said has not been reported, but it is said to be the second time she has upset authorities in North Korea – she was reportedly sent to do reform work in the mid-2000s after ‘misspeaking’.