More than 1,000 North Koreans have been jailed for secretly watching South Korean TV shows and films as the communist regime battles an inflow of foreign culture. A Seoul-based defector group, North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity on Monday said some 1,200 people are in jail in the northwestern city of Kaechon for the offence. It cited a source in the prison, which has a total 3,000 inmates. The group, quoting the source, said it was the first time the number of people jailed solely for watching the South's TV dramas has gone over 1,000 and now the prison is overcrowded with such prisoners. Access to foreign pop culture is strictly banned for ordinary people in North Korea, with violators facing hefty fines or jail terms.