Bad news for any budding Kardashians out there – the selfie stick has been banned! Don't worry, though, the infamous photo-snapping devices have only been banned in South Korea, although it's well worth noting if you're planning on taking a trip to the nation at some point. 

Selfie sticks have become particularly popular with tourists, and even though it can be a tad annoying to be stuck behind a family huddled around trying to snap a picture of themselves on one, it does seem a bit heavy handed from the Korean government. 

The new law in the nation has stated that selfie sticks that make use of a bluetooth trigger to take a photo – the newest technology – is a communications device, and as such needs to be tested and this means they must be tested and registered with the government. 

What does this mean for tourists then? Apparently, anyone who is found to be using a selfie stick could face a fine of up to £17,300. It's probably not worth it just to get that perfect picture of yourself for Instagram. Unless of course you happen to be a Kardashian and can afford the fine. 

However, the government has looked to play down the law, with a spokesperson saying: "The announcement last Friday was really just to let people know that they need to be careful about what they sell."

It's not the first time that a very specific item has found itself falling foul of lawmakers in a certain country, though. In the mid 2000s, the Russian government banned clothes popular with the "emo" subculture because they declared them a "threat to national stability", while China even once banned reincarnation as a strange tactic to control Tibetan monks. 

Perhaps just as strangely, Romeo & Juliet actress Claire Danes once spoke out against the Filipino city of Manila, calling it smelly, and now every film she ever made is banned there. ADNFCR-2867-ID-801763816-ADNFCR

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