North Koreans are in a tougher spot.  As mentioned below, mobile phones are hard to come by and their internet is extremely limited.  Even if they had these tools and used them like how the Moldovan and Iranian youths used them, they risk their own lives and the lives of their families and relatives.  Moldovans and Iranians don’t have to worry about being sent to a camp where they’ll be tortured endlessly just for speaking against the government.  If hundreds of North Koreans gathered at a public square and protested against Kim Jong-Il, what will be the fate of those hundreds?  Undoubtedly, they’d be taken to a camp if not killed on the spot.  There are already hundreds of thousands of prisoners in these camps- the authorities will have no problem sending a few hundred more.

A 3-D rendition of an incomplete hotel in North Korea from Google Earth.

In terms of technology, we’re now living in completely different times than we were half a century ago or even two decades ago.  People in developed or emerging countries have the available tools at their disposal and at any time to spread knowledge and bring about awareness.  A common person like you and I probably didn’t know what was happening inside North Korea a few years ago, let alone two decades ago.  Now, despite North Korea’s restrictive access to inside and outside information, we know what is going on.

Google Earth, a program that allows the user to see satellite images of most parts of the world, is able to show us clear images of North Korea’s concentration camps.  We know they exist.  Imagine if we had this remarkable tool during the time of the Holocaust.  Imagine if people around the world were able to see images of the camps during that time.  Perhaps countries and ordinary people witnessing this atrocity would’ve stepped in and prevented 2 million people from being executed out of the 11 million that died.  Maybe it would’ve saved 10 million instead of 2 million.  Whatever the number may be, it’s hard to imagine that if people during that period had access to such information, they would’ve done nothing.  Yet, this is happening right now in the 21st century.  The evidence couldn’t be more clear.  We know that there are at least 15 concentration camps in North Korea and we can even plot them on a map, and we know that prisoners in these camps are being tortured and executed every day, but nothing is happening.

We know what’s going on inside North Korea but we don’t know what’s going on inside our own countries.  Why isn’t there enough political will to take action?  Why are we, as developed nations, merely pushing aside valuable information when the modern-day Holocaust is right in front of us?

North Korea has only one Internet service provider, which is owned and controlled by the government.  The network is very restricted in that all web pages have to be approved by the government.  RWB said, “The North Korean Internet, which operates like an Intranet, has been available since 2000 and can provide email, a censored search engine, a browser and a few news sites that have been carefully selected by the government.”

As for mobile phones, the network is also controlled by the government.  They launched the network in 2002 but banned citizens (excluding officials and military personnel)  from using or obtaining mobile phones in 2004.  Four years later, in 2008, they lifted the ban, but it currently costs an average, working North Korean 10 months worth of his/her salary to open an account.

The government controls all media.  News reports on TV and on newspapers are all run by the state.  Consequently, out of 175 countries, North Korea ranks second to last on the 2009 World Press Freedom Index.

North Korean defectors have said that they heard and read the same news every day.  No matter how bad the economy was performing or how low they were on food, the news was always positive.  Cha Eun Chae, a defector currently residing in South Korea said, “They would always say, ‘The harvest was good this year.’ But we saw our neighbors starving.”  In essence, the North Korean people are left clueless as to what is really happening with their country.

The government goes through great lengths making sure that no outside information is ever received in the country.  As mentioned earlier, tampering with television sets and radios can result in imprisonment.  Smuggling books and DVDs is also a serious crime.   People have been sent to prison camps for being caught watching South Korean dramas and soap operas.

History and international news are also twisted.  In school, North Korean children are taught that the Korean War was started by the U.S.  The media portrays the U.S. as evil and a nuisance.  As for the portrayal of South Korea, the news always say that their neighboring country is in bad shape.  Economically-speaking, North Koreans have no idea that South Korea is in top shape.  The gap, in terms of culture, economy, governance, health, education, and people, between these two neighbors couldn’t be wider.

They experience hunger because of the food shortage, but they are lead to believe that other countries are worse off.  They get punished severely for unwarranted crimes, but they are lead to believe that it is their own fault.

Despite the propaganda and brain-washing, thousands of North Koreans know that there is something better out there.  Something worth risking their lives for.   They might not understand what freedom is but they want to get a taste of it.  They know they have to somehow get out of North Korea, and thousands of them do just that.  These are the refugees.

Whether by escaping or by some other means of getting out, resettlement in another country is not always easy.  Refugees need job training and acculturation as to not be in a state of shock during the transition.  Countries like South Korea and the U.S. help North Korean refugees with the resettlement process as much as possible.

Other countries like China do not welcome North Korean refugees as much.  In fact, they’re downright unwanted.  If North Koreans are found in China illegally, they are sent back immediately.  Women who are not sent back are usually forced into sexual slavery or fixed marriages.  And of course, refugees who are repatriated to North Korea are sent directly to prison camps.

Clearly, North Korean refugees are courageous in that they risk their lives in hopes of living a better life.

These are the ones that dream of freedom.

Kim Jong-Il

Kim Jong-Il, the notorious dictator of North Korea.   The one man who can grant civil rights to millions of humans, as well as withhold them.

Why is the freedom of expression (or lack thereof) so important to Kim Jong-Il?

It’s all about maintaining the image and status of the leaders of North Korea, especially Kim Jong-Il.   To the North Korean people, Kim Jong-Il is a god with powers to control the weather.   Almost everything about his life is similar to the Bible.  It is said (by the government of course) that there were flashes of lightning and thunder and rainbows when Kim Jong-Il was born.   The people are constantly being reminded that the food and water they consume are “graciously” provided by their beloved leader.

The government works tirelessly spitting out this type of propaganda on a daily basis.  With no access to outside information, North Korean citizens have no reason to believe Kim Jong-Il is not a god.  They have no reason to challenge what is being told to them.  Therefore, Kim Jong-Il and his officials find  expression freedom to be very problematic.  With so much effort spent on preserving Kim Jong-Il’s godlike status, it is no wonder that anyone that is caught speaking ill about the dear leader or the country is immediately detained.   Apparently, Kim Jong-Il knows how powerful and influential word-of-mouth can be.

Imagine for a moment you were in that situation in the US.  Suppose you made a comment to your friend about how you think President Obama is leading the country in the wrong direction.   Somehow the word travels and you (and possibly your family) are suddenly wanted for conspiracy.   Your right to exist is basically void at this point.   You are sent to a prison camp where you have to memorize all of Obama’s speeches word for word and if you made any mistakes, you were brutally beaten.   Your health declines because you are denied medical care.  You go for days without food or water.  You watch helplessly but without remorse as you have no strength in you to worry about anyone but yourself as your fellow prisoners die off one by one.   You are physically tortured to the point that you wish you were dead.  Soon enough, whether or not you really wanted it, you get your wish.

All this because of a single comment.

It is understandable why they rank last.  Every citizen in North Korea is monitored as they are constantly tested for their political loyalty.  The general population is separated into three categories based on their patriotism- core, wavering, and hostile.  If you fall under the hostile category, it means you have committed an act of unloyalty towards the regime, such as criticizing the government or its leaders.  As mentioned on the previous post, hostile citizens are usually sent to camps with severe punishments or a reeducation period, such as memorizing speeches from Kim Jong-Il.   In addition, access to education and health care is based on this classification theme.  As you can imagine, if you are considered hostile, you will be denied access.  These people usually will not survive for long.

Every family member is considered guilty if one family member commits a crime.  It is common for the entire family and relatives to go to camp and receive the same punishments because of one person’s actions.   Sometimes, they don’t even know what’s going on.  All of a sudden, they find themselves in camp.

All media is controlled by the state.  Radios and televisions are distributed by the government with a seal on every set.  It is said that the government routinely checks to see if the seal has been tampered with.  If the seal is broken, the owner is perceived as trying to alter the equipment to intercept foreign broadcasting services.  This is considered a serious crime.  Amnesty International reported that local authorities arrested individuals who watched South Korean videos or were in possession of unauthorized mobile phones.

There are several and different types of prisons, camps, and detention centers.  One thing, however, remains the same- the harsh conditions.  Instead of turning this post into a 5000-word article, I will list below some facts about the system and some of the many punishments and conditions that North Korean prisoners have to endure.

1.  Torture is common.  Some methods include hanging from the ceiling with burning coal below, severe beatings that usually led to paralysis or death, exposure to the elements like extreme cold, forced exercise, public humiliation, and immobilization for prolonged periods.

2.  Prisoners sentenced to camps have to perform intensive labor such as mountain logging for 10 hours or more a day.

3.  Prisoners sometimes receive little or no food.  Medical care is usually denied.

4.  Political crimes are considered the worst.  Those who speak out (even if in a conversation with another person) against the regime or commit unpatriotic acts are considered hostile.  These people are sent to prison camps indefinitely.  Chances of survival is rare.

5.  Women who are pregnant upon arrival of these prisons or camps are forced to have an abortion.

6.  There are mass graves within the camps as death is common.  Prisoners die from starvation, disease, and torture.

Below is a video of a personal account of a prisoner, Shin, who made it out alive.   He is considered the only North Korean who successfully escaped from a prison camp to South Korea.   Shin’s detailed account of his imprisonment and his current struggle to understand new and strange concepts like saving money and loving another will leave you astounded.  (Courtesy of Liberty in North Korea)

1.  It is a common misconception that North Korea is a “poor” country.   In actuality, North Korea generates billions of dollars in trade and exports annually.  Their GDP has been rising steadily year after year.   It is not known how they budget their revenues, but it is apparent that more money needs to be spent on food and food-related needs.

2.  The North Korean government needs to discontinue the unequal distribution of food.  Every family should get the same amount of food, regardless if someone in the family works for the government or military.  In addition, government officials and military personnel should not get priority in food distributions.  Given that it is understood that there isn’t enough food to get to everyone, there should be a system in place to determine which families get priority.  For example, since people living in urban areas are generally more susceptible to starvation (people living in the country parts of North Korea have agricultural land to grow their own food), perhaps families with young children or babies living in urban areas should come up first on the list of food distribution.

3.  Continue the reliance of food aide from international groups and humanitarian organizations.  The North Korean government made a big mistake when it decided to halt  food-related assistance from countries like the U.S. and South Korea.  In early 2009, the government forced five U.S. humanitarian aid organizations to leave the country.   As mentioned earlier, the U.S. and South Korea are two of the biggest donors of rice and grains.   North Korea may be thinking, “We’ll just grow more of our own food,” but it should be noted that North Korea even relies on assistance for fertilizer.  Who have they depended on for assistance in providing fertilizer in the past?  South Korea.  With no food and fertilizer aide, it’ll be hard for the country to support itself.

North Korean children eating food donated by the World Food Program, the principal food distributor/channel in aiding North Korea (Reuters)

How does one define the word emergency?  However you define it, an emergency is something that should be given immediate attention.  When there is a food shortage or famine within a country, undoubtedly, it is an absolute emergency in which the government must rectify the problem without delay.  In North Korea, the people have been suffering with little to no food for nearly two decades.

The right to food.  It is unimaginable that people can be denied such a fundamental human right.

According to Amnesty International, about one million people have died since the mid-1990s because of severe food shortages.   With a total population of about 24 million, that’s about 5% of the people in North Korea.   The North Korean government has said it is because of natural disasters such as floods that have caused a reduction in food production, but there were clear signs before these disasters that they were going to have problems with food.   To this day, they have not found a solution.  Millions continue to starve and malnutrition continues to be an outstanding issue.

The problem stems from the mismanagement of food by the North Korean government.    Like health care and education, food is nationalized- they get it for free.  In other words, the government will decide how much food each family will get, and with the food shortage going on, you can imagine that the rations are extremely small.   However, that’s not all.  Government officials and military personnel have priority when it comes to food distribution.   Whey they’ve had their share, the rest is distributed among the common people.   It is said that the general population gets only a few days worth of food, mostly grains, per month.   With such a small amount of food in their possession, it is not uncommon for them to supplement their courses with grass and other wild foods.

Malnourished North Korean children

World Food Program (WFP) and other humanitarian organizations have stepped in and aided the country.  North Korea relies heavily on international assistance.  These organizations have donated lots of food to the North Korean people until recently.  Because of strained relations with international communities recently, North Korea has refused further food aid from these organizations and from countries like the U.S. and South Korea, both of which are major donors.   With these actions, food shortage can go well beyond its already-critical stage.