The title says it all. North Korea, officially named as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is the real paradise on earth, the most prosperous country, with a great leader, thriving economy, and a strong army... or at least that's what around 24 million of people are supposed to believe. Welcome to DPRK comrades.
History
DPRK is quite a new country, as it has been established in 1945, at the end of World War II, when Korea was divided into two segments - the North belonging to the Soviet Union, and the South to USA. A Soviet general Terentii Shtykov recommended the establishment of the Soviet Civil Authority in the same year, and supported Kim Il-sung as a chairman of the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea, established in February 1946. The DPRK officially describes itself as a self-reliant socialist state and holds elections. Internationally, however, it is considered a totalitarian dictatorship.
Banned activities
In North Korea, there are many things you cannot do. Some of them include:
- Watching, reading or listening to any materials which are not approved by the government. That includes e.g. watching South-Korean TV for a few lucky citizens near the border of the country, or listening to any non-DPRK music.
- The Consitution of DPRK says that there is a freedom of religion, in practice though, everybody is supposed to treat the Great Leader as the only God, following Juche ideology. Some of the people were actually killed just for owning the Holy Bible.
- Drinking alcohol without a reason. You actually need to have one, and it's nice to note that one soldier was killed because of drinking during mourning after the death of Kim Jong-il.
- Driving by a car. You cannot freely move in your own country, not to mention that there is around 1 car per 1000 of Koreans. You also can't leave the country, and even if you gain a permission to go for e.g. a delegation to China, you can't stay for too long.
- Making international calls. In fact, you can't communicate in any way with anybody who is not a part of DPRK.
- Criticizing the government in any way, even if it includes pointing out a fact. Even when talking casually with a friend or family.
- Pornography. Production and distribution of pornography is illegal, rumors say that an ex-girlfriend of Kim Jong-un was killed after recording a sex-tape.
- Browsing the internet. By the internet I do not mean browsing the network, but the actual internet we're using now. There is only a closed DPRK-based network controlled by the government, which you can access, very similar to the Chinese one and their great firewall.
For 11 more interesting facts, I highly suggest watching the following short video. I tried to list facts that weren't mentioned in it above.
Propaganda
DPRK remains strong in terms of the government mostly due to the propaganda being used at each step. There is really too much to list, and this article is already too long, so I'll just mention one thing .Did you know that DPRK organized and won FIFA World Cup 2014? No? Then better check it again, because it was even broadcast on TV. They won in the grand final with Brazil 8:1.
Tourists
There are actually DPRK tours, which are organized by Koryo Tours. I'm not sure if anybody would like to go to visit DPRK by himself, and potentially lose a life by not following the propaganda and the law, but there is still option if you're crazy.
Videos
Lastly, I'd like to show you one interesting movie, that I really encourage you to watch if you're interested in learning more about DPRK. Its name is "The Land of Whispers", and it's available on YouTube. It's one of the best documental videos I've ever seen so far, and it's not made by any official USA-like studio, so there is no actual "hidden USA propaganda", which would show DPRK from worst angles, instead of showing the truth.
If you want to watch some light comedy instead, recently I've seen "The Interview", an average USA comedy, but somehow true in terms of DPRK's situation. Should be excellent if you don't want to watch any real documentary movie, but still learn something more.
Questions
- Would you like to visit North Korea? Why?
- Do you think that there is any chance for people to overcome propaganda and end the dictatorship? From what I know, people are actually aware of the situation, but it's not like they can do anything alone.
- What is your opinion about the dictatorship? Is every dictatorship wrong?
The problem isn't standing on the side of the dictatorship but the ideology. I wouldn’t go to Korea. There were good dictatorships - as general Augusto Pinochet in Chile or general Józef Piłsudski in Poland.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you consider bad in DPRK's ideology? I think that Juche isn't as bad as nazism or socialism, even if it has many similarities. I agree with you that there were good dictators.
Delete1. Yes I want visit North Korea, because it can be very intriguing trip. It would be nice to see dictatorship in order to better understand this country and people living there.
ReplyDelete2.There is no chance for these people, if they won't be aware of the hell in North Korea. Other countries can't be able to help if this society believe in dictator.
3. Every political system that restrict freedom of people is bad.
As I stated I think most of the people are actually aware of their situation, at least those who are not living in death camps. Do you think that people would still join Kim Jong Un's side if there was a real opportunity e.g. from USA to end the dictatorship?
DeleteI never wanted to visit North Korea. There are many other interesting country. In addition, when I'm thinking about North Korea, it reminds me of their propaganda. I always wondered, for what petty reason, they could arrest me (or kill).
ReplyDeletePeople, of course, are probably aware of all of this, but there's nothing they could do. If their contacts are difficult and life is controlled, it hard to gather the uprising. (There are probably terrorized too much)
Probably dictatorship is sometimes good in times of war, when you need to quickly move people and impose on them something for the greater good. At the moment it's not needed, and manipulating people so much... looks like the dictator is bored.
This is not entirely true, officially DPRK never declared peace with South Korea, in fact, they're still at war.
DeleteI think that idea of dictatorship isn't bad. There were many great dictators in world's history like Julius Caesar or, mentioned before, Józef Piłsudski. They did good things for their country.
ReplyDeleteBut the fact that government in DPRK wants to control every single aspect in citizens life it's wrong thing. The propaganda is everywhere. People can't even say what they really think, if it's politically correct. But I hope that in the era of free internet and so easy access to information, the situation in DPRK will starting to change. Because if revolution don't start inside the country, the other state won't be able to help.
According to all of this, I don't want to visit North Korea until the situation will change.
I doubt it. As I said, people are actually aware of their situation, but it's not like they can do anything alone. Without a help, any actual uprising will be dealt with very fast reaction from the government, at least that is what I think.
Delete1.Yes, I always wanted to see life in North Korea. I'm curious how much truth is in what we can see in media. I could better understand how to live in communist country.
ReplyDelete2.I think that in the future will be the end of the dictatorship. One day people rebel and abolish the system.
3.Why not? If the dictator is smart and wants only good for the country and he is not limiting freedom.
I suggest you to watch the movie I linked at the bottom of the article, it perfectly shows how life in DPRK looks like.
Delete1. Well yeah, why not. I would like to see how truth there is in the stories how people live there. I mean I saw your link but still I would like to see it, but on the other hand I am shivering when I think about people being in 'closed world' - most of things are lies, they live in poverty - horrific.
ReplyDeleteHard to say. Maybe with the help of other countries ? Maybe they would be able to break through, still I am afraid that it will be hard, I am not even considering any political aspects. Those people are too frightened to start any uprising
3. I don't really know - dictators are good when country is in the great need, you know, Piłsudzki or I would even say Wałęsa (I mean just the leadership). They tend to rally people so for the hard times I think dictators are a good thing but in the long run I wouldn't think it's good.
This is quite interesting, why we have a need of a dictator when country needs one, but we don't consider dictatorship appropriate when there is no danger?
DeleteDictatorship is never the right solution. Looking back on the history of many nations, we may find examples that turned out well for the country itself, true. But it's not all that bright. Any dictator gets to their seat of power by manipulation and force. Spilling blood is inevitable. Blood of thier countrymen, and that is a definition of a civil war. When situation in the country is bad, is it an excuse sufficient enough to grab the power for your own? Because let's not be naive, that is only the excuse, the MAIN reason is always control. And even if it's not, or even if it brings a nation into a brighter tomorrow, that doesn't justify the crimes - people tortured, killed, starved to death or put in prison to rot. How can we be sure on which side we find ourselves, or our close ones to be, should it happen? A coup is a criminal act, nothing more, one unacceptable in the state of law.
ReplyDeleteOften dictators have actually people who are approving them, it's not like any man can declare a coup and rule the country in notime, so with that in mind we should ask if the dictatorship is deemed to be bad in long-run, or not.
DeleteOf course I would like to visit North Korea. I want to be able itself to assess the situation prevailing there. But I think that we have much more interesting and more human friendly countries to visit.
ReplyDeleteI think that not every dictatorship is bad. Every political system has its pros and cons. Moreover, the sudden introduction of democracy to countries where previously was a dictatorship in many cases has bad effects. In these countries, there is even greater chaos than before. Of course there are good and bad (positive or negative) dictators.
Agreed. Most if not all citizens of DPRK could not keep up with the standards currently available e.g. in South Korea, I think the situation would be dramatic for most of the people, because they're living in their dictatorship since at least 70 years, and sudden change would become a local tragedy.
DeleteBad that i missed this football great match. 8:1 with Brazil... What a level! Answering on your questions.
ReplyDelete1. No! Watching on brain-dead peoples that has only one point of view, propagandizing, - its not my hobby.
2. No chances. People like to be slaves.
3. Hard question. I think it is archaic for our times. For 'west' humanity.
Agreed, but there are still many countries ruled by dictators - http://www.planetrulers.com/current-dictators/
Delete1. No, not really. Well, maybe some day but for now there are a lot of better places to visit such as South Korea for example but it's just my opinion.
ReplyDelete2. Not likely. People are too scared to do anything and afraid of losing something. Maybe if other countries would help them in some way but it is even less likely to happen.
3. Maybe not every dictatorship is bad but I know that I wouldn't like to live in a country like that.
I doubt anyone would like to live in a country where you can be send to a death camp for having illegal haircut ;).
DeleteI definitely wouldn’t like to visit North Korea because I see no sense in visiting the country which is literally OWNED by some mentally disordered people. And it’s obvious that when a tourist comes for a tour in North Korea, he or she can only see what the government wants the foreigners to see. So, again more propaganda.
ReplyDeleteI think there’s a lot to be done by the local people if they want to overthrow the dictatorship and I’m afraid it couldn’t be done without some military action. Unfortunately, some European and American forces would be also implicated in it and I don’t think the world needs any more wars.
Not every dictatorship is bad, but the percentage of good ones is so small it cannot state that such system is generaly good. There is many propaganda, probably even around us, which we cannot see, it's not easy to notice it. I guess that there are many people in Korea who knows about it, still are to afraid to speak about it loud. There are many other countries I'd like to visit that none of Koreas is there.
ReplyDelete1. North Korea is a strange country with a lot of strange ways of life, from food to behavior. But I think that everything in life we have to try.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that every dictator will meet with destiny, and it will not be a nice meeting. Maybe then people will begin to think for themselves.
3. As mentioned Wojtek not every dictator is bad but everyone has their own sins. One less second more but still everyone.
Probably no man who appreciates their rights would not want to be in this country - even for a moment. The name itself scares me and I do not see anything exciting in the control of people at every turn. Reading some of the prohibitions I did not know what to think, I thought it was a joke. Just as I do not see anything good in a dictatorship, I do not understand why one person has to decide about the life of the whole nation and use it for their own purposes. Yes, it seems to me that every dictatorship is bad, because it does not count with the voice of other people who (if they do not do no harm), they have the right to live as they please. I really feel sorry for people who have to endure this state of affairs, although the last month I feel the same.
ReplyDelete1. I wouldn't because I don't like dangerous places, and North Korea is definetely not safe.
ReplyDelete2. There is slight chance, although I think that all people there are informers and they report all suspicious actions to authorities, cause they are afraid to be accused of doing something wrong.
3. Not every dictatorship is wrong, but good dictatorships are rare and not likely to be good for everyone in long lasting govern.