by Daniel Tudor
Still, there are a few exceptions. One of my childhood friends decided to serve in a commando unit. His father and my father were fellow soldiers, and they both became professional military officers later. We were friends when we were kids, didn’t see each other for more than 10 years, and then met up again when he was about to join the military. He said he wanted to go to a commando unit, believing it to be a big honor to serve in one.
When he applied, everyone was desperately opposed to the idea. No one could understand him because commando units were only for kids who have no other choice. His father also tried to stop him. However, he was very stubborn. This teenage boy had watched propaganda campaigns about commando units and their special training on TV and was mesmerized. He finally joined a commando unit, despite everyone’s opposition. Unfortunately, the story did not end well: I heard a rumor that he escaped the barracks after a year and a half, and his violation of military rules eventually caused his father to resign from his position. The reason he ran away was the ruthless training and constant hunger.
This story captures the reality of commando units in North Korea. There isn’t the special pride or sense of duty that there once was. Even the soldiers in leading elite units, who still get good rations, have changed. In the past, soldiers in elite units were ready to commit suicide for the government and the General. Nowadays, going back home alive is their one and only mission.
My conclusion is that morale of young North Korean soldiers is far too weak to overcome the military’s obvious handicaps. Aside from the possibility that North Korea may use nuclear weapons, there is little chance, if any, that North Korea could win a war in light of its poor weaponry and unmotivated soldiers.
I truly hope everything settles down without a war. I know it might not be easy, but I believe there is still a chance to bring about the reunification of North and South Korea without using guns. Maybe the help of surrounding nations and allies could be critical in bringing a peaceful reunification to the Korean peninsula.
Currently, both South and North Korean men are obliged to serve in the military for a certain amount of time. When the two Koreas are reunited, we won’t need to maintain compulsory military service. Then, we can convert to a voluntary military system under which only those who truly desire to serve in the military can fulfill their duty. Freedom to decide to go to the military—that would be another great benefit of a reunified Korea.
What should the world do to help North Koreans?
DT: The North Korea “question” is a very difficult one to answer. South Korea and the U.S. have tried both “sunshine” and hardline approaches, and neither has made much difference to the political situation, or to the human rights of North Koreans or the amount of food on their tables. There is also much discussion about China’s role in reforming North Korea. There are those who say China has plenty of leverage and could push North Korea to reform if it wanted to, and those who believe that the Kim Jong Un regime will always just do whatever it wants regardless. There is also no guarantee that any humanitarian aid will reach its intended recipients.
So my own view on this is quite sceptical. I think we must try to help North Koreans as much as possible, but not get our hopes up too much. But let’s see what a group of North Korean defectors think:
Jinwoo Ham:
North Korea’s current rulers focus on developing nuclear weapons and missiles, while paying little attention to the well-being of their people.
The international community needs to place heavy sanctions on the DPRK as long as it continues to violate the human rights of its own people and remains unwilling to give up nuclear weapons. That is the only way to make North Korea collapse.
At the same time, the international community also needs to help North Koreans speak up and rebel against the current dictatorship. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to take advantage of all kinds of media including broadcasting, publications, and video to raise public awareness.
Sungha Joo:
This is not an easy question, as the North Koreans need all the help they can get. At this point, however, the kind of help required can be divided into the aid that is required now, and that which will be needed post-unification.
Currently, it is important to put more pressure on North Korea over its human rights abuses. The regime should be made to understand the necessity of improving human rights to develop the country.
After unification, North Korea will, however, need substantial international assistance. This international assistance should not be made in a way in which only a few major party members receive the majority of aid money.
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the first two leaders of North Korea. Unique among the socialist countries for developing a family dictatorship, North Korea is now essentially a feudalistic monarchy with some emergent capitalistic characteristics thrown in. Kim Il Sung, though dead, is “eternal president” of the DPRK, and following his own demise in 2011, Kim Jong Il has been elevated to semi-godlike status as well. It is common to see pictures and statues of both of them together throughout the country. Photos: Marcel Pedro
Provincial roads in North Korea are, like this one, not generally busy. The average person may be able to afford a bicycle, but certainly not a car. Things are different in Pyongyang, however. It is even possible to see small traffic jams there these days. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Farming is still mostly done with traditional methods, and much of North Korea still has many of the characteristics of a traditional rural society. It is common to see oxen, as was the case until around the 1970s in South Korea. If one visits the North Korean countryside, one will also see children playing in rivers, and their mothers beside them, doing the family washing. Photos: Marcel Pedro
Typical houses of rural people in North Korea. Things would not have looked much different fifty years ago. Photos: Marcel Pedro
Laborers working on a railway line. On the building behind are pictures of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The text says “long live great leader Kim Jong Un, long live the glorious Workers’ Party.” Photo: Marcel Pedro
A typical fishing village. Fishing represents about 4 percent of national exports. North Korea sells well over US$100m of its catch to China each year. Some of this is resold to other countries as Chinese, due to UN sanctions against North Korea. Photo: Marcel Pedro
A moped parked on a street in the city of Pyongsong. Mopeds are considered a status item, even to the point where men say you should try and marry a woman whose family can buy you one. These days, they’re a valuable business tool for market traders. Photo: Daniel Tudor
A fisheries manager oversees work whilst having a cigarette. Note his lapel badge, which portrays Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. All North Koreans are supposed to wear such badges, and place them on their left lapel, close to their heart. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Cosmetics on sale at a street market. The main item you can see here is sun cream, made in North Korea. Most products at such markets are imported in via China, though. Photo: Marcel Pedro
North Koreans taking a photo with a smartphone. Though ordinary people do not have Internet access on such devices, smartphones themselves are becoming popular, especially in Pyongyang and border cities. Photo: Marcel Pedro
An old lady sells cigarettes on the street. This is not technically legal, but if she bribes inspectors with a portion of her earnings, she’ll be left alone. Photo: Daniel Tudor
A small street market, where locals can buy meat, vegetables, drinks, and so on. Photo: Daniel Tudor
Common street scenes in North Korea. Traders with bicycles carrying goods to market. Note the poor quality of the road in the top photo—most places outside Pyongyang are like this. Photos: Daniel Tudor
Young women wear traditional dress (chima-jeogeori, or ‘hanbok’ in South Korea) and dance. Displays such as this are very common in North Korea. Photo: Marcel Pedro
The Pyongyang skyline, with the famous (or infamous) outline of the Ryugyong Hotel, a still-unfin
ished 105-story building that symbolizes both the government’s ambition and the failure of its economic policies. Photo: Marcel Pedro
A couple walk by the monument to the founding of the Worker’s Party, in Pyongyang. It is a common sight to see women in traditional dress in North Korea; the practice is more or less dead in the South (though weddings would be an exception). Photo: Marcel Pedro
These days, Pyongyang looks something like a third-tier Chinese city, rather than the odd place many expect. Apartment complexes like the ones in this photo are being built at a rapid rate. Photo: Marcel Pedro
The Haedanghwa Department Store. Haedanghwa used to be owned by Kim Jong Il’s sister, Kim Kyung Hui. These days there is plenty of conspicuous consumerism in the big cities of North Korea, with the new moneyed elite buying designer goods at places like this. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Taxis drive by the People’s Palace of Culture in Pyongyang. These days there are something like seven competing taxi firms in the capital. One of these is owned by Air Koryo, the national airline. Photo: Marcel Pedro
The famous Pyongyang Metro, which has two lines and carries around half a million people per day. It’s also extremely cheap at 5 won per journey—at the real market rate, this is less than a tenth of a US cent. Photo: Marcel Pedro
A train at standstill in the countryside. North Korean rail journeys are notoriously difficult—a trip from one side of the country to the other could take several days, or even a week. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Propaganda posters are everywhere in North Korea. The first promotes reforestation, a major issue for the country. North Korea is one of the most deforested places in the world; this also exacerbates flooding, leading to deaths and the loss of viable farmland. Photos: Marcel Pedro
One of North Korea’s most famous propaganda images, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il stood at Paektusan, the tallest mountain on the peninsula and one which has huge significance in national myth and folklore. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Factory workers. North Korea is a heavily sanctioned country, but its cheap labor means that there is still plenty of demand. Note that the workers are all female, and supervisors in the background all male. Photo: Marcel Pedro
North Korea is slowly embracing the information revolution. A small number of elite people have Internet access, but for the majority, there is a national intranet named Gwangmyeong. One can even now book Air Koryo flights through it. Photo: Marcel Pedro
School children singing and dancing. The Kim family monarchy is ever-present: the text above them reads, “Thank you, Dear General Kim Jong Un.” Photo: Marcel Pedro
Children at an elite school studying foreign languages Photo: Marcel Pedro
A child of the new elite. She has her own bedroom, a TV, and lots of toys; her life may not be so different to a youngster’s in South Korea. Photo: Marcel Pedro
A tourist tries out skateboarding at a new facility. The DPRK is trying to promote tourism these days, though the detention and subsequent death of tourist Otto Warmbier gives obvious grounds for pause. It is still fair to say that most North Koreans will have never spoken to a foreigner. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Children in school stage shows. The standard of such performances would seem scarily impressive to non-North Koreans, and reflects a great deal of rehearsal. Photos: Marcel Pedro
A girl studying English at an elite Pyongyang school. The English taught in North Korea is British rather than American, owing the the US’ status as main enemy. North Koreans who study English will be familiar with classic authors such as Charles Dickens or Jane Austen. Photo: Marcel Pedro
School calligraphy practice. Photo: Marcel Pedro
North Korea is home to many Buddhist temples, including Anguk-sa, the oldest on the entire peninsula. Many are in a poor state of repair, however. Photos: Marcel Pedro
Life is tough for the average person, so tourism isn’t something most people get to do very much of. Here we can see members of one family out at a scenic location, taking photos. The presence of the smartphone would suggest they are better off than most. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Portraits of the Kim dynasty in a family home. The gaze of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are everywhere in North Korea. If one were in a strongly Catholic country, one may expect to see crucifixes in people’s homes; North Korea effectively has its own state-created religion. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Football practice in North Korea. This is a country that takes sports quite seriously; considering its size of population and lack of resources, they tend to outperform on the international stage. Photo: Marcel Pedro
A major sporting event can make an awesome spectacle in North Korea. Here, the crowd is as much part of the show as the actual game itself. It also attests to the regimentation of North Korean society. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Foreign businesspeople enjoying a lavish Korean meal in a private room. The elite of Pyongyang can eat like this too, with karaoke machines also available for those who wish to sing. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Waitresses preparing a meal at a high-end restaurant, of the kind favored by political elites and the emerging capitalist class. These waitresses will also be able to entertain guests by singing. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Old ladies take part in national holiday celebrations. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Alcoholic drinks on sale in a supermarket. Here you can see typical North Korean drinks alongside imported ones like Bavaria Beer. Photo: Marcel Pedro
North Korea is heavily sanctioned but for those with the money, almost any foreign product can be bought. Here you can see imported, high-end cognac and whiskey among other drinks. Photo: Marcel Pedro
Hyunmoo Jung:
The DPRK’s leaders are obsessed with developing nuclear missiles, while the North Korean people live in agony.
The international community therefore needs to have stricter sanctions—both political and economic—as North Korea continues to violate the human rights of its people whilst maintaining its nuclear capabilities. This is the only way to make the North Korean regime collapse.
At the same time, the international community should help North Korean people rebel against the dictatorship by educating them through media sources such as radio, broadcasts, and books.
Sehyok Oh:
The international community needs to let North Koreans know that it has a continuous and long-lasting interest in them. One method of achieving this is through humanitarian aid—though only under certain conditions.
The North Korean government doesn’t want its people to know that the international community is providing so much humanitarian assistance. As a result, I suggest that the United Nations and other organizations which provide humanitarian aid ask Pyongyang to ensure the people of North Korea know the origin of all the aid being given.
The international community needs to let North Korea know that there are many opportunities to make positive changes. Therefore trade, cultural and academic exchanges should all be encouraged.
Soon-kyung Hong:
The most important thing the international community can do is to speak out for the human rights of ordinary North Koreans. It is the only way to rescue them from the current dictatorship.
Also, the international community should impose additional sanctions on the North Korean government, as well as do more to publicize the human rights issue.
Jihyun Park:
The biggest help the international community can give is to be considerate and sympathetic, while simultaneously taking a sustained interest in the North Korea situation.
Even if the international community isn’t continually taking direct action, they need to remain interested in North Korea in order to encourage it to open its doors to the outside world.
At the same time, it seems to me that the international community isn’t doing enough to ensure the implementation of human rights in North Korea, instead being more focused on North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
PART 6
Comparing North and South
[Introdu
ction]
When I visited North Korea, I was not surprised to see that a lot of people’s mannerisms, expressions, and ways of thinking reminded me intensely of South Korea. Foreign visitors to either Korea are endlessly told of Korea’s 5,000-year history, and seen in that context, the seven-decade division of the country is not such a great length of time. Plenty has changed, of course, but the underlying characteristics remain the same.
In almost all ways, North Korea today is a much less successful country than South Korea. It made me sad to see people I recognized as Korean—from a culture I’ve come to love over the seven years or so I’ve spent in the South—living such tough, impoverished lives. Per capita income in North Korea is roughly 3% of that across the DMZ.