I’m sure we’ve all heard all about North Korea’s restrictive dictatorship and the daily lifestyle of the average citizen in North Korea, but this is a topic which really interests me, and therefore I wanted to write about it in my civic issues blog. I’ve been through many rabbit holes of videos about North Korea in which brave, but arguably stupid tourists explore the nation and attempt to record their experiences for the outside world. However, I do feel as though our society brushes past information about North Korea because we are so familiar with the idea that it is a repressive and authoritarian state. With that being said, I think it’s easy to disregard the lack of human rights awarded to the citizens of North Korea, so I wanted to discuss it today.
North Korea is one of the most repressive nations in the world. There are many prison camps throughout the country, where citizens or tourists are often forced into for unjust reasons. Amnesty International describes these prison camps as having some of the worst conditions the organization has ever seen, with prisoners being treated akin to enslaved people. The government denies that many of the camps exist, but they are present on satellite images, therefore unethical and unjust atrocities are likely occurring within all of them. Very little is known about the camps because very few people are ever released; many are imprisoned for life. Additionally, some of those imprisoned are even facing torture for things that their family members did. However, people who spent time in these camps and left described their condition as horrific, including physical torture, forced labor (which, if not completed, prevented prisoners from receiving food), and inadequate humanitarian care, as death is common. Public executions are also common, with the purpose of deterring bad behavior.
Satellite Image of North Korea's prison camp system. Image Source
In terms of daily life, there are no freedoms of speech or religion for North Korean citizens. Yeon-Mi Park, an escaped North Korean citizen, describes North Korea as a religious cult. She says that Kim Jong-Un, North Korea’s supreme leader, is perceived as a God. Citizens are fearful of him and his miraculous power. One is not permitted to follow other organized religious principles in North Korea, and if they are caught doing such, generations of their family will be punished. Furthermore, portraits (propaganda) of Kim Jong-Un are virtually everywhere in North Korea; a constant reminder of his Godly status. It is also not permitted to speak ill of the leader in any way, shape, or form, otherwise there is a major threat of harm.
A ceremony honoring Kim Jong-Un's Godly status in North Korea. Image Source
There is so much more which could be said about life in North Korea, as I can only scrape the surface with a singular blog post. However, I think it is important for us, as global citizens, to understand the cultural differences between the United States and North Korea, and keep tabs on the situation.