This a commentary to a recent Toronto Star article:
The article, ”Method to the madness in North Korea” is well researched and presented.
But, I feel like I would like to add something to the analysis of the ”why”.
We have to look inside the political system and what keeps it all in place.
We, adults today, have seen how Cuba, a somewhat ”liberal” communistic country lived under the cult of a leader, and perhaps still does to some degree.
What does Cuba and North Korea have in common?
An outside enemy.
What can you do with a common enemy? You can rally the people.
What if your leadship is dictatorial, and you want it to remain so?
Rally against a common enemy. Keep all eyes peeled at the looming threat just over the horizon. Forget your own ills in the name of the nation.
”The people” is totally beholden to their gods, as presented by the Kim dynasty.
That people is also very poor, in general relatively undereducated, overworked and totally lacking personal or political freedom.
Kim Jong il was the first to hijack the nation. His son and grandson have been able to continue. Will North Korea see a revolution or economical disaster?
No, that is not likely as long as the hype about the ongoing war with ”America” can be held up. The entire nation, bar none, is engaged in this effort to the great detriment of the many.
The greatest disaster that could befell North Korea is the outbreak of a real shooting war. This small nation of 27 million would be able to lash out in the most destructive manner and would defend itself to the last drop of blood.
Now, you may ask, why do we believe in this?
Because of the severe lack of economical development in the country.
I visited with a group of Swedes in September of 2015. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to visit a place which has always represented a conundrum for me.
I prepared well, read many books and articles beforehand just to get the hang of ”the thinking”.
Somewhat to the consternation of my fellow travellers, I often stepped outside, took many photographs, and talked to all and sundry during my time in the country. Unbenownst to our primary guide, I actually got ”under the skin” of one of our guides. He was ”the security” to keep us from wandering off and, heaven forbid, take any photographs that were not approved. His second job, he told me, was also to make sue that our official guide didn't stray outside her agenda or even, herself, get too close to any of her charges, us.
Over a few hours in private, cozied up in a bus seat and also in a quiet corner of a bar over a bottle of Whisky, he told me much about his life and family.
A citizen's life, even for the privileged elite who lives on the 12th floor in a highrise in Pyongyang, is hard.
No electricity or elevators from 8 am to 6 pm, lights out at 10 pm.
The lack of so much is obvious to many. North Korea is a very poor place.
A very common view away from Pyongyang
As pampered tourists, we could only observe. The lack of electricity, heat, farm implements, transportation infrastructure, road, sewage and water system maintenance was appalling.
The glories to the leaders were everywhere. There may, indeed, be 30,000 statues of the two elder Kims around the country, we could certainly count many.
About 10 % of North Koreans carry a smart phone, albeit one without most of the features we take for granted.
I came across a mobile phone consultant. He was invited for a few weeks to teach ”young university graduate entrepeneurs” how to build smart phone apps. Most of his students said, ”we cannot do that, the government will not approve”.
They were very proud that there was already 20 apps available, and the next one will be revolutionary, a Korean dictionary. When told that there are millions of apps in the world and at least ten complete Korean dictionaries, they wore astonished. ”But, how can that be, we are the best and the most advanced...”
This is but a small demonstration of the huge disconnect between the world and North Korea.
As all know, there are very few cars. ”Individuals are not allowed to own a car.” And the few we saw were not exactly last year's model.
Here, a Volvo, anno 1973.
Some main roads are six lanes wide, absolutely straight, but with no traffic. The pavement was less than 5 cm thick and so broken up that even our modern well sprung bus could never, even for one minute, go faster than 70 km/h as recorded on a (hidden) GPS.
What are these roads for? "So that our great leader can travel in comfort", we were told. Or, more likely, to serve as make-shift airplane landing strips.
All roads, particularly those close to the southern border had ornamental columns on the side. These were designed such that they could be easily toppled over the road as a tank blockage.
I digress.
The people are controlled to an extent that is unfathomable to us.
Public holidays are mandatory with large crowds performing various ceremonies. We witnessed how thousands were pressed into exercises in the open with scant access to toilets or food. Being part of a show means that you have to limit your water intake so you can go for hours without the need to relieve yourself, according to three North Koreans that I managed to talk to.
Evening training in Kim Il Jung Square.
All young and able bodied persons have to go to the country to partake in the harvest, living in sparse shelters and working hard.
Harvesting
Family housing in the field during harvest season.
Every young person has to serve 6 years, for a man, and 4 years, for a woman in the military. University admittance is determined by family connections and status. Lucky ones start before the join the army, but most may have to wait until their mandatory service years are over. For most, army life is very austere with poor food and cold quarters in the winter.
Marriages are forbidden before 30 for a man and 26 for a woman.
Children live with their parents until ”the government” sees fit to allocate them a dwelling, babies in the house, or not.
Give your life for the party
And, to the point. Advertising and propaganda is everywhere. You can hardly open your eyes without seeing at least one huge billboard, on its own, or on a building, declaring how you had to be diligent, obey and respect your leaders or stand up to kill an American.
I photographed many and had them all translated when I came home. Nothing commercial here, no consumer goods, not even church billboard.
Television was not better. The entertainment was news about Mr Kim Jong-un's doings and adventures, a bit about the latest glorious statistics, local weather, pictures from farm or factory workers celebrating them exceeding their quotas and – really quite shocking – war movies, more war and glorious solders at war. – Very uplifting entertainment, I am sure.
Most of them were North Korean productions, North Korea has a long a storied history in movie production. There was a sprinkling of Chinese and Russian movies dubbed into Korean..
Religion is forbidden. We were asked if we had any movies or bibles on entry to the country. We had been amply forewarned and didn't.
Exit was not so easy. Of the approximately three hour railroad stop at the Chinese border, at least one hour was spent with the border guards systematically going through our iPhones and cameras, deleting ”forbidden” pictures. My 2,200 mostly ”forbidden” pictures taken with a small palm size high quality camera were on tiny memory cards inside my socks in my pack.
I had also taken some North Korean flyers and the most recent Pyoungyang Times, a weekly paper, in my luggage. They were also inside clothing and not found. It's notable that all were strictly forbidden to desecrate any photograph of any of the Kims by folding or wrinkling a paper. Hence, we, at the hotels, were only allowed to read the news standing up in front of the counter.
Can this regime be overthrown? No, but if it is, the nation will fall into chaos. Food and clothing distribution is all by the government, 20 kg rice per adult per month, 14 kg per child 12 - 18 years old.
There are no civilian organizations doing anything. Therefore, take away the leadership and all will collapse. It almost did, during The Arduous Times in the 1990's when millions starved to death. an impromptu illegal production and distribution systems helped then.
I had also taken some North Korean flyers and the most recent Pyoungyang Times, a weekly paper, in my luggage. They were also inside clothing and not found. It's notable that all were strictly forbidden to desecrate any photograph of any of the Kims by folding or wrinkling a paper. Hence, we, at the hotels, were only allowed to read the news standing up in front of the counter.
Can this regime be overthrown? No, but if it is, the nation will fall into chaos. Food and clothing distribution is all by the government, 20 kg rice per adult per month, 14 kg per child 12 - 18 years old.
Rice for two families brought home.
We are not looking at a repeat of the fall of the Iron Curtain which cost Germany so much, but rather a new need for ”everything”. Can and will China, South Korea or – the world - pay for this?
Status quo may be best, everything considered. Ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons or not.
Status quo may be best, everything considered. Ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons or not.
If you wish, you can have a look at a brief article that I wrote for The NOW magazine last year.
For a better description of the “inside”, you may want to buy this recently releassed book: The Accusation.
