North Korea, My Tears, and an Unnecessary Thread. An Over-sensitive Wail?

I believe in freedom, and the great heights which people can reach when left to fulfill their own dreams. A society should be able to do even more than an individual. I disbelieve in the idea that adult citizens are children under the care and feeding of some distant government body. That turns humans full of dignity into two legged mushrooms without mind or will.

I stumbled on the Korean Central News Agency, the official press outlet of the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea. (North Korea) I've read some of the stories, somehow they've made me very sad. I've included a link to their index page: www.kcna.co.jp... Read whatever you'd like. The stories below are the complete news stories shown on their site.

I don't feel like fighting much in this thread, as I said, I'm pretty sad about it. But, If you distinguished individuals want to go that way I suppose we can have a hot debate. Perhaps prayer is about the only thing that will help now, but I'll accept any other solution.

I Witnessed True Picture of DPRK: Secretary General of Int'l Body

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- Julien Huck, secretary general of the International Union of Agricultural and Foodstuff Workers, said he was deeply moved to visit various places of the DPRK from June 30 to July 5.

He noted as follows in an excited tone:

The visit to the DPRK provided me with an opportunity to witness its true picture.

The situation in the DPRK was quite different from what the West media used to say.

The Koreans are a heroic people who defeated the U.S. and Japanese imperialists.

While touring the monuments to the history of the Korean people's struggle, I became to know well about the source of their powerful strength.

In the DPRK everything serves the people and they are masters of everything.

Herein lies one of secrets to the victory of socialism in the DPRK despite ceaseless sanctions of the imperialists and their moves to stifle it.

I will widely introduce the Korean people to prove that the Western media reports are groundless.

It is my conviction that the Korean people will firmly defend socialism and achieve the cause of national reunification, true to the leadership of the dear respected Kim Jong Un.

Home-made Hosiery Packer Proves Effective

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- An automatic hosiery packer, introduced to the Pyongyang Hosiery Factory, is well received by experts and employees.

The packer makes it possible to streamline all processes ranging from supply of package to packing and forwarding of goods, controlled by computer. It is very good in performance and high in economic effectiveness.

It was developed in less than six months by Jo Su Gyong, a researcher at Pyongyang University of Mechanical Engineering.

The dear respected Kim Jong Un highly appreciated her research success, when visiting the factory some time ago.

Personality, Leadership Ability of Kim Jong Un Lauded by Regional Organization

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The International Alliance of Societies for the Study of the Juche Idea and Songun Policy in East European and Central Asian Regions posted a special write-up captioned "Kim Jong Un, world focus" on its Internet homepage on July 4.

The homepage carried articles titled "Reincarnation of President Kim Il Sung", "Start of Kim Jong Un's era" and "Forward to final victory", illustrated with photos of the dear respected Kim Jong Un conducting revolutionary activities.

For his distinguished personality and leadership ability, he, already named "one of 10 famous people in the present world", is recognized by the international community as a young leader fully possessed of qualifications as modern statesman and strategist, the articles said.

Choe Yong Rim Learns about Beer Production and Barley Transport

Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, went to the Taedonggang Beer Factory to learn about the production of beer and transport of raw materials for its production.

He said the factory is crystal of the loving care shown by General Secretary Kim Jong Il for people, underscoring the need to operate equipment with good care, take thorough-going measures for storing raw materials and keep the production going at a high rate so as to provide greater quantities of tasty and fresh beer to people.

Looking round outdoor barley loading yard, he learned about the quality of raw materials. He encouraged the factory officials and employees and those of relevant units to register successes in concentrated transport of raw materials and beer production.

Choe discussed on the spot the issue of cultivating barley in an intensive manner in areas high in its yield and favorable for transport.

Earlier, he went to Korean Film Studio to discuss the matter of sprucing it up.

Maybe this thread is just a way to get away from Romney v. Obama threads. (Which are making me sad in another way.)

With respect,
Charles1952

Which part of it makes you sad?

Apparently it's mandatory to include "the dear respected Kim Jong Un" in every article - yes - that's sad. People forced to pretend it's all good.

reply to post by Maluhia


But that's how the state media paints it. We don't know whether the citizens are kicking off, their real attitudes toward 'dear leader', or whatever. That kind of totalitarianism always preceeds a revolution, so it's likely there's already some dissent over there.

The news paper is obviously pro government. Saying that everything is great and the people are happy is an out and out lie. If they speak in any other way about "Dear Leader", other than favorable, they can expect a quick trip to prison. The people are starving while the higher ups are eating steak and lobster. I saw a statement from Kim Jung Un talking about him riding 4 wheelers, skiing, doing the things we all do and take for granted, then asking " What do the normal people do". He has no idea that the things he does for fun, are the same things people all over the planet do every day. But not in North Korea. They're too busy trying to stay alive.

reply to post by XeroOne

Dear XeroOne,

An excellent question, one I've asked myself and don't have a great answer to. Some of it may be a feeling, that's why I thought I might be over-sensitive, but I'll try to explain.

From the first article

He noted as follows in an excited tone:

Nobody could say any of those things in an excited tone, it feels and sounds like a script. I can't imagine any human saying some of those things on their own accord. He has to have been reading them from a '50's Soviet manual. (I don't mean that literally, but the tone, the wording seems the same.) It's the way one lies to a people with no other source of information.

The second article, about a hosiery packer. That's in the news? Six months of research to figure out how to stuff socks in a package? Done by a University researcher? It's almost as those they're celebrating inventing the steam engine. Are they that behind?

The third article makes me think of an old-time Potentate surrounded by sycophants and toadies. How blind can he be to accept this? Alternatively, how cruel can he be to demand it?

The fourth article tells of a Premier of the Republic visiting a brewery, then going to a movie studio to discuss janitorial efforts there. I don't know, maybe it seems like officious, petty, micromanaging, or perhaps rearranging the deck chairs. It just seemed so false, yet frightening somehow.

I know I'm not doing a good job of explaining my sadness. Maybe there are remnants of 1984 or The Gulag Archipelago in my mind that are resonating to these stories. I don't know, I'll think about it some more.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by DAVID64

Dear DAVID64,

You're right, of course. It's not only pro-government, it's the official news outlet of the government.

I know the press of the United States is often criticized, but there sins are as mere snowflakes compared to the glacier of the North Korean press.

The people are starving while the higher ups are eating steak and lobster. I saw a statement from Kim Jung Un talking about him riding 4 wheelers, skiing, doing the things we all do and take for granted, then asking " What do the normal people do". He has no idea that the things he does for fun, are the same things people all over the planet do every day. But not in North Korea. They're too busy trying to stay alive.

And we're concerned that some of our politicians are out of touch?

The way that the people are treated intellectually by the press there seems like a form of imprisonment and torture for their minds, just as starvation is for their bodies.

With respect,
Charles1952

I can see where you're coming from.

From the first article

He noted as follows in an excited tone:

Nobody could say any of those things in an excited tone, it feels and sounds like a script. I can't imagine any human saying some of those things on their own accord. He has to have been reading them from a '50's Soviet manual. (I don't mean that literally, but the tone, the wording seems the same.) It's the way one lies to a people with no other source of information.

But that's good old fashioned media spin, but in this case it's pretty amateurish compared to western media. Our own press does very much the same with emotive language, but in a more subtle way.

The second article, about a hosiery packer. That's in the news? Six months of research to figure out how to stuff socks in a package? Done by a University researcher? It's almost as those they're celebrating inventing the steam engine. Are they that behind?

Rather like our 'celebrity culture'. There's a sh!tload of important stuff happening in the world, yet some non-entity who's duller than the weather is on the front page of our own papers, and for what?

The fourth article tells of a Premier of the Republic visiting a brewery, then going to a movie studio to discuss janitorial efforts there. I don't know, maybe it seems like officious, petty, micromanaging, or perhaps rearranging the deck chairs. It just seemed so false, yet frightening somehow.

Ever held a janitorial job? This kind of stuff's pretty much the norm over here as well, from janitor's perspective.

I've allways been facinated by North Korea. The few documentaries I've seen show a level of fanaticism beyond comprehension. What it must be like to live there I can only imagine. We in the west have alot of problems, no doubt. But to be there, I'm just glad I'm not.

reply to post by XeroOne

Dear XeroOne,

Yes, our media shows symptoms of all that from time to time, but I think what may be affecting me is that this is all they have. Their minds are in little cages with nothing but this day after day. Remember the ad "A mind is a terrible thing to waste?" Here are millions of minds being destroyed.

In the West we have many different media available. We can easily find four or five opinions on almost any story in the world. We can see what other countries are thinking, we can avoid or avidly follow celebrities. The difference with North Korea is stunning, and for me, sad.

With respect,
Charles1952