Month: February 2019

Thoughts. Ideas. Facial Expressions. Jokes. Words. Hand gestures. Logic. Hope. Contemplation. Love. Belief. Opinion. Personal views. Political beliefs.

Imagine a world where these everyday feelings, left in you own mind, could land you in a prisoners camp. Picture yourself brainwashed into thinking these behaviors are forbidden. Envision a country that won’t allow you to be your own original self. Think of a life where you are not granted an opportunity to better yourself as a person for your family or country. It’s hard to believe, but the most harmed people of the North Korean Regime, Independent thinkers, face this everyday.

Feb 4, 2019

Chapter 7: Two Beer Bottles For Your IV

Doctor Kim’s actions illustrate a Modern Women in the mid 1990s. She was educated, part of the Workers party, and Highly decorated from a young age. Although her parents did not birth a son she held the responsibility of one because she was selected to be a doctor out of her education field position. This could be why she prides herself in values like equality and justice, which is why she would advocate for incarcerated men and children that were receiving poor medical attention.  Although in the end she still suffered the same faith as the multitude of North Korean citizens, starvation, pay cuts or no pay for her labor, poverty, and hardship in family life.

(This is a photo of a women I image Dr Kim looks like)

lets see her twitter at

https://twitter.com/BarbaraDemick?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://twitter.com/BarbaraDemick?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://twitter.com/BarbaraDemick?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Chapter 5 Victorian Romance

Like fifteen-year-old boys around the world, Jun-sung was full of fear he could never find the courage to approach Mi-ran.  So, he decided to get his boxing friend to get information, and then her sister Mi-sook.  The average American teenage boy his age, would be trying to figure out a way to separate Mi-ran from her panties.  But Jun-sung new what the Great Leader and the Party said.    In a culture where marriages are still arranged and Kim-IL sung says what is good or bad.  “I ask you really”? 

Jun-sung and Mi-ran, had weights over their heads.  He being older new that it was taboo, too be seen or be with a hostile.  But he was drawn to her, like a moth to a flame.  Darkest was their guardian, and they talked about their dreams. Never reveling truths!  That’s love North Korean Style!        ff

After reading chapter seven I was so impressed by Dr. Kim because she is motivating, passionate, dedicated and over all amazing. This is just the tip of the iceberg for what type of person she is. She continuously sets new goals to accomplish, she works hard in order to get better and even when the odds are against her she keeps pushing to do better. Even though she is a high rank among other North Koreans she is still being watched and harmed by the regime. Her income vanished so she is working without pay, she is seeing all these people die around her and she cant do anything about it and now shes also starving. Even though she was well off now shes not and after going through everything she finally got the strength she needed to get out of that country and defect.

People who are like Dr. Kim with an important career, can stand up for themselves, talk back to their bosses, and somewhat express their needs and wants are still threatened and harmed by the regime, even if it may not seem like it. In North Korea, everyone is watched and everyone is spying on each other so in the end no one is really safe, everyone is threatened. Dr. Kim is also an independent thinker, she believes in equality like when she wanted to help the inmate who was sick, but her boss told her not to because of his status however she still went to his home and tried her best to assist him. So although she may not be living poorly, she is still harmed and threatened like everyone else.

When asked if we thought professional women and women in top fields were potentially harmed by the North Korean Regime, it brought up a lot examples of why they could very well be the most harmed.

Knowledge is power, but ignorance is bliss. Dr. Kim witnesses starvation now affecting the newly born babies. They are coming out smaller and thinner, their skin like crepe paper. What can she do about it? Nothing. If she speaks up she risks her livelihood and her standing. Speaking up can make her a target. Instincts and intuition make her a threat to the regime, therefore she is potentially harmed.

In the article “Hardly Known” it gave me a deeper insight in what these POW’s and to endure for many of years. All their pain and suffering for years on end were very disturbing to read. Mostly because hearing their story and the suffering they had to go through in order to survive was so intense. It was a real shock when I was reading and the man said 70,000 people were captured in the war and only 20 of them remain because of the torture and brutal environments they had to fight through. This was very disturbing and disgusting to read but I am happy I got to read it because it gave me a better understanding of what North Korea is doing and how they treat not only the POW’s but their citizens too. I feel like this article was amazing because it came from a person who had first hand experience. He fought his hardest and made it out to tell everyone his story and I’m glad someone helped him publish his story because everyone should know whats happening and what all these people have to go through.

After reading a couple chapters of “Nothing To Envy” I noticed a bunch of interesting things that go on in North Korea. One that really caught my eye was the restrictions that their government put on the public. I thought this was the most interesting to me because they limit the amount information the public gets and blame it mostly on the U.S. They blame everyone for their food shortage and the way they live. Another thing I noticed was how they have different ranking in their society. The ranking is based on who you are and how close you are to Kim Jong-il. This ranking system is brutal because people can keep dropping and be treated different but there is no way to get out of the hole you dug. It doesn’t just affect you but your family and future generations to me this is brutal and a way to control people easier.

When all hope seemed forgone, a word of encouragement ignited Mi-ran to give her education one final shot. Jun-sang had restored the passion in Mi-ran once again, and his plan worked. She hit the books, put in time, and not long after became one of many new admittees at Kim Jong-suk Teachers’ College. Reflecting on the arduous journey Mi-ran took to get into university reminds of the one I had to take in order to be accepted into the college of my dreams. However, like Mi-ran’s, my plan for the future was shaken to the core when the college wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. My frustration spurred from the price tag, but Mi-ran’s stemmed from dorm room indecencies. Like sardines, she and her three roommates were shoved into a cramped living arrangement with frigid temps. As a result of the limited square footage, the only place suitable to rest their blood rags during their time of the month was overhead the toilet. Circumstances grew so severe that several students, including Mi-ran, decided to seek residence off campus or withdraw from the institution altogether. Without misstep, her dreams were dashed once again. The negligence from both the college and the North Korean government derailed these women of their worth and ambitions in cold blood.