Author: kajleesage

To whom may North Korea’s leaders pose the greatest threat? As of my personal aspects, I believe that leaders pose the greatest threat to the Korean citizens that are easily brainwashed. I feel this way simply because they don’t know what’s better for them. In Barbara’s book, it is obvious they don’t know how great and beautiful life can be. They believe lies, such as that their leader is a “God”. From when they are children, they are trained and taught to be robot-like humans. It’s like the leaders have total control over their complete mindset. Can’t think for themselves.

This article “Hardly Known, Not Yet Forgotten, South Korean POW’s Tell Their Story” tells multiple and various first-hand stories of survivors from the Korean War. Very relatable to Barbara Demick’s book Nothing to Envy,  just in a much smaller version, describing the pain and terror they and their families had to go through to survive.

This article adds more information to my understanding of what I read in Demick’s book in general. It has advanced statistics of POW’s from both North Korea and South Korea, dates of when major events had occurred, facts of peers and events and even reasonings for why things happen. For example,

“Six hundred and seventy South Korean POWs were confined to hard labor at the Aogi coal mine in
1953, and 30 more arrived later. Out of 700 POWs, there are no more than 20 left now. Over the past
five decades, many have died in working accidents, and others have died of old age,” Kim said.

Just this piece of information improves my knowledge of the whole Korean War itself; a fact/statistic which explains what is happening, why it happened and when it has happened.

I think that the author of Nothing To Envy may have been drawn to this article, because they both talk about the conflict between North Korea and South Korea as well as having stories and information from POW’s. The article and book have different people, meaning they have different stories and experience. hat I’m trying to get to, is they have something in common, which is writing about Korea which shows similar interest. Maybe Demick wanted to further her education and knowledge of Korea and Korean people.

I believe this article is high quality. I believe what makes its quality or value, is the fact that this is primary research, meaning it is first-hand information. The original reporting was in Korean, reported by Sookyung Lee, which has been translated by Greg Scarlatoiu and has been posted on the English web from Luisetta Mudie. But other than all of that publishing, people will look and read at this article as “more important” because the stories that are told are not handed down stories, but from actual people itself that has survived and physically been there during the times of pain.

From the assigned reading (up to page 36/ chapter 3) I noticed a variety of different things. Especially the facts of how unfamiliar the environment and lifestyle is between North Korea and America.

America is literally the land of the free, being the country with most to all of the freedom. We have the rights of bearing arms, to even having the freedom of speech. North Korea on the other hand, is s completely different story.

North Korea’s environment in general is completely different! They have no electricity. They use fire/ to heat up or make food. At night, it is completely dark and you can’t see that much far from your face (obviously). Fact: they did once upon a time, but they have fell back to having no source of electric energy after supposably reneging promises with President Bush. All things of metal, and what had electrical energy has all turned to rust. This issue had caused the country to have very little food. But that isn’t the only upsetting factor.

Lifestyle wise, North Koreans are highly controlled. Contact from and to the outside world is permitted, visitors that get to step a foot on territory are carefully placed in selected monuments and spies also known as “minders” made sure no unauthorized conversations are made. Meaning, you are allowed to just talk story about whatever you want, whenever you want. Housing is very small, no matter the size of your family and mostly everyone are raised and live, sleeping on mats during the night. Everyone keeps tabs on everyone, meaning they keep an eye and report anything that is banned to do. Everyone is ordered to follow rules, and they are punished if they are to disobey. Most people are required to labor, if they are not to fulfill the requirements of high school: smart, athletic, good looking, being well liked by peers and teachers, and being talented. Not only are students are judged, but females are put on spot also. The North Korean standard of beauty for women are to have a pale face (the whiter, the better), rounded faces and a bow shaped mouth. If a female were not to fall under these features, they are discouraged that they will not find a husband.

From mandatory school ( Korean elementary) citizens of North Korea are taught that every other country is against them. They are forced to be grateful for their leader, and everything they have, although it is miserable coming from the outside world. Blaming the US for their fall, they preach claim that we are the incarnation of evil. Children are shown terrible photographs of their country after being bombed by the US, and read about how Americans and South Koreans killed innocent North Koreans. Textbooks tells stories and shows illustrating North Korean people getting stabbed, crushed, burned, shot or even poisoned by any and all enemies.

As you can see, the atmosphere between the US and North Korea is very different. That in the US, you are free who you want to be, and as for being North Korean, well.. You are made into who you will be.