Week 3 - North Korea

Let's see how many angles you can come up with to discuss North Korea. Just to let you know I've also opened a new forum for your TV series homework. You should be able to see it below this forum.

all I could hear about North Korea is negative and I really wanted to inquire.to see if all i heard is true.
the truth is that north korea is one of most closed country in the world (may be the most closed).
almost all available information and statistics are not official, but from CIA, international NGO...
kim jong-un voluntarily maintains the population away from the rest of the world and also maintains tense relations with international, specially USA since donald trump become the president.
between the two it's almost child fights except that million of people are concerned.
north korea is considered as a country where humans right are not respected despite the fact that they signed the human rights agreement, and there is all kinds of inegalities.
from the moment North Korea has a certain self-sufficiency, international organizations don't intervene like they do in other countries.
i do not pretend to know what's the solution to improve the situation in north korea. but i think that the relations with international and the embargo affect north korean wether for access to medecines (exported),to foods ,electricity ...
and when we talk about human rights we are all concerned even if no one supports kim jong-un

Hi,
As in any dictatorship, sports represent a good way to put the country's power forward. The sportsmen are, with the diplomats and some businessman, the only people able to leave the country. In 2010, the soccer team qualified itself for the World Cup in South Africa. After a first encouraging defeat against Brazil (2-1), the government decided to allow the broadcast of the following game against Portugal (something almost never seen) but they lost 7-0 and the government stopped the broadcast after the fourth goal. Then, they lost their last game against Ivory Coast.
When the came back in North Korea, the coach was carried in public to receive the complaints of the crowd. As sanction, the coach was displaced of its post within the workers party and was sent in a labour camp. He will have to carry loads on a construction site (14 hours a day).
This man tried to do his best during this World Cup and was indicated as responsible. That's an example but the government must be usual of this type of reactions.

Hi !

North Korea is the last country who kept a totalitarian and communist regime of the Stalin’s time. In fact, in 1945, Stalin and his secret service required to lead the country a Korean communist activist.

I consider North Korea is a dictatorship, where humans rights are trampled. In fact, the regime controls the population, from haircut to internet access right through to labour camps. Thereof serve today to jail politic opponents or citizen who been trying to get away. Work until drop from exhaustion, forced abortion, starvation, sound like the motto of this camps.

In my mind, Kim Jong-un is rational because all he does seeks his political survival. His entire strategy is based on deterrent. To Kim Jong-un nuclear weapon is for protect his country and his own power. But he knows that it serves only if he does not use it.

hi,
All i know about the North Korea is that it's a poor country but all the people in this country have a crazy idolization for the family of the Jeong-eun Kim, because they think this great family has saved this whole country in danger. But the truth is that this is a despotic family and the most of the people live a very terrible life in North Korea.
This family has prohibited the citizens to communicate with other people coming from other countries. There is no internet, no telephones,no access to outside in this country. People there have to learn the songs to eulogize this grate family since they were young.
Today's North Korea just like the China in the 70 years. It use the planned economic system, all the people share the same welfare, which can destroy the enthusiasm of production greatly. What's more, i think there is no human rights in this country, people even cannot choose the colorful clothes! The block of this country has lead to the blind worship for the ruling family, as well as this family has made up many lies in order to consolidate their rule.
As a matter of fact, i think people in this country just like living in a dark world.

Hello,

North Korea is a country run by a crazy who wants to bomb and kill donald trump.
North Korea is a Stalinist communist regime operating on a totalitarian logic and with one of the lowest levels of human rights in the world. One of the most striking facts for me and when we compare the level of life expectancy between North and South Korea. We live 10 years less in North Korea when South Korea.

JR

North Korea, dictatorial regime, is the most closed country in the world: 5% have the phone and no home is connected to the Internet.
It is also a country where human rights are violated (such as freedom of expression, association, religion and movement). Even the death penalty is applied.
The leader Kim Jong-Un, is the symbol and the source of inspiration for the North Koreans. They must display his photo in all the rooms of their house.

It is one of the poorest and most unequal countries: the literacy rate is 97%.
Only 26% have electricity.

This country is the most militarized country in the world (5% of the total population is in the army). They have disposed the nuclear threat, for a long time.
That’s why it’s problematic now with the United States. Last June, Donald Trump wanted to close the threat of the nuclear bomb. He also works with Japan and South Korea to protect citizens from this threat.

What's going to happen? After the E-U flew over North Korea, we now know that the North Korean army is the second force in the country but have obsolete defence materials. In short, a world news story quite disturbing.

Can we really believe what the media and CIA tell us?

Admin wrote:Can we really believe what the media and CIA tell us?

There is always a part of false information. They insist on what they want, and they choose the information to be broadcasted.
So, it's hard to know what is true.

Hi,
For the North Korea, personally, I don’t like this country.

I might be a marxist, but I want to say that the Korea worker’s Party is not a Communist Party. If saying that the Korea worker’s Party is the Communist Party, I think Marx will be ashamed.

The truth is, the Korea worker’s Party has denied Marxism in the Party Constitution.
Even they are far away from the Chinese revisionism.From a legal point of view, the Kim’s Family is perfectly justifiable of the royal family.

In South Korea, Pu Gui-hui has been successfully impeached. What surprised us is not the result, but in the highest Korea power struggle, everything follows the rules.
But look at the North Korea, look at the hereditary system in the North Korea, in the Korea peninsula they have the same language, they are  the same race，just because of the DMZ, it presents two different worlds, it’s thought provoking.

HELLO,
For the North Korea, i wonder what is the meaning of these money-consuming nuclear tests in a country where numerous citizens are worried about where the next meal is everyday? It is estimated that among the 22 million Koreans, 16 million are living in poverty and in hunger, while the government spends billions of dollars on nuclear tests - whether these tests are successful or failed is still open to question. To make it worse, the international communities have imposed sanctions, such as grain embargo, on North Korea since its persistence in nuclear tests. With such a huge number of people living in hunger, the Korean government is surely aware of people’s dissatisfaction and the possibility of social unrest and revolt. Therefore, it is better for North Korea to convert the astronomical budget on nuclear test to improve the living standard.

Hi everybody !

North Korea is currently a very big problem for me. The head of state, who is nothing but a dictator, appears for some as a symbol for the inhabitants. For my part, I do not see things like that. North Korea strangely reminds me of Germany during the Nazi era. When Hitler obliged the population to greet him with the Nazi salute at every parade, every move he made. Kim Jong-Un does exactly the same thing: demonstration of strength with military parades, executions of soldiers or "opponents".
And when we look at excerpts from North Korean TV news, we can see that its presenters are not free to say what they want, they rejoice on news where there is nothing joyous. Why ? For me, they all live in fear. Then they all bend to the regime imposed upon them. Anyway this leader is a madman.
Donald Trump, who is an incompetent showman, should be carefull. Maybe he's crazy, and completely to the west but Kim Jong-Un is ten times worse. He is THE man who has not hesitated for a second to kill almost all his family for fear of taking his power.
So I think the threat of nuclear attack is more than real. Because Kim Jong-Un will not stop a few tests. It will continue despite US intimidation. Because he is mad, and he will not give up. Because one can not threaten such a psychopath, as Donald Trump is allowed to do. You have to be a lot smarter. It is not by attacking it with threats as the US do that the world will be saved from nuclear.

Hi,

Today, relations between North Korea and the USA are very tense, everyone knows. But the tensions are growing stronger, which worries the neighboring countries.

On Saturday, North Korea threatened Australia with a possible "disaster" if the country continued to support the military maneuvers of the US and South Korea near the Asian peninsula.

A statement said Australia shows dangerous movements joining US political and military provocations against the People's Democratic Republic of Korea. North Korea then replied immediately threatening Australia.

Australia does not seem concerned about the threats made by Kim Jong-Un. The Australian authorities say that Australia is not a priority target and that North Korea has already made such threats.
These threats only reinforce Australia's determination to find a peaceful solution to the growing tensions on the Korean peninsula, caused entirely by the illegal, threatening and provocative behavior of North Korea.

Hello, everyone.
In fact, in the whole world, we considerate north Korea like a joke. Its crazy leader, undeveloped economy are a shock for all of us. Personally, I don’t like this country, but I don’t hate it, but its political system is the worst of the world. North Korea is a democratic people’s republic, but the reality is absolutely autocratic. North Korea declare that all belong to citizen, however, North Korea people have nothing to do with the country. When they oppose government decision, they are arrested immediately. Without doubt, North Korea is like a belonging of Kim jong-un. In 21th century, democracy is spread around the world, but in North Korea, Kim jong-un is like an empire, none can be against to him. We can believe that nowadays, there’s also country like that. What a cray thing!
In North Korea, people are not idiot, they know clearly what happen in their country, but they don’t have other choice. Every year, there are many people fled the country to China or South Korea, some of them are sent back to North Korea, we know clearly what is waiting for them. Some of them lead a hard life in China or South Korea, considering that they are illegal emigrants. When it comes to North Korea,it’s such a big problem to the world.

I think to develop nuclear weapon is the only way to North Korea, even though this action will hurt China’s diplomatic relations with North Korea.
From the part of North Korea, After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, China can still be regarded as an ally, but an ally who might betray. And with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, North Korea is not safe because Russia's protective role is gone. The situation even worse by 2003, the United States can bypass the United Nations to send troops, which means that international law is unreliable. North Korea's only chance is building independent defense to against the United States, and the lowest cost is the nuclear strike force. If North Korea can destroy several major cities in the United States by nuclear bomb, America would not dare to invade North Korea, even if China acquiescence. It is the first thing to develop a nuclear strike force, to eliminate the hidden dangers of war when the Chinese umbrella has not disappeared. This is the raison why North Korea will pursue the second nuclear strike to ensure their own safety.
On the economic front, North Korea has been steadily developing after a retrogression of the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Roughly equivalent to china’s level from the 1970s to the 1980s. North Korea's compulsory education is longer than China, coupled with modern organizations, normal diplomacy, unblocked economy, they can quickly accept China's capacity transfer, to achieve rapid industrialization.
Grace to North Korea's location, the shipping is convenient. Japan, China and South Korea are its market. But all the premise is national security, and which not depends on China.
From the part of China, despite its influence in north Korea, China still has to respect north Korea's demand for its own security and even provide technical support on nuclear pollution to avoid contaminating China. Economically, china wants to take advantages of North Korea's cheap labor and maritime port resources to help North Korea engage in infrastructure construction, not to aid, but to invest. Gradually to bring North Korea into China's economy. If the economy depends on you, the nuclear force will do.

Hi！
It is true that the North Korea is a poor country, but it doesn’t means that it is the poorest country all over the world. In fact, it doesn’t stand at the bottom of the list which shows us the ranking of country’s economic capacity in the world.
In my opinion, there is no doubt that the North Korea is a country that we dislike it, but we can’t deny that we are curious about this country situating on the other side of the world.
And the raison why the North Korea is regarded as a terrible country is its ridiculous and autocratic political decision, and that is the point the media can report for capturing the public’s attention.
So as an outsider who comment the living condition, the education condition, and the consumption of the North Korea, it is better to ask the opinion of those people who lives in this country. If they are satisfied with their actually situation, there is no significance for us to watch and criticize it from god’s perspective.

North Korea is a dictaturial system. The actual king have seen a few members of its own family misteriously murdered. A week ago, he nominated his sister at the political office but she just have the right to listen and look. She can't vote, she's just here to represent her brother because a full member of this office.

The laws in this country are very stricted ! And the propaganda is so developped that people "love" their king. If there are interviewed they can't say anything bad about their rouler, because if they did, we will probably never see them again.

We can compared this country with Germany when Hitler were still alive. People live under fear, they can't do what they want, go where they want. If you born in North Korea, you probably gonna die in North Korea. No one enter in this country and come back the same.

Hello

North Korea is a dictaturial system, people have no freedom of expression, have their brain turns with incessant propaganda !
Their missile launch next to Japan is inadmissible, Kim Jong-un believes he has all the rights, the North Korean regime strongly criticized the sanctions against it and threatened to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States "to ashes".
By isolating itself, this country has become very poor, the regime prefers to spend money in missile fire rather than helping its people...
I think it is a dangerous country and certainly not a political example to follow for others.

Hello

I have two notices on the situation of Korea of the North On one side it is an imperialist and totalitarian country, that forbids the freedom of expression, the total control of his population. This situation is in my view unacceptable.

On the other hand they are independent, do not need assistants of the other countries, it is the ideal. They receive no influence of the west, preserve their culture and tradition certainly. I believe it is the only thing which is positive, because we see the consequence of the influence of the west in countries told a lot to sub-develop.

But anything reassures us that the model works and that we cannot be certain of the economic situation because there is a total control of the information who go out

Good evening.
So here is North Korea as a week discussion. What does everybody know about NK? What has everybody heard? Of course, Kim Jong-un, a bomb, III World War, violence, maybe Dennis Rodman etc. But there could be as much opinions as we are, I don't think we got be absolutely negative or positive; we should make a research or something like that. First of all, a regimen of communists and an authority of government (one person); is it bad? Sure, we are economists, right? That means we've got to know why a monopoly is forbidden, when there is only one, for exemple, company, there is no progress, no rivalry, no desire to be the best because it's not possible. That's why many laws are created to be an obstacle for it. Voila, same things, you see? Trust me i know what i'm talking about. My country was the part of Soviet Union and i've heard many different histories from my grands, even my parents about how it was going on. And you know what? There were happy in some things and weren't in another. For exemple, in SU you weren't worry about your "future", i mean future when you are a student. You know if you study hard, you'll have a good work, everybody will be proud of you, 100%. There was a "stability", we name it "confidence in tomorrow" (don't know if it's possible to say like that). About bad points you all know, i'm sure. I've noticed european people know "everything" about pressure of SU, Russia (it's funny). Don't hate me, I do not like politics of SU also, just trying showing different sides of one thing. In NK it's going by the same way. Nowadays, of course a democracy got to be everywhere, at least 80% of people think same. But there are countries who are not ready for it. Now, young men fight for our future, rights, desire to be heard but it doesn't matter if other people don't want it. As to me, people of NK aren't ready. About next part of my reply: about economy, human rights etc. They have no rights, no voice that everything i hear. But let's see different point. Nah, i'm not gonna defend government of NK. You know, they live like in cage. Every word, every letter is under censorship; every your step is observed; even your breath got to be "right"; NO ANY WORD BOUT KIM THE LORD THE GOD THE FATHER THE UNIVERSE JONG-UN. But there was an exemple of "cage"-Singapour (if i'm not wrong), little note "golden cage". But, to be honest, it became golden after a long period of time. It wasn't as cruel as NK, oc. But human got no rights also; it was a "one man country" who had an excellent idea and made it actual life. The biggest leap in economy made Singapour one of the best places for investments and many other good things. And i'm sure it' not be same if there'd be a "democracy'. As you see from last words of mine, i agree with the opinion that their Kim is not the best lord. If he keeps going it'd be good for a planet but if he changes his view of the world, opinion everything would get more better. Probably, is not gonna happen but we got to trust in people, right?

Admin wrote:Can we really believe what the media and CIA tell us?

No, every country has his own information. The war of information is already going. One thing is presented different in countries-enemies. TV is a weapon of government to make pressure on us. I say like a man who saw two sides of this "war". In Kyrgyzstan, there is more influence of Russia, we see "russian news"; in Europe we see "american news". But for me, american news are more cruel and "dirty" to their opponent.

Marjorie VANNIER wrote:
In my mind, Kim Jong-un is rational because all he does seeks his political survival. His entire strategy is based on deterrent. To Kim Jong-un nuclear weapon is for protect his country and his own power. But he knows that it serves only if he does not use it.

I agree with you today North Corea is a threat for humanity. As regard to its nuclear activities, its army power and all its military technologies, North Corea could defeat and destroy any other counrty. Of course that’s not the only foreign threat but maybe the biggest. The independance of its government doesn’t let us hope for negociations.

But the election of Donald Trump as president of the US makes the tension getting worse. That's what i want to add of your commentary : the possibility of a frontal confrontation between these two countries would be the worst scenario for each person living on earth. International organisations have to ensure agreement between US and North Corea for sure ! Now United Nations Organisation is essential in order to prevent the world from suffering nuclear war. But it could be not enough

Hello,

North Korea is a country that has found itself led by a retarded teenager and it unfortunately suffers the consequences of the bad decisions made by the current president.
And this also worries the whole world because as North Korea holds now the nuclear bomb, we do not really know what a madman like kim jong-un can do with this bomb.
And I believe that there is some truth in what the media tells us about North Korea, because North Korea is a closed country so it proves that they have bad reasons that push them to shut themselves out of the world.

Hi.
I personally think that the North Korean’s way to behave is rational, regarding the history of the country, and follow-up a strategy established after the Korean War. The willing to develop a nuclear bomb is not something new regarding the North Korean history. North Korea being isolated from the rest of the world, since the end of the Korean War in 1953, the only way for the power to ensure its place is to show up that they are ready to commit the worst. Especially since the collapse of the USSR which was backing the North Korea during the war.
Kim Jung-Un do not want to do the same mistake as Saddam Hussein and Mouammar Kadhafi. Those two didn’t had the military capacity to be a real threat. And when their occidental “friends” didn’t need them no more, they decided to eliminate them and then leave their country in a total mess that we are still dealing with today.
Plus, by being a threat for its neighbor, South Korea which is not looking for a second war with its relative, North Korea is sure that South Korea will keep pay for help the North to develop infrastructures or facing problems. South Korea regularly send humanitarian relief to the North. It can be food or money which mainly goes to the head of the North Korean power of course. So there is an economical aspect that should not be missed.
Throughout all of this I think there is a lack of knowledge about the North Korean issue. I never saw in the mainstream Medias a coverage of North Korea that wasn’t bias. Only one point of view is always presented.
From my personal point of view I think the one who is deteriorating the most the situation is Donald Trump by adding fuel to the fire through his provocative declaration. Kim Jung Un won the first battle by bringing the first military power exactly where he wanted to bring him. Namely a ready to explode status-quo where diplomacy do not seems to have its place.

For some months Pyongyang has been testing missiles and an H-bomb. There is a heavy tension between Washington and Pyongyang, which is conducting regular threats and intimidations. Donald Trump threatened to completely destroy North Korea in the event of Pyongyang attack.
For the time being, North Korea has asserted before the UN General Assembly not to be ready to join the Convention on the total ban on nuclear weapons.