North Korea's Secretive Regime and Its Impact on Citizens

Korea, A Land Of Secrets And Silence
Just 35 miles away from the busy metropolitan city of seoul lies the enigmatic North Korea, a land
of secrets and silence. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a nation that has lost its time.
The nation is governed in authoritarian dictatorship with strict restrictions like those countries
millenniums ago. The state refuses itself to open up to the rest of the world. Anything that connects
people in the U.S would be no use. As a result, North Korean citizens don't know anything about the
events happening around in the world. The only information they can acquire is ones from the
government which states that "DPRK is the best country in the world" and "honor the supreme Kim
family". Most citizens don't know that their country is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Some came on jaw–dropping methods like using the a fighter jet to fly to South Korea(Democratic
People 's Republic 2). Defectors in the 1960s had one thing in common, they were not ordinary
citizens. At that time, it was impossible for ordinary citizens of DPRK to consider defecting due to
lack of information and their loyalty to the state.. Defectors before Hwang came were revered as
heroes who abandoned tyrannical North Korea and were granted with benefits that helped them
settle in South Korea. However, as of 2017, defectors are no longer treated as heroes due to
staggering number of them entering in the 21st century. It is considered common for North Koreans
to consider risking their lives to enter South Korea. Analysts identify there are three major reason
why there is a mass defection from North Korea: poverty, Korean wave and fear.
The principal reason why there are so many people risking their lives and escaping North Korea is
hunger. The totalitarian regime is known for poor management of the famine within the country.
World Health Organization estimated that between one million and one million and six hundred
thousand died from malnutrition during years between 1995 and 1998 (Heather 26) . Food shortage
was caused by several floods and drought and fall of the important trading partner, the Soviet Union.
Due to this crisis, the government halted their public distribution program. Communist countries are
known for their public distribution
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Democratic People 's Republic Of Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a nation of isolation and mystery. I will be looking at
the atmosphere of North Korean Human rights, whether it is defined by its culture or is the culture
what defines the countries human rights. Are the practices culturally viable and how do the human
rights of the democratic people's republic of Korea compare to human rights as defined by American
culture?
"Little is known about North Korea in the United States, or in the world for that matter; except for
the rare but striking news story about its international terrorism, the nuclear arms threat, and the
devastating famine of recent years, nothing substantial is known about North Korea. This is due to
the nation 's strict closed–country ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"North Koreans who seek to assert their rights are perceived to show insufficient reverence for
supreme leader Kim Jong–Un or the ruling Korean Workers' Party. Those who act in ways viewed as
contrary to state interests face arbitrary arrest, torture, and ill–treatment, detention without trial, or
trial by state–controlled courts. North Koreans also face severe penalties for possessing
unauthorized videos of foreign TV programs and movies or communicating with persons outside the
country."(World report). It would seem that the standard for human rights in North Korean is
nonexistent purveying a citizenship of suffering and indignity as well as stifling the wants and ideas
of its populace. It would seem that North Koreas control of its citizens extends even beyond its
borders since "At least 50,000 North Koreans are stationed overseas in some 20 countries as forced
laborers and human rights advocates are calling for accountability. The involuntary workers bring in
as much as $300 million annually for the North Korean regime, the workers are stationed in 14
sectors in more than 120 companies, including China, Russia, Mongolia, Malaysia and elsewhere."
(Kaplan, 2015). Which means that the Human rights issues of North Korea extend to other countries
and cultures bringing into question what such oppressed human rights issues have done to the
culture of the North

Are Concentration Camps Over?
People have suffered from World War II (WWII) due to the Holocaust. Jews were mostly affected
by it due to Hitler trying to kill the entire race. In the end, the Jewish race lost population because of
concentration camps. In our modern day society, some people still think that concentration camps
disappeared after WWII, but little do they know people have been trapped in them once again in
North Korea. We, the people, can stop them by making these stories known and putting pressure on
governments around the world to do something.
People have been suffering in these camps for many years. No one officially knows why the North
Korean government does this to their own people, but there have been many theories. North Korean
citizen and some ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When his family attempted to escape, he told a guard about the situation and his family was killed.
He did not cry or even show any emotion because he was so brainwashed to believe everything that
the North Korean Communist Government said. North
Korean soldiers took Mr. Shin to an underground prison and tortured him to make sure he was
telling the truth and not lying. When he escaped he had one less finger because of dropping a heavy
weight while working, but was still grateful because he could have lost more or even his life. (Baek
par. 1 10).
The genocide taking place in North Korea is huge and of great international concern. Christians are
specifically targeted. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is known for having many Christians.
Approximately "25–30% of Pyongyang's population was Christian." (Park par. 5). Many suddenly
disappear with no explanation as to where they go. Family, friends, and neighbors are afraid to ask
as they might suffer the same fate and be taken away to the camps or killed. The ones who were sent
to the camps due to family members being traitors were treated differently than enemies of the state.
No one was allowed to question the actions of the government or ask why they are there or they will
be tortured or starved. Many North Koreans who were sent to these camps never knew what they did
to receive such severe punishment.
A few North Koreans managed to escape and make their way to South Korea, usually

Causes Of The Korean War
Since the 1950s during and after the Korean war, North Korean people have been fleeing their
country for political, religious, economic or personal reasons. The main cause of defection is that the
social rights of North Korean people have been severely violated under the Kim family's political
dynasty. The violation includes famine, imprisonment, torture, murder and enslavement. North
Korean refugees go through the life threatening process to get a better life while going through
many obstacles.
Once World War II was over, North Korea invaded the South in 1950 after the Japanese colonized
the Korean peninsula. The appointed communist leader, Kim Il Sung, wanted to reunify Korea so he
took military force and invaded South Korea with no warning. Many people died including soldiers
and civilians, families were dispersed and cities were destroyed. North Koreans tried to escape to
the South during this time but after fighting for 3 years, both sides decided to sign an armistice and
the border caused them to be split once more. This caused millions of families to be separated and
now they can never be reunited ever again.
After the Korean war, the Kim dynasty still ruled and North Korea was destroyed especially the city
of Pyongyang. Even after the country became rebuilt and had years of growth, the economy
eventually collapsed because Kim Jong–il valued the military over the rest of the population and
famine was frequent. Because of this famine, up to a million of the North

Nothing And Envy By Barbara Demick
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick provides insight into the lives of North Korean defectors while
in North Korea. Their accounts give inside information about the North Korean regime which makes
it possible to analyze to what extent society was an egalitarian utopia. The interview reveals that
people were discriminated by social class as evident by those who were richer, and thus in a higher
social strata, having more opportunities for success. There was also economic inequity which was
apparent by people having different degrees of struggle. However, the problems North Koreans
faced was similar, which showed there was some equality from their struggles. Overall, the
interviewees give accounts which contradict the idea that the North Korean regime was promoting
egalitarianism through their accounts which give counterexamples regarding social class and
economic status, so their claim of egalitarianism is mostly false.
Jun–sang was one of the interviewed defectors and was the son of two relatively wealthy Japanese
parents, which leads to an issue of equality in terms of class. In an attempt for North Korea to be the
"true" Korea, they tried to remove any foreign influence. As a result, there was a lot of hatred
against Japanese collaborators. Japanese Koreans that were prominent in society were purged, which
perhaps meant being sent to the gulag (Demick 35). As a result, Jun–sang's family is already at a
disadvantage socially as they are forced to remain in the lower class to

In Order To Live Summary
Regime / Defect: In the very first chapter of In Order to Live, Yeonmi Park tells us about the
abandonment of North Korea by communist countries after the Cold War and how things allotted by
the North Korean government to their people diminished quite drastically. The lack of food given by
the government and the scarcity of other resources needed for survival is one reason that people
defect from North Korea. In The Girl with Seven Names, Hyeonseo Lee states that because North
Koreans are unaware that they have rights, very few people defect because they are looking for
some type of freedom, but rather because there is such a shortage of resources. Escape: In part two
of In Order to Live, Park and her mother are taken and put into the human trafficking system.
Throughout her experience, we learn that a lot of North Koreans in China are trafficked, being
bought and sold, because they are in constant fear of being captured and returned to North Korea.
We even learn about some ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I think this is a good representation of the functional functionalist theory because there are so many
different parts needed in order for North Koreans to start adapting to South Korea. After being
confirmed as North Koreans, they are sent to Hanawon Settlement Support Center, where people
like the South Korean teachers and North Korean defectors work together to try and make
adjustment for the defectors easier. After they finish, they are given a living space along with a
stipend from the government. A lot of parts of society work together to make the resettlement of
North Korean defectors as smooth as possible, such as the government, South Korean citizens, and
the North Korean defectors themselves. I believe these parts of society working together are a good
example of the functionalist

Nothing to Envy Book Review Essay
Nothing to Envy 2/15/11
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick follows the lives of six North Koreans who have experienced a
great deal of hardship and turmoil living under one of the most notorious communist regimes.
Throughout the years these North Koreans lived through the death of their great Kim Il–Sung, the
rise to power of his successor Kim Jong–Il, and the horrific famine that has left many in despair.
Although North Korea is constantly in the news globally it is surprising to realize little is known
about the country itself. Communist dictatorship has shut out the North part of the Korean peninsula
from the outside world and has ruled with an iron fist. In the years following WWII Kim Il–Sung
and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The family was considered to be part of the lower class system because Tae–woo is of South Korean
origin. After he fought in the war he was taken as a POW in what was now part of North Korea and
had to assimilate in the communist country. This meant he was sent to work in the mines and would
never be able to achieve any higher ranking. This unfortunately was also the case for anyone related
to Tae–woo, especially his children. No matter how hard they would study and work, they were to
meet the same disappointment their father had faced. "Your song–bun, as the rating was called, took
into account the backgrounds of your parents, grandparents, and even second cousins "(26). Even
ordinary citizens were subjected to invasive screening in order to rank their political trustworthiness.
Mi–ran began an innocent relationship with a young man named Jun–sang, who was a few years
older than her. Although, Jun–sang came from a good family and was in turn in a higher class, he
was intrigued by Mi–ran. They would often walk in the dark of the night, since there was rarely
electricity, they were able to do so inconspicuously. She worked hard for her education and was
even accepted into a teaching school. She grew tired of the small emaciated children she would see
everyday. Children would many times come to school without any food and would ultimately stop
coming to class. She did not like to think of reasons why they would not be in class

The Girl With Seven Names Analysis
Good Morning. Before I start my speech, I would like to raise a question. Have you heard of North
Korean defectors? If not, here I am going to introduce this new term to you. They are the people
who escape from North Korea. The author of the book that I am going to introduce, is a North
Korean defector.
The book is called The Girl With Seven Names. It describes the story of the author Hyeonseo Lee,
who escaped from North Korea at age 17.She has changed her name for several times at different
periods of her life.She used these names to mask her real identity after she escaped from North
Korea. And at last, Hyeonseo Lee is her seventh and current name.
Unlike other North Korean defectors who have mournful experience, she grew up in a good
environment. Also, she could know more about the world outside with her home on the border with
China. She witnessed repression, poverty, and starvation when she grew up,in which she finally
realized that she had been brainwashed in her entire life. Owing to her curiosity of the world, she
left home and went to China at age 17. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She met many people and experienced a lot. Once when she was finding job, she was fooled and
was brought to an unknown place. She was very scared but she could get away with her intelligence
at last. By then, she was unwilling to trust anyone and started to mask herself by changing names
from time to time.Later, she returned to the North Korean border to bring her mother and brother to
South Korea.They stepped across 6 countries that the journey was very costly and dangerous. This
part of story tells me about the dark side of humanity, like people can do anyone when they are

China 's Threat Of International Power
The overwhelming turmoil present in today's Middle East has altogether drawn American attention
away from its more developed, albeit more quiet opponents. Although the political waters of the Far
East are currently placid, the foreign policies of both China and the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea present a startling threat to the modern balance of international power. While China and the
DPRK are remarkably different, it is the possible unity between the two that could, if properly
fostered, make Asia a sphere of the globe inhospitable to the American identity. The two nations
pose very different threats to the US. China's threat is primarily an economic one. The IMF predicts
that China's GDP will overtake that of the US as soon as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
DPRK (NORTH KOREA)
North Korea's success has thus far been in its ability to lie to its people. The nation's rudimentary
military technology, although usually real, has been grossly over–exaggerated with the use of
photoshopped material ("How North Korea..."). The public unveiling of several purported "nuclear
weapons" via the North Korean News Agency, KCNA, has led to a rapid rise in national fervor for
the military (Witty). Although mostly fake, the rapid spread of such propagandized material around
North Korea has led to increased public confidence in the government, The propagandist model has
succeeded in making up for North Korea's lack in technological advancements with high
conscription rates. If America were to turn to war with the North Koreans, ground troops under Kim
Jong Un's propagandized leadership could be as reckless as those of the Japanese kamikaze that
fought almost a century ago. Although the DPRK poses a significant future threat to US security, it
has also proven illegitimacy in its committal of countless human rights violations. Last year, the
United Nations Commission of Inquiry reported multiple instances of state–sponsored murder,
torture, and enslavement. ("North Korean Defectors"). These recent human rights abuses are part of
a long–standing history of governmental disregard for human life at the North Korean gulags, or

The North Korean Government
For hundreds of years, human societies have been struggling to establish utopia. However, there
have been many conflicts between humanity and social power. Since the Renaissance, numerous
people have fought and shed blood to achieve their basic human rights. For instance, United States
of America, for last 200 years, went through many significant historical events, shaping into a nation
of reserved civil rights. Back in 1953, when North Korea became communist country, the ideals of
Communisms were appealing to many people because communism seemed to establish fair and
equal society to all people without any discrimination. However, with human nature of selfishness
and greed, North Korea transformed into tyrannical government full of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
According to United Nation's constitution, it states "All human beings are born free and equal in
dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one
another in a spirit of brotherhood" (Article I of United Nations Constitution). Are North Koreans not
human beings? In United States since the early 1800's, we also have struggled with human rights.
With the help of great historical figures, such as Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King
Jr., United States was able to realize its cruelty in racism. Eventually, the government succeeded to
offer people the desired freedom of racial, sexist, religious, and civil right discriminations. North
Korea, today, seems to be slowly opening up to the world. However, just like the past, people in
North Korea are still out crying from their hearts for the freedom in their country. We need another
Lincoln for North Korea. One of first steps to save the North Korean citizens is to give these people
hope and the information that there are people working from the outer world to save them. Since the
North Koreans lack such knowledge, the United States should focus in communicating with the
people. I believe such connection is necessary because it will give the North Korean the strength and
the purpose to endure. Efforts just made from the outside world are not enough. We need the people
in North Korea to start the revolution. One of North Korean government's greatest fears is the

Professor Myoung-Korean Jointment
After Japanese surrender in 1945 that ended WWII, the Allies agreed to temporarily divide Korea
into Republic of Korea (ROK) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with the right of
ROK occupation given to the U.S. and DPRK to the Soviet Union. The two great power had
significant political influence on the countries they occupied. In August 1948, ROK's leader
Syngman Rhee and DPRK's leader Kim Il Sung proclaimed to each have its own sole government.
DPRK invaded ROK in 1950 starting the Korean war that lasted from for 3 years. Despite U.S.'s aid
to ROK and China and Soviet Union's aid to DPRK, none of the two countries won. Korea
eventually got divided at the 38th parallel line with the armistice agreement in 1953. (Leitich, Keith
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In 2000, South Korean president Kim Dae Jung and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il met for
inter– Korean summit. (Jung, Kim Dae) "7.4 Jointment Statement" of 1972 pledged that Korea
would work for peaceful reunification. (Korean unification: a new kind of peacebuilding project:
Professor Myoung–Kyu Park is the current director of the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies
at Seoul National University) Such peaceful reunification would have to follow North Korea's
collapse and its absorption to South Korea. It is difficult to predict when North Korea would
collapse, but economic and social problems arising within North Korea provides reasons that
collapse is a possible scenario. (Bennett, Bruce W) North Korea is collapsing economically due to
crop failures. According to the U.N. Food program, North Korean food stocks are critically low and
distribution system is malfunctioning. (Leitich, Keith A) Historically, North Korea has been more
industrialized than the South. However, in the 1970s, South Korea's GDP increased and in 2011,
ROK's GDP grew up to about $31,700, while North Korea's was about $1,800. As the economy is
malfunctioning, North Koreans' strong belief of Kim family and the government is also collapsing.
Despite of North Korea's effort to prevent citizens from outside informations, people are being
exposed to the informations through North Korean defectors and smuggled South Korean dvds.
More people are willing to escape from the country as North Korean defectors to South in 2016
increased by 10.9% compared to the previous year. Moreover, as food is in short supply in N. Korea,
military is also weakening making it less likely for N. Korea to be able to start a war. (Bennett,
Bruce

Personal Narrative: I Am A North Korean Defector Hiding In...
I am a North Korean defector hiding in Jilin–Sheng of China. After fleeing from North Korea, I
once was sent back to home. Yet, now I am living secretly in a small farming village by escaping
public peace officers' observation.
It is been 12 years since I crossed Tumen River in my 20s. Now, I am in 40s. I lament my
misfortune and do not have any hope for my future. My friends may have not only their children but
also happy families, but I have no child and no family.
Still, I cannot forget the moment that I entered into China. When I first came to China, I thought that
in North Korea, I could do a business with the money that I would earn in China. However, as soon
as going across the Tumen River, I was trafficked twice and thus I was forced

Murder Of Kim Jong Nam
As happens in spy novels, a crowd of passengers stroll around Kuala Lumpur air port and a North
Korean man, Kim Jong–nam, is assassinated in mysterious situations. The finger of suspicion is
pointed promptly towards Kim Jon–un, the younger half–brother Kim Jong–nam and the North
Korea's leader. This barefaced murder has sparked fear among North Korean defectors and a
ferocious diplomatic storm. Kim Jong–nam was killed by two women, a Vietnamese and an
Indonesian, who make their way to Kuala Lumpur international airport without any plane for travel
anywhere. Footage of Fuji TV security camera shows the arrival of a North Korean man into the
airport. As the man move towards the checking counter, the two women mates smudging a lethal
substance

Analysis Of The Book ' Babara Demick '
In her book, Babara Demick follows the lives of six different North Korean defectors in South
Korea, mainly focusing on the economic downturn and famine in the 1990s. She concentrates on
their lives before, during and after their defection from North Korea. However, there is a gender
imbalance in the defectors interviewed; four out of the six defectors are women. Through this,
Demick manages to subtly portray the gender imbalance of North Korean defectors which is skewed
in favour of females. The reason to this is that 'The Gender dynamics of East Asia and in North
Korea, as well as women's smaller bodies, made women more likely to survive and defect during the
economic downturn and consequent famine.' In this report, I shall first ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Through Oak–Hee, Demick describes the Chinese marriage market which still operates today, as
80% of North Korean refugees who have become 'commodities for purchase' (Kirkpatrick). Oak–
hee's reason for leaving is similar to many of the other North Korean defectors, abusive husbands
and the thought that working in China would allow them to make enough money to send back to
their family and children (231). In the prison Oak–hee is situated in after her capture, Demick also
comments on the gender split of prisoned defectors with two women to every man (231). This is due
to North Korean women being highly prized in China, Demick refers to the one–child policy
(without stating it) and that the skewered ratio of men to women in China is 13:10 in the 1990s
(although it has become more of a pressing issue, with Kirkpatrick stating that the three closest
provinces to North Korea has a gender imbalance of fourteen to one.) Thus did the North Korean
women, willingly or not, export themselves as wives, such as Oak–hee or in the case of Dr.Kim, as a
housekeeper. This was in turn powered by the objectification and exotification of North Korean
women by the rest of East Asia. Demick makes reference to this many times, both in the case of the
Chinese marriage market

Summary Of Nothing To Envy: Six Ordinary Lives In North Korea
In 2001 journalist, Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to Envy: Six Ordinary Lives in North Korea,
moved to Seoul, South Korea as a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, where she was to report
over both North and South Korea. When she was in North Korea, Demick found it was immensely
difficult to report anything as their trip was very closely monitored. They were assigned "minders"
who would make sure that: no unauthorized conversations took place, that they visit specific
monuments, and allowed no contact with ordinary citizens. While in South Korea, Demick began
speaking with North Koreans who had defected and escaped to South Korea and China. As she
spoke with the people who had defected, Demick uncovered what lied beneath the façade ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Through this book Demick establishes her deep knowledge of North Korea all the while following
the lives of six defectors as they fought to survive. Demick shows us the struggle that these North
Koreans face as their country is consumed by an economic crisis and a famine that killed one fifth of
their population, while it also gave us a glimpse at what we never think of when we hear about this
country. The collapse of North Korea's economy caused factories to close and other jobs to be
terminated. This led the citizens of North Korea to lose their only source of income and forced to
find other means to support their families. It caused them to make sacrifices in order support their
families and essentially learn to become selfish, to turn a blind eye to the ones around who were also
suffering in order for themselves to survive. The author wrote, "Yet another gratuitous cruelty: the
killer targets the most innocent, the people who would never steal food, lie, cheat, break the law, or
betray a friend." (Demick 141). By saying this, Demick mentions a common theme that appeared
throughout each of the lives of the six defectors, which is that everyone can die. As a county that is
strictly separated by social classes, it was somewhat of a surprise that even some of the people of the
higher social class were also suffering, though not to

Escape From North Korea Summary
Form
The first thing that is noticeable is of the form of the is a Paperback form in a novel form, the
Middle of the book there are photographs with detailed captions about North Korea and the
characters about the North Korean propaganda that the characters were exposed to and what
happened after the escape. There are maps which show the path of defectors must take to get to the
safety of South Korea as you can see the map on the right defectors have to travel huge distances to
either Thailand via the underground railroad or Mongolia via the Gobi desert.
Purpose
The purpose of the text is to describe the struggle of North Korean defectors have to go through to
escape from North Korea, we know this from experience because the author Hyeonseo Lee not only
risked her life but also her family's life to escape to South Korea despite the dangers if court by
either the Chinese police or North Korean agents where they can sent back to a life of horror. The
story is told from the perspective of the author in a first–person perspective to describe her life in
North Korea from her point of view.
Audience
The biography aims to appeal to an audience who didn't know what life was like in North Korea and
how challenging it is to escape the country. We know this because the author is using her personal
experience of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
What was the ratio of the soldiers who fought?" The impact on the audience is shocked that from a
young age. North Korean child is twart that the American imperialist are evil from a young age and
it also shows though the Persuassive, opinion about the good and the bad about the outside world
and it also Explains and supports the propaganda that thevey been exposed to all their

Constrained Work In North Korea
The North Korean government keeps on requiring constrained, uncompensated work from
specialists, including even schoolchildren and college understudies, Human Rights Watch said
today. In late meetings with Human Rights Watch, North Korean defectors say they have confronted
years of work for either no wages or typical remuneration and either needed to pay fixes or confront
extreme disciplines in the event that they didn't report for work at alloted work environments.
Defectors answered to Human Rights Watch that they were required to work at an allocated working
environment in the wake of finishing school. The viable breakdown of a great part of the North
Korean economy implies that a large portion of these occupations are either unpaid or give ... Show
"The individuals who reject face being sent to constrained work camps where they must do hard
work, face physical misuse from watchmen, and are dealt with as not exactly human."Human Rights
Watch met roughly 65 defectors in South Korea and Thailand in the course of recent months. One
female North Korean defector who left North Korea in December 2009 told Human Rights Watch
that "any individual who leaves his place of employment ... is legitimately rebuffed for the reason of
being unemployed ... " and will be "taken to the constrained work camp for between three to six
months. Any individual who doesn't work is thought to be a criminal in North Korea." Another male
who got away from North Korea in March 2011 said that "... in the event that you are put some place
[to work], you must go there without inquiry" and "it is difficult to deny working on the grounds that
you didn't care for it, it's mandatory undoubtedly." Another defector told Human Rights Watch
"After I completed school, the powers constrained me to work at the administration mine however
it's far from my home.

What Is The Moral Of Escape From Camp 14
The book Escape from Camp 14, by Blaine Harden, follows the early life of Shin Dong–hyuk, the
main character, as he grows up in a North Korean labor camp, Camp 14. The Kim dynasty was in
control of North Korea during Shin's time in the labor camp, and remains in control today. The Kim
family runs a communist government and kept control by creating labor camps for those who
attempted to fight the government system. The novel goes into detail about Shin's childhood, his
young adulthood, his escape and how he had to adapt after escaping. Blaine Harden convincingly
argues that North Korean government is extremely hazardous to its inhabitants. The book highlights
the dangers that people face, having to live in the labor camps and the perils of ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The most effective source is Shin's first–hand account. His account gives a closer, more detailed
look into the life of a North Korean labor camp prisoner as well as into the life of a defector. When
looking into the life of a labor camp prisoner, Shin tells that "the four families shared a common
kitchen, which had a single bare lightbulb. Electricity ran two hours a day, from four to five in the
morning and ten to eleven at night" (15). His age varies in his account, he grew up in a labor camp
and stayed there into his early twenties. The variation in age gives the reader a broader
understanding of what people of different ages experienced in North Korea. Shin may have been
somewhat biased having suffered under the Kim family's rule. Harden could have possibly included
a first–hand account from someone with a higher level of power than Shin. The statistical research
was also efficient in supporting Harden's argument. It gave the reader an accurate count of important
data such the lack of food in North Korea, "Every year North Korea needs to produce more than five
million tons of rice and cereal grain to feed its twenty–three million people. Nearly every year it
falls short, usually by about a million tons" (22). This shows how bad the living conditions were in
North Korea. A combination of a first–hand account, history, and statistical research helps Harden to
support his argument.
Overall Blaine Harden seems to be unbiased, the book was written to spread awareness and is based
only on Shin's accounts and historical facts. Harden neither states that North Korea is good or that it
is corrupt. He uses research and facts to back up Shin's story and appears to be unbiased. This
perspective indicates that Harden is simply retelling the facts rather than siding with one perspective

Korea and Kim Jong Un
Madison Koci
Stewart Frame
GWC PS110
Due: 12/12/13
North Korea and Kim Jong Un
Kim Jong Un is the the 29–year–old ruler of North Korea, one of the most distinctive and
unpredictable countries in the world. It is a cocktail of poisonous elements: autocratic, repressive,
isolated and poor (Powell).Its regime is dangerous not only to its people but also to the rest of the
world. Its actions have had an unsettling impact on international relations in northeast Asia,
particularly its nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009 and its shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, all of
which led to tensions between China and the united States (Ahn). North Korea's present and future,
therefore, are of global concern (Powell). North Korea is "a ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Today, everyone in a position of power in North Korea is at least twice Kim Jong Un's age and
vastly more experienced (Powell). But they continue to salute him at a moments notice. Any
disrespect has meant at minimum, a sentence in North Korea's notorious gulag and at worst death.
Consider one especially brutal case: in the mid–1990s, just as the famine that would eventually kill
millions of North Koreans was taking hold, reports of grumbling and dissent in a prominent Korean
People's Army's division reached Pyongyang (Powell). Kim Jong Il, according to an intelligence
source, had the unit's officer corps––several dozen men––arrested and then made the enlisted men
watch what could potentially be their future. The arrested officers were required to lie in the middle
of a road, their hands and legs tied. Several tanks rumbled forward and ran back and forth over the
officers, crushing them to death (Powell). This combination of mercilessness, beliefs and seclusion
lead many observers of North Korea to believe that "there is no question Kim Jong Un will be
making the decisions now," says a former intelligence analyst in East Asia. He may make the
decisions, but they will be based on information filtered through those around him, men who are not
peers but elders (Powell). In addition to Jang, the inner circle includes Kang Suk Ju, the top foreign
policy adviser who famously admitted to U.S. diplomats in 2002 that

Christianity In North Korea Essay
A North Korean defector who started a prison camp church has revealed that they were taught how
"addictive and destructive" Christianity was and that Christians kill people and suck their blood to
be sold.
In a testimony provided by Open Doors to National Catholic Register, Hae Woo (not her real name)
shared how she was able to convert some of her co–prisoners to Christianity while she paid for her
crime of trying to escape North Korea. The believers inside the prison camp would gather for their
worship service at the toilets or an unmonitored corner during Sundays and Christian holidays.
The North Korean defector also revealed that they were taught to hate Christians before she became
one. They were reportedly told that religion is addictive ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Every form of religion, and especially Christianity, was like opium: addictive and destructive," Hae
Woo relayed. "I heard stories about Christians who went to hospitals, enticed people into cellars,
killed them there and sucked the blood out of their bodies so that they could sell it. The thought of it
was horrifying to me."
Hae Woo, who embraced Christianity in China during a failed defection attempt, was later able to
escape to South Korea where she can now practice her freedom of religion. She said God helped her
survive in the prison camp, and she was able to remain faithful to Him and evangelize despite the
fear of being executed if caught.
Earlier this year, Open Doors has placed North Korea at the top of the list of the greatest oppressors
of Christians worldwide. This is the 14th consecutive year that the reclusive nation topped the World
Watch List, The Christian Post notes.
Open Doors CEO David Curry explained to the Post the reason why North Korea remained number
one on the list despite the ongoing violent acts of the Islamic State against Christians. Curry said the
exact number of martyred Christians in North Korea is unknown because it is extremely difficult to
get information out of the country. He also pointed out that the nation uses the government to both
suppress and punish

Nothing To Envy Ordinary Lives In North Korea Analysis
Nothing to Envy Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick is a narrative non–fiction novel
that shows the importance of propaganda in a totalitarian regime. As the story unfolds, the six
defectors leave North Korea because of the famine. Because the country ran out of food and fuel,
they left in order to survive; it was never out of disloyalty to their country. Up until their departure,
several of the defectors were loyal believers that North Korea was the best country in the world.
North Korea still stands today and is able to indoctrinate its people because of its effective use of
propaganda.
In order to brainwash the masses, the North Korean government publicizes nationalist mottos
everywhere throughout the nation. Demick describes

The Issue Of Suicide And Suicide
The topic I chose to elaborate on as a criminal act in some countries but considered deviant or
conventional in others is the issue of suicide from the basis of attempt and assisted. While suicide is
a very enigmatic and incomprehensible subject for many, it becomes the area of focus on how
criminal it becomes to take one's life or aid in the process. How in control is someone of their life
that it becomes a tolerable decision and even supportive in some instances by medical professions.
Is it possible for someone to decide the fate of another and encourage the process, and what
undertakings encourage this decision so much so that it is an allowable practice in some cultures? I
find this topic extremely intriguing because most countries have a diverse opinion on suicide,
assisted suicide and how each considers these actions immoral, criminal or justifiable. Two radically
different perceptions of suicide to a nation I would like to focus on would be North Korea and
Switzerland. North Korea holds an average of suicide rates considerably lower than to most other
countries. This motivation is because of the substantial burden suicide puts on the surviving families
in that the government can purge or ostracize relatives due to the strict and unforgiving nature of
their social pressures. Many are reluctant to cause that sort of strain and weightiness on suffering
families that suicide is rarely an option for this country inhabits. Switzerland is a region that allows
those

North Korea Research Paper
After World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States split the Korean peninsula along the
38th parallel (38 degrees north latitude). This resulted of the official created on North Korea,
officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in 1948. Tensions continued to rise
between the two parts of the peninsula, as each side claimed to have the right to control the entire
area of land. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea under the leadership of Kim Il Sung, thus
beginning the Korean War. The war resulted in over 2.5 million deaths. Ever since an armistice
agreement was signed in 1953, North Korea has been blocked from the rest of the world. After the
armistice agreement was signed, Kim Il Sung shaped North Korea to his ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
First of all, other countries must work with the Koreas in order to make sure the meetings continue
and run smoothly. Without meetings, no progress can be made. This measure is already in the works
for being implemented: "Both Kim and Moon will seek meetings with the United States and
possibly China – both of them parties to the ceasefire – 'with a view to declaring an end to the War
and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime'" (Smith). China and the United States had
involvement in the Korean War, which makes them the countries best suited to hold meetings with
Korean leaders. They are aware of just how severe the problem is, and with that knowledge,
representatives from each respective country will be able to meet peacefully and successfully. The
occurrence of these meetings is likely – a liaison office, where future discussions will be held, is in
the process of being set up. Furthermore, families who were separated by the peninsula's division
will be reunited. (Smith). Increased contact with people from across the border will enable North
Koreans to reconnect with lost family members and discover more about the true, unaltered story of
their country. As this is part of the overall plan of the peninsula's reunification, frequent meetings
with the United States and China will assist in moving this initiative forward. The second aspect

Analysis Of George Orwell 's ' 1984 '
The Korean peninsula has a unique political situation of being one of the few divided countries on
the globe. As a person growing up in the southern part of the peninsula, I had heard of North Korea
more than anyone can possibly imagine–I can't think of a single day when the TV news did not
mention the tension building up between North and South Korea. And among the barrage of
information about the North was how dreadful the living conditions of the North Koreans were. It
was a routine part of education, where I was taught that the North Korean government is a group of
people which does not care about the well–being of its citizens and that I am lucky to be living in
South Korea.
Before I understood the reality of the North Korea, when I was a young and immature kid who read
George Orwell's "1984", I thought that, while some of the news about the North could be true, there
must be some sort of exaggeration just to reinforce the negative feelings toward North Korea.
Especially when it comes to news about people's quality of life, I would brush the news aside,
thinking to myself that not all of the news stories could possibly be true.
But there were no exaggeration to it. The shocking revelation came to me when I worked at the
Korean Institute of Tuberculosis during the summer of 2012. My main job as a summer intern was
to translate an English version of Directly Observed Treatment guideline for tuberculosis from the
British Columbia Center of Disease Control into Korean.

The Role Of North Korean Refugees In North Korea
Agreed, it's only the ability to read and write. Thus, other factors don't correlate with, such as the
educational system in a country. This is because you don't have to be educated in a school setting to
learn how to read and write, let alone being self–educated.
Something that I didn't mention was that I used sarcasm when writing this answer (including the
picture), to show that the literacy rate is something that is an easy variable to record, when analyzing
the indicator of the school system's potential performance. It ends with enough said, to show that the
fact is true, regardless of what stance is taken, thus there can be no inconsistency with what has been
presented.
Continuing along, there was another person who posted something true, which is that the people
who are posting answers (to this question), don't know what is going on over in North Korea, and
only use the justification of media outlets outside of North Korea, to support their claims. This also
applies to South Korea, as some of their reports come from other Asian countries, such as, China,
who scouts North Korea on a micro level. This is wrong not only logistically, but empirically so as
well. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
South Korea doesn't have records on their scholastic benchmark, thus placing them at lower levels,
to kids younger than them. Yet, they can't catch up to their peers academically. It then mentions the
collapse of the North Korean educational system, which can be an effect of their low performance,
for which they were given substandard

North Korean Prisons
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, has always had a history
of imprisoning people that disagree with the governments policies, or for "disrespecting" the
countries leaders, but these prisons are not just any prisons, they are prison camps, which function
similarly to Nazi Concentration Camps.
In the Prison Camps prisoners are subject to many tortures, such as getting your fingers chopped off,
rape, forced abortions, and prisoners are forced to watch executions of their friends and family (The
Independent). If a prisoner is thought to be a threat or know information they are tortured, the
tortures they face are starvation, burnings, and getting their hands hanged from the roof with rope
(Escape from Camp 14). ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
First they have to escape the camp, and then if they successfully escape the camp they typically have
to walk all the way to the Chinese border. North Koreans cannot simply just walk to South Korea
because the boarder is so fortified it is nearly impossible to defect. This only leaves one option,
China. The Chinese boarder is very porous and can be crossed very easily, assuming it is not the
winter time. In the winter the defectors/escapees would have to swim through a freezing cold river
were they face hypothermia. If they can make it across the Chinese boarder then they have to make
it to an embassy of a country that will accept them. If they are caught in China however, China will
send them back to North Korea were the defector will likely be killed, but if they make it to a
country that will accept them, there are many organizations that are willing to help defectors resettle
and get use to the free world (Escape from Camp 14).
Kim Jong Un, the current leader of North Korea is cracking down of defectors though. Even if you
are suspected to be planning an escape, you could find your way into a prison camp. Not only has he
been doing that he has also been tightening control of the Chinese border. Kim Jong Un has put a lot
more guards on the

Dr. Lee 's President Park
Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Hong Yong–Pyo received his B.A. and J.D. from Yonsei
University, and a Ph.D. in international relations from Oxford University. He has been serving as a
Blue House secretary for unification issues since his nomination by President Park Geun–hye as the
unification minister on February 17, 2015.
Minister Hong was also a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification for four years
and served as the head of the Institute of Unification Policy in Hanyang University. Before stepping
into politics, he also worked as a professor of political science and diplomacy at Hanyang
University.
Dr. Hong first entered politics when he joined Park's transition committee in late 2012. With the
launch of the new administration in 2013, President Park tapped Hong as her presidential secretary
for unification. Dr. Hong was an assistant to President Park for two years during which time he was
well known for having played a key role in crafting President Park's policies on unification affairs.
Minister Hong was initially nominated after President Park carried out a partial reshuffle of the
Cabinet on February 17, nominating three new ministers for unification, maritime, transport and
financial regulation. All the nominees were required to undergo confirmation hearings at the
National Assembly, however, only the prime minister had veto power. Having previously worked
with President Park on the inter–Korean issues since 2010, he is expected

Refugees In North Korea
The situation for the people of North Korea is growing more desperate every day due to the
conditions the government has put on it's people. From famine to imprisonment and concentration
camps there is unmistakeable misery. North Korea needs to have intervention from other countries
to assist their people with human rights reform. Also South Korea has challenged North Korea to
prove it does not violate human rights of its citizens. "For starters, there's a resurgent famine driven
by gross government mismanagement that threatens millions of lives, hundreds of thousands of
political prisoners languish in concentration camps, and an estimated half–million refugees remain
in hiding from forced repatriation that often results in torture and execution" (Hong). In this quote
Hong explains that these people needed help because they feel threatened, so they are scared for
what will happen next. Hong's opinion that, North Korea ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
"North Koreans seeking asylum in countries that do not repatriate refugees are put in severely
overcrowded detention centers, sometimes for well over a year, before being issued exit visas,"
(US). This quote shows the mistreatment of North Korean refugees by other countries. China itself
is guilty of human rights abuses because of its stance of forcing refugees to return to North Korea
where they face death or imprisonment. "Human rights groups report that the refugees were sent by
train to the northern Chinese city of Shenyang last week and then transferred to Tumen, on the
Chinese side of the border with North Korea. There is a large detention facility in Tumen where
North Koreans are held before being repatriated."(Fifield). This quote from the article is stating that
China is guilty of being an accomplice to North Korea regarding basic human

Songbun System In North Korea
Many of us have seen the infamous satellite picture of nighttime in North Korea by now. From the
satellite's view, when nightfall hits Asia looks ablaze with lights from various metropolitan areas
across the continent. But there is a major exception to this. The state of North Korea appears to be a
giant black spot on the continent from which almost no light can be seen in the photograph. My first
reaction to this photo was one of shock. Shock at the appearance of a total lack of development
within the country, shock that in the 21st century a country that is pursuing a nuclear program can be
so underdeveloped in infrastructure that it cannot sufficiently light it's own cities. After this initial
reaction, I had another thought. I began to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Most aspects of the lives of all North Korean citizens are dictated by the authoritarian regime in
command. A harsh social hierarchy system dictates where you can live, work, and go to school, as
well as decide your food supply, and access to medical care. In North Korea freedom of speech and
political dissent are punished. If you dare speak out against the regime you may find yourself in
forced labor camps, re–education camps, or even dead. It is a startling picture when contrasted with
the personal freedoms we as American are so privileged to experience on a daily

Disadvantages Of A Functionalist Approach
A functionalist approach suggests a bottom–up method to gradual structural integration emphasizing
economic, social and technological factors to potentially bring about political change. This process
would consist of encouraging cultural exchanges and gradually increasing the amount of contact
between the two nations. Although we have seen this method succeed in reuniting East and West
Germany, it is not likely that Korea would experience end similarly.
Sadly, the Korean peninsula faces obstacles not experienced by the Germans that inevitably would
stand in the way of the success of this method. One of the most important impediments is that South
Korea's democracy is still relatively weak which creates a considerable risk for monopolization in
the event of reunification. The absence of a fortified government that is independent from the elitist
bourgeoisie can lead to uncontrolled abuses of wealth and power. The lack of preventative measures
coupled with South Korea's expedient growth and modernization has resulted in their government
becoming permeated with affluent bourgeoisie. Even West Germany, which had a stronger
democratic state capacity in 1989 than South Korea currently has, could not control the reckless
privatization of firms and monopolism by the West ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This liberal perspective implies that an increase in exchange and communication between the
nations to deal with technical, not political issues fosters interdependency and collaboration.
(Mitrany, 1966). Theoretically, this interaction is supposed to result in a spillover effect into political
dialogue between the north and south eventually leading to reconciliation. Alas, critics of this
perspective will quickly point out that previous cooperative gestures made by South Korea have
only resulted in hostile acts by North Korea. (Kim,

North Korea Threats
North Korea Defector Says Information More Dangerous than US Threats
In the article North Korea Defector says Information More Dangerous than US Threats, Zachary
Cohen, an experienced writer for CNN, suggests that North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un is
preparing himself for a nuclear was that only he is going to start and persuading people that Un is
not prepared to rule North Korea. He develops this claim by first telling who he is interviewing and
why this man is important. He tells the reader that this man escaped North Korea with his family
while they were on a business trip. He then continues to explain that because Thae Yong–Ho was
high up in the secluded countries government, he knows what is happening and what Kim Jong
plans to allow to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He feels that his power and his people's feeble mindedness may be in danger of change. Cohen's
purpose is to allow the people wondering where the future lies, to have a glimpse into North Korea.
Giving people information about what is happening on the inside of the secluded country gives
everyone a chance to see what may happen in the future. He establishes a very straight forward tone
while describing the situation to the people of America. Zachary Cohen utilizes repetition
throughout his article, for example, "As long as Kim Jong Un is in power, ....consolidated power by
sheltering the North Korean....maintain his unquestioned grip on power ..." The effect of the
repetitiveness of power is that the condition of North Korea is shown. Throughout the article, it is
proven that North Korea is a power hungry, demanding, unstable country. Cohen tells in his article
that one of the many reasons Kim Jong Un is so obsessed with power is because he feels that he is in
danger of losing his power. If the people that he has brainwashed gain the knowledge of what he is
doing is to them, he runs a very high risk of being overthrown. In addition, the author continuously
puts digression into his article. Cohen is

Human Rights Violations : North Korea Essay
It is widely acknowledged that North Korea would be the most isolated country on this planet.
Obviously, the word "isolated " reveals a serious of problems in North Korea which has led to
various human rights violations. Recently, some of the mysterious situations in North Korea became
evident and now outsiders can have a peek into the reality of this situation. Such evidence includes
censorship and limitation of movement,unreasonable punishments and laws,and disoriented
development. Follow the step of time,People in North Korea keep suffering unstoppably from the
isolation of this country.The isolation raised by the government harmfully impacts civilians' lives in
many aspects such as undeveloped life quality, lacking of freedom which represents through
limitation of normal movements.To be more specific, there are a large amount of people in North
Korea annually considering to escape from this country to the South Korea and even China.Why do
they choose the method of escaping?The reason is that they cannot take the plane or train to the
other countries because of the harsh laws. The method they always choose to escape really shocks
me because they have to endure extremely cold water by swimming across the river between the
borders of both countries. In fact,once their behaviors of escaping have been seen by the soldier,
they have to sustain the most strict and terrible punishments. The worst of all is the result that the
escaper may be secretly executed and then the

North Korean Defectors Research Paper
Proposal 1). This proposal will retain to the issue of the korean defectors. North korean defectors are
north koreans that are not blinded to the real world of north korea, and see the visible hate and cruel
country that they live in, for example, the north korean dictator Kim Jong Il states that "No
unauthorized north korean can leave the country", there is no vacations on another country, and
there is no real freedom at all. Many of the north koreans today are blinded and are said to be
brainwashed which is a very good word to explain the people of north korea. I believe that a good
solution would be to aid and welcome the defectors that escape North korea and welcome them here
in America. When I mean aid, I could appoint myself to the fact that, many North korean defectors
don't just escape happy. A majority of North korean defectors may escape North korea but ... Show
We could relieve and council the thoughts and issues they may be facing, to open their mind hoping
for them to finally live in peace and have the freedom they deserve. (benefits) 1). North koreans
would not have to work so hard trying to come to america, facing very serious consequences of
caught trying to leave north korea, and have a more safe route to their freedom. 2). America could
get the pat on the back for being the only country helping north korea and the innocent people who
wish for there freedom. 3). If we get really serious about helping the people of north korea we could
cause a stir of truth so that people who are blinded could change their minds and for the benefit of
their people and families, make the choice to live better lives. (Obstacles) 1). Some obstacles that
we may face with this solution is to anger people that do not agree of harboring people from other
countries and taking in there

The Exploration on Traumatic Experiences of North Korean...
North Korea is one of the few countries that maintain communist system in the world. After Kim Il–
Sung died in 1994, who was a dictator for nearly 50 years, the North Korean government has lost its
power on the people. Since then, communist system has collapsed and economic crisis has been
aggravated. Also the food crisis in 1990s caused famine across the country. For these reasons, a lot
of North Korean people have tried to escape from their home country or hide themselves in China.
The number of North Korean defectors has been greatly increasing; those who settled in South
Korea were estimated more than 15,000 in 2008; those who arrived in China reached over 100,000
(Goodfriends, 2000; Korean Ministry of Unification, 2008). However, it ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
They are differentiated from immigrant populations who move to other countries voluntarily. For
this reason, refugees often experience higher level of stress and difficulties in new societies than
other migrant populations (Schweitzer, Melville, Steel, & Lacherez, 2006). Thus, mental health of
refugees, which has been influenced by past experiences, is important for successful adaptation and
settlement (Jeon et al., 2005; Cardozo, Vergara, Agani, & Gotway, 2000).
Silove (1999) documented mental health problems of refugees, including high levels of
posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression and lesser extent of other mental health issues such as
psychosomatic disorders and grief–related disorders. In a study on mental health of resettled
Sudanese refugees, Schweitzer et al. (2006) indicated that 25% of refugee participants reported high
levels of psychological distress. Similarly, Carswell, Blackburn, & Barker (2009) reported that post–
migration difficulties were significantly related to PTSD and emotional distress among refugees and
asylum–seekers.
North Korean Defectors' Mental Health related to Familial and Cultural Issues
North Korean defectors who entered South Korea live in 'Hanawon' at first, a government–organized
educational facility for helping North Korean defectors settle in South Korea (Jeon et al., 2009).
They are provided education for social adaptation for

Escape From Camp 14 Analysis
To put it bluntly, writing an entire non–fiction novel about North Korea is no simple task, especially
since the country has been secluded from the world since it was founded in 1948. However, Blaine
Harden managed to do a more than excellent job with his book, Escape from Camp 14: One Man's
Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West, about Shin Dong–hyuk, the only
person who has ever managed to escape the enigmatic North Korean labor camps. The camps have
been compared to Hitler's World War II concentration camps, and they were created by the first
dictator of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, in order to punish "enemies" of the country, their kids, and
even their grandkids. The Korean peninsula separated in 1945, when the country ... Show more
Even though North Koreans deny the existence of any labor camps in their countries, Dong–hyuk
and other defectors can easily identify the camps from satellite pictures. Defectors include former
prisoners, former citizens, and former guards. One defector, Ahn Myong–chol, a former prison
guard at Camp 22 in North Korea who defected in 2003, identified in countless interviews where he
had worked: "Ahn was able to locate and identify buildings at the penal–labor colony where he had
been guard" (Hawk). Just like Myong–chol, Dong–hyuk can identify the prominent electric fence
line that goes around the camp, and the mines where he spent days collecting coal. Other defectors
can identify barracks, headquarters, guard stations, and factories. Furthermore, Dong–hyuk's many
injuries almost perfectly match up with his stories about being tortured. Dong–hyuk's height only
reaches to about five feet and five inches, a whole lot shorter than most men around the world,
because his growth was stunted as a child, like many other North Koreans, from not being fed
properly in the camps. Moreover, as a young adult, Dong–hyuk worked everyday in a textile factor
where workers were severely punished by guards when they made mistakes, even if the mistake was
minor. According to an interview with Harden, one day, "When he was working in the sewing
machine factory shortly before his escape, he dropped a sewing machine. And in punishment, part of
one of his fingers was chopped off. And sure enough that finger is missing" (Harden, "Blaine"). The
fact that Dong–hyuk's finger is missing presents as evidence that his story is true, and that the way
that the guards treat their prisoners in the camps is far from

North Korean Refugees Research Paper
North Korean refugees: Fear and Fleeing
Since their independence from Japan in 1945, there has been great strife between the communist
Koreans and the democratic Koreans. After the two sides went to war, aided by Russia and the
U.S.A respectively, they split the nation along the 38th parallel. Since the 1950's the southern,
democratic, state has flourished into one of the most highly developed nations in Asia. The
communist, northern, Koreans have been under the microscope of the American people. Kim Il–
Sung, the people's popular leader of the communist party, allied himself with powerful communist
nations: The USSR and China, primarily. The northern state has diminished into a militarized
dictatorship. This militant nation has subjected ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
North Korea borders only two countries: South Korea and China. China, to the North, presents the
easiest and most common route used by refugees to escape The Northern state. Refugees resort to
bribing the guards stationed along the border. While it was beyond most family's means, it was
reported in The Guardian that, "In 2008, $50 would be enough to bribe a guard. These days between
$3,000 and $6,000 is the standard border–crossing fee." (Lankov 1) China presents many new
opportunities to the refugees: entertainment, job opportunities, and freedoms that were previously
unknown to the

Nothing From The Korean War On North Korea
Book Review
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary lives in North Korea The novel,Nothing to Envy: Ordinary lives in North
Korea, tells the stories of six North Korean citizens from Chongjin, third largest city in Democratic
People 's Republic of Korea. After the Korean War in the 60th, the aid from Communist China and
Soviet Union caused industrial growth in North Korea. During this time the daughter of a South
Korean Prisoner of War described the hardships she faces as a citizen with tainted blood. The gap in
social status leaves a couple to hide their relationship in the dark. Plus, a true believer: the mother of
four, factory worker and respected citizen woke up every day to clean the portraits of Kim–Il Sung
while battling her insurgent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The number of students decreases each day and the whole county improvises to discover new food
sources. The medicine is unavailable and doctors are left to cure with cheap natural herbs. Hungry
orphans or as they more often called the "wandering swallows" wonder the streets begging or
stealing food. During the following decade citizens lost their loved ones, salary and jobs.
The announcement of Kim–Il Sung's death in 1994 put the whole country at grief. Everyone in the
country gathered by the statues of Kim–Il Sung to pay their respects. It was this ceremony at which
many citizens realized the faults of the leader and soon after began noticing the issues of the regime
and leadership. As an act of rebellion, people would watch forbidden Korean shows and read
Western novels. Soon, many experiences a shift in how they viewed the outside world and North
Korea. However many believers grieved the death of Kim–Il Sung as much as the death of their
relatives. Most North Koreans couldn't believe that the invincible, God like leader has died. More
extreme nationalists willingly starved to death becuase living without the leader was unthinkable.
After the grieving period passed, Kim–Jong Il was in power and the famine in North Korea only
worsened. Citizens first shocked at the sight of death soon learned to ignore the dead, limbless
bodies around them. North Koreans had a couple routes of

At The Age Of 7, I Witnessed My First Public Execution.
At the age of 7, I witnessed my first public execution. Around the age of 10, I had to suffer through
the severe famine that hit North Korea. At the age of 15, I noticed the excessive amount of people
that were suffering and dying on the streets of my home country. At the age of 17, I began a perilous
journey to escape the harsh conditions of North Korea. 안녕하세요 여러분 나의 이름은 이현서
입니다. Hello, everyone, my name is Hyeonseo Lee. I am a North Korean Defector and Human
Rights Campaigner. I am fighting for the freedom of the North Korean citizens. Many of the people
in North Korea are suffering and I was one of those people. The people in my home country have to
suffer from the harsh conditions of the government. The government would also kill ... Show more
If they don't have money then they won't have anything to eat and they would die on the streets, no
one noticing or caring about them. Also if you are a North Korean refugee, when being found by an
officer you would pay a fine and bribe to survive outside of North Korea or be brought back to your
home and be publicly executed. Public execution and death were a normal sight in North Korea. The
first public execution that I saw was when I was seven. The people who were publicly executed are
sometimes the people that tried to escape North Korea or went against the government. They would
also die because of the lack of resources. Many people don't have food and the resources they need
to live because they may not have enough money. When a famine struck in the mid–1990, there
were many people without food so they died starving and weak on the floor or they tried to survive
by eating grass, tree bark, or bugs. The famine kills about one million people. One day in the year
1995, during the famine, my mom's coworker's sister sent a letter. The letter states, ""When you read
this, our five family members will not exist in this world because we haven 't eaten for the past three
weeks. We are lying on the floor together, and our bodies are so weak, we are waiting to die." This
showed me that the people in my hometown were suffering. I escaped in the year 1997, at the age of
17. I crossed the frozen Yalu River hoping that I wouldn't fall into the frigid waters. Escaping

Religion In North Korea
Although North Korea is known for being a place where Christians are persecuted, the underground
believers' faith is strong and they are surprisingly praying for American Christians
In an interview with Hope 103.2, Voice of Martyrs Korea head Dr. Eric Foley depicted a different
picture of North Korea. Christians in the reclusive state are seen as terrorists and are executed or
forced into concentration camps, but the local believers are very creative in sharing the Gospel to
others.
Foley, who works to change how the West sees North Korean believers, said Americans would be
surprised to learn that the believers in the Asian country are praying faithfully for them.
"You pray for us? We pray for you! That's the problem with you American Christians and South
Korean Christians!" one defector told Dr. Foley. "You have so much, you put your faith in your
money and in your freedom. In North Korea we have neither money nor freedom, but we have ...
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Foley explained that North Korean believers do not pray to have the same freedom that Americans
have because they focus more on praying to be able to mirror Christ in their life. Instead of pitying
the Christians in North Korea, Foley urged believers to join them in prayer.
Open Doors USA has ranked North Korea as the top country where Christians are persecuted most.
This is the 14th consecutive year that the reclusive state has clinched the number one spot in the said
list.
Despite the 70 years of Christian persecution in North Korea, God has not stopped working in the
country. In fact, the North Korean regime has allowed 70 Christian foreign organizations to work
there since 1995, The Gospel Herald notes.
According to a report from the Lausanne Global Analysis, the activities of the Christian
organizations in North Korea have allowed a large part of its population to be exposed to
Christianity. The report also explains that the government tolerates these groups because of the
benefits they give and because of their

North Korea's Secretive Regime and Its Impact on Citizens

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