North Korea is one of the most controversial countries on Earth, with images of grey and black, censorship and dictatorship colouring opinions of the general public. It is a state that is notorious for being ready for war, one hand hovering over the missile board switch, at any sign of altercation.
The nation is often juxtaposed to its vibrant counterpart, South Korea, the home of vibrancy and joviality, the hub of K-Pop, and the ever-popular K-Drama romances that have infiltrated the Western world and are hailed as wonderful, well-rounded television shows that are charming.
Life in North Korea is mysterious for the rest of the world, as it holds a dangling nuclear sword over the US and the countries that are its allies.
Some Figures, Stats and a Trip Down the Memory Lane:
The country has a population of nearly 25 million people and is located on the North of the Korean Peninsula. Founded in 1948, after World War Two, the formal name of this country is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
It is commonly understood that North Korea is a communist state that is extremely secretive, preferring to operate in isolation from the rest of the world. However, in recent years, the country has made its mark, as Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea and his aggressive nuclear policies pose a threat to World Peace.
Formerly, the Korean Peninsula had been annexed by Japan in 1910. The Peninsula existed under a colonial rule, modernising and experiencing industrial growth, but as is the case with colonialist regimes, the Koreans were subject to harsh treatment under their colonial masters.
In World War 2, many Koreans were sent by the Japanese to the forefronts of the war or were forced to work in wartime factories. Korean women were also sexually exploited as they were forced into roles of ‘comfort women’ providing sexual and physical comfort to Japanese soldiers.
Japan faced defeat in 1945, and the Peninsula was divided by the US and Russia into two zones of influence in accordance with the 38th parallel. In 1948, South Korea was established, a country that was pro the US. The Soviets, on the other hand, chose Kim II Sung to be the Premier of the DPRK.
The Premiers of either Koreas went to war over ownership of the Korean Peninsula. In 1950, supported by the Soviet Union, North Korea invaded South Korea. This was the starting point of the civil war, which came to an impasse.
Following the Korean War, North Korea’s isolationist strategies came into full force. Kim Il Sung began to preach a nationalist ideology of ‘Juche’ which means self-reliance. The state retreated into itself, assuming tight control over the economy, asserting ownership over all privately-owned property and collectivising agricultural land.
The state also assumed a firm hand over media as well as the flow of personnel in and out of the country. The censorship of media and restrictions on travel strengthened the obscurity of the country, concealing its political, economic, and military operations.
The calculated investment in steel production and mining allowed North Korea to gain an edge over its Southern counterpart, and with the support of the Soviet Union, the country’s military galvanised and grew by epic proportions.
Following the dissolution of the Eastern bloc and the Soviet Union, North Korea suffered a huge blow to its economy and had only China as its political ally. The country also suffered a loss in terms of its ruler, as Kim Sung II died of a heart attack and was succeeded by Kim Jong II, his son.
Kim Jong II advocated the ideology of ‘Songun Chong’chi,’ which laid heavy emphasis on the military, stipulating that it must come first. The army was established as the leader, playing the role of an economic and political force simultaneously.
This also exacerbated social differences amongst the citizens of North Korea, as the social arrangements grew more polarised, deepening inequalities between the elite and the military classes and the ordinary citizens of the country.
The country was deep in the trenches of misery over the 1990s, as they suffered economic, social, and agricultural disasters. Famine and flooding struck, killing millions of people. It was even speculated that the Kim Regime had come to an end.
However, the sunshine policy of South Korea proved to North Korea’s saving grace, as they were given unwavering support from their neighbour. During the same time period, US and North Korean relations were improving, going so far as North Korean hosting Madeleine Albright, the U.S Secretary of State in 2000.
However, North Korea’s affinity for nuclear power and its consistent efforts to become one soured the relationship between the two neighbours. While Kim Jong II had promised to abide by the tenets of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1995, contradictory reports about covert nuclear facilities and secretive research into uranium broke the surface.
Soon, North Korea withdrew from the treaty, and resumed its activities openly, continuing research at the facility in Yongbyon. The first nuclear test followed soon after.
Kim Jong Un – The Current Master:
In December 2011, Kim Jong Un stepped into power after the death of his father. Today, he is known as one of the world’s most ruthless and feared dictators. One of the first steps he took as the new leader was to consolidate his power – via the execution of his own relatives.
In 2013, on December 12, his uncle Jang Sung was executed by a firing squad on the charges of attempting to take control of North Korea via a military coup. The first year of his rule was tenuous, but he has asserted control since isolating the country further.
The consolidation of his power and solidity of his regime is based on a confluence of factors. According to a policy brief titled ‘Keeping Kim: How North Korean’s Regime Stays in Power’ written by Daniel Byman and Jennifer Lind, Kim Jong Un used multiple tools like social engineering which is “creating a country where the very building blocks of opposition are lacking. North Korea has no merchant or land-owning class, independent unions, or clergy. Intellectuals are regime-loyal bureaucrats, not dissidents, and strict restrictions on the activities of students have cowed them into submission’ and creating a ‘Juche’ – that is, an ideology which is pushed by Supreme Leader – and promoting it all levels.
The regime also uses force liberally, cracking down using intelligence provided by informants and spies that work for different surveillance agencies. It uses negative sanctions and tools of indoctrination to deal with people that commit offenses.
Those that commit smaller crimes undergo a process of ‘re-education,’ and those that have been charged with bigger crimes are either executed immediately or deported to political prisons. Moreover, there is a ‘three generations’ policy in place, which implies that the punishment will be meted out not only to the transgressor but his or her family as well.
In addition to negative sanctions, Kim Jong Un uses positive reinforcement to co-opt the military and political elites. These classes are granted privileges and benefits, such as better food, larger quantity, and jobs up the hierarchy. Moreover, the class receives protection during times of national disasters; thus, these groups extend unwavering support to Kim Jong Un.
Life in North Korea – Norms, Values, Culture, and Patterns:
One of the primary tenets of life in North Korea is indoctrination. Education and socialisation, primary and secondary, are used to internalise ‘Juche’ and inculcate the belief in the citizens that their leaders are ‘all-powerful Gods.’ This belief manifests itself across the age spectrum.
The population of North Korea lives under a stringent communist rule, which impedes and infringes on all facets of human life. The values of the dictatorship are manifest in all walks of life, and the institutions that they are comprised of.
Mobility for its citizens is limited, as special permission is needed to move in and out of the country. It is extremely difficult for visitors to get permission to visit the country. This heavily supports the isolationist strategy of North Korea, as it is able to minimise the flow of information and influence in and out of the country.
In addition, the regime exercises tight control over the media in the country. All televisions and radios are tuned into state channels, and any individual caught venturing listening to broadcasts from beyond the borders may be subject to extremely harsh punishments.
Lifestyle and living conditions in the regime are extremely stringent. The majority of the population is poor, and live in abject conditions, lacking basic amenities like washing machines and fridges – items that are thought to be essentials and are taken for granted in today’s modern world.
Also, there is a lack of food to cater to the population. North Korea largely relies on aid agencies like the United Nations to provide food as there are inadequate supplies. North Koreans that complain to the government, or demand their basic fundamental rights are silenced by being subjected to harsh and brutal punishments.
