As of late, North Korea has been the butt end of jokes, Internet memes, and heavy criticisms from most of the free world—and for a good reason. With the passing of former North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il in 2011, all the world watched with uncertainty as his successor and youngest son, Kim Jong-un, took over, and tensions went from bad to worse. Fast forward two years to 2013, and North Korea continues to boast a 7 on the Freedom House “Freedom in the World” index, with 1 being the best, and 7 being the worst: a spot that they have held consistently since the “Freedom in the World” index began in 1998. It is easy to justify why North Korea is an authoritarian regime. First, the ...
The regime’s greatest flaw is, perhaps, human nature. For as many South Korea’s earnestly support cooperation and global denuclearization, there will be other nation-states unwilling to give up their ‘right to deterrence.’ Rightly or wrongly, South Korea’s own policy-structure demonstrates a dependency on a liberal school of thought, guiding them to other means of prestige, but their neighbors in the global sphere are not so willing to place faith outside of sheer military superiority.
Leaders throughout history are usually looked up to, however, there are few that will always be remembered in a negative way. Two leaders in history that may be questionable whether they were actual leaders, were both responsible for blindly leading people: Adolf Hitler and Kim Jong Un. Hitler was once known as a great leader, who managed to convince not only a whole political party, but many individuals throughout Europe to oppress, mass murder and commit a genocide against a race, which lead to about six million Jews to perish (Biography.com). While in today’s time, Kim Jong Un, the current dictator of North Korea, is leading his country into a peculiar situation, due to the fact that there are many opinions on North Korea in current event (CNN). These controversial individuals have many similar and opposing characteristics that will be discussed throughout this paper.
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, both “suryongs”—the leaders, mainly utilized terror to maintain their sovereignty in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Kim Il Sung was a communist dictator of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from 1948 to 1994. He was born on April 15th, 1912 near Pyongyang and received military and political training Soviet Union. Kim Il Sung also formed the provisional government in North Korea after Japanese’s surrender in World War II, through which he obtained authority in his political party—Korean Workers’ Party—and eventually became “The Great Leader”. (Higgins, Kim Il-Sung) Kim Il Sung also invented “Cult of Personality”, which was an organized effort to persuade North Koreans to worship him and to accept his policies without question. (Peterson and Margulies, North Korea, 1945-2009) Kim Jong Il, succeeding his father, Kim Il Sung, was a communist dictator of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from 1994 to 2011. He was born in an anti-Japanese guerilla base in Mt. Baekdoo and involved himself in minor political affairs in North Korea to prepare himself as the impending absolute ruler of North Korea. (Joo, Kim Jong Il’s Birth and Growth) The younger Kim also continued his father’s “Cult of Personality”, thus announced himself as the “Dear Leader” of North Korea. As both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il believed in the ideas of Juche—self-reliance, the North Korean citizens’ standard of living gradually worsened during his reign. (Frederikson, Kim Jong Il) After 17 years of absolute ruling, Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack in 2011. Throughout their rule, both Kims mainly used two different types of terror: Terror of own citizens and terror of foreigners. Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il followed terrorizing...
South Korea first came into existence in 1953, following an armistice that split the Korean peninsula at a demilitarized zone. From 1961 to 1979, the new country saw fast economic growth, and held its first Presidential election in 1987 (The World Factbook, 2013). Since then, the country has become a functioning and successful democracy, still somewhat plagued by Northern counterpart with various attacks on ships and islands, as well as alleged nuclear testing in 2012 and 2013. While most of South Korea’s identity does rest with the hostility with North Korea, their economic and military presence has flourished in the last four decades. (The World Factbook, 2013). Hyebin Joo, a student at the University of North Alabama, is originally from South Korea, and has come to the United States to study abroad. In her interview, Hyebin explains South Korea’s economic status from a personal standpoint, and goes in depth on the perception of “freedom” in her home country, as well as media access when compared to information here in the United States. This essay will seek to report, explain, and analyze Hyebin’s thoughts on her own country, as well as express her thoughts on the United States.
Can we really agree with North Koreas current supreme commander Kim Jong-un in saying that their people are liberated from exploitation and oppression? Let’s first agree to disagree with powers controlling North Korea in calling their government Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Furthermore, to examine this country as a true democratic republic rather than communist Korean Workers' Party can put a bitter taste in any American’s mouth. Hence, the general citizens have no say in any aspect of their country, which contradicts the meaning of democracy in America’s ideology of a constitutional democracy and its Greek root meaning of democracy “rule of the people” and not North Koreas leading party’s interpretation, which is the rule over the people. North Korea is rated second to last in the world for exploiting and oppressing its own citizens, according to the World Press Freedom Index. In 2009, Kim Jong-il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, which is the highest office of the State, declared North Korea and China’s relationship as “unbreakable.” Since 2006, China has economically supported North Korea’s stability, yet China implemented United Nation sanctions against North Korea. Looking at North Koreas government system and how it is sponsored, this is why we should not back China’s economy through our trading arrangement in turn supports this tyranny and injustice that occurs in North Korea, that conflicts with our own God-given rights.
I choose to attend the “Liberty In North Korea” presentation hosted by Dr. Sinjae Hyun and the Korean student Association at Mercer. The Presentation was Wednesday, November 11 and the delivered by a spokes person of the Liberty in North Korea Organization . Before the presentation I had a general sense about the living condition in North Korea. I knew that the country was under dictatorial rule by Kim Jong-un and had been under dictatorial rule for about 3 generation. His ruling represses the Korean people, but I did not know the full extent of his repression. The Presentation was very informative describing the abuse the Korean people are going through as well as their attempts of escaping the abuse. I learned that the country is home
North Korea has long held one of the worst records of human rights abuses in all the world. Former President George W. Bush famously referred to North Korea as part of the “axis of evil” while former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named it an “outpost of tyranny.” Even with investigations carried out by independent journalists and various non-governmental organizations, we know little of the plight of the North Korean people due to the government’s strict control on information that flows in and out of the country. Most information comes by way of North Korean citizens who undertake the treacherous journey to emigrate out of the Hermit Kingdom to safer shores.