Of all the Koreas in the world, North Korea had the largest number bloody dictators per capita. North Korea is a country of 25 million people who live, by our standards, a very strange and deprived life.
We wanted to know what life is really like for these people, so we sat down and spoke with a North Korean escapee, an American journalist who spent a lot of time there researching Pyongyang, and the grandson of the ambassador Asian country in the DPRK. They told us that...
This is blatant propaganda, and all people know about it.
North Korea is home to some of the funniest propaganda in the world, but when you live there and all those bombastic messages in support of Kim Jong Un follow you your whole life, it doesn't seem so funny anymore. For Mr. Lee (the refugee we spoke to), every morning as a child began the same way: a loudspeaker blaring about the accomplishments of the Kim family and their regime.
Sun is up? “Kim Jong Il invented the hamburger!”
Sunset? "Kim Jong Il is the greatest golfer in the world!"
Combine that with a radio that never turns off and you have an entire nation of captive listeners. And the next question that immediately comes to the mind of a Westerner: “Do people there really believe that Kim Jong-un has magical power? No, not all of them. For example, Mr. Li grew up with a great-aunt who suffered a lot of abuse and humiliation from the government. When they turned on the loudspeaker, she said: “Oh, they are doing their own thing again, they like to spread their lies.” Mr. Li's family has never been one of those who supported the ruling party's policies, so he is still adolescence realized that he national government He lies a lot to his people. He knew that many of his countrymen believed much of the propaganda. Although Michael Malice American journalist, who spent some time in Pyongyang) has a slightly different opinion. He believes that most North Koreans know the propaganda is ridiculous, but they are too scared to say it out loud. “When you're in a public place, you better sound like a true believer. After all, when an actor is completely immersed in his role, he copes with it better.”
And this training begins very early. Overall, Mr. Lee says that about 30 percent of his education was completely useless because it only concerned the Kim family. When he was younger, he had full lessons on the lives of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. But as he got older, the teacher would only spend 10 minutes talking about Kim (who ruled at the time) and his achievements, and then tell many other stories about him during other lessons.
North Korean schools treat world history as an afterthought, just like American schools relate to art lessons. He was taught at school about the First and Second World Wars, about the Allied Powers and the Fascists, but not about the Italian Renaissance. He knew about things like Sputnik, but didn't know that an American was the first man on the moon (he was aware that someone had landed on the moon, but the teachers never specified whether it was Americans or Russians). And starting from middle school, he was also forced to participate in mass games and processions.
Have you ever wondered how these children can perform all the joint movements so precisely? This is because they begin preparing for them at a young age (including on weekends), and North Korean teachers do not hesitate to resort to corporal punishment in case something happens.
And parents know that they are also obliged to contribute to the common cause. Another of our informants who had previously lived in North Korea for several years (namely, the ambassador’s grandson) told us this story:
“There are photographs of the Great Leader all over Pyongyang, lavishly decorated with flowers, and surrounded by regular groups of adoring citizens...they go to these little kiosks, buy flowers, and then arrange them around their 'shrine.' Later that day, other people come here with handcarts, collect all the flowers and return them to the stalls to resell them for more more of people".
“One day I saw a girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old, who brought a rather large bouquet here (almost the same size as herself), but she put it near a photograph with one hand. Her parents started yelling at her... her dad hit her in the face. Is this a crime? Do not use two hands to place flowers near a place of worship. Then her parents bought her an even larger bouquet (this one was even larger than the girl herself), and she placed it on Right place with both hands."
This is what happens when public punishment resembles a prison camp. Because, you see...
There is almost no resistance, and the punishment for any offense is very cruel
People in North Korea are taught from childhood to report on those who even remotely resemble a dissident. So forget about organizing a mass protest or sit-in here, because you have no right to raise any objections even in a private conversation. As Mr. Lee explained: “It's something you can never talk about in public unless you might discreetly tell your closest friend that you're not happy with the Kim regime, and then only after one or two beers. Even with your wife you have to be careful.”
Before Mr. Lee fled his country, he saw several of his neighbors deported to camps. There is no ceremony here, and the soldiers simply take away entire families in front of everyone. People are forced to watch as neighbors who have just been doomed to deportation load their belongings into government vans.
Local residents know that this practice is used only in their country. But what can you do about it? If you want to imagine yourself as Braveheart going up against an evil king, keep in mind that crimes such as “treason” and (as most often happens) “being like someone who is about to commit treason” are punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty... both for the accused himself and for three generations of his family. You are not just condemned for some behavior or careless words, but even for a simple change in intonation during a conversation.
Our interlocutor from the [anonymous country] embassy recalled an incident when one day a high-ranking North Korean officer took him aside and - on English language– began to express his opinion, shockingly close to outright criticism of the regime:
"He said, 'What's happening here is a disgrace... but our leader is putting us on the right path.' He paused in the middle of his sentence, and I think that in the first part he sincerely told me his opinion, and in the second he said what he had to say... I saw his assistant look at him during the pause, and Now I'm a little worried about him. Because I never saw this guy again.”
People here can only catch a glimpse external world
The most strange thing about North Korea, besides all the other strange things we already know about it, is its position as an isolated country in the 21st century. At a time when Ukrainian protesters are lively commenting on their revolution on Twitter, and half of us have many online friends living on the other side of the planet, it is very strange to think about people existing in complete isolation, who are not aware of anything that is happening behind them. border of their country.
Although, in truth, some news does reach their ears. A North Korean, our diplomatic source, whom we met at Kim Il Sung University, told us about how they share their “smuggled” knowledge:
“One guy told me to read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” I was surprised: “Is this book allowed? - No!” - He secretly brought it here. And he asked me if people had already built any underwater settlements. I told him that there are underwater hotels in the world, and a very pleased smile appeared on his face. It looked like the one I see on my little brother's face at Christmas."
But in general, such provocative devices as Cell phones, DVD players and modern films are not always available to local residents. Possession of any of these items is punishable by death, which will be applied to you and anyone who happened to be standing nearby when you were detained. You might assume that North Korean citizens can get by without any of this. But if you think so, then you're grossly underestimating the human need to watch poorly dubbed bootleg episodes of the latest installment." Iron Man».
Mr. Lee told us that foreign films and gadgets are regularly smuggled into North Korea, but this is of course not publicized. Dealers look for likely buyers and approach them in the market. “They start with Chinese films, and then, if they see that you are not at all against such a product, they move on to American things.” In other words, hollywood movies are something like heroin on the North Korean black market (along with actual heroin, of course).
All this suggests that the Hermit Kingdom is actually much less isolated than you might assume based solely on the news about its life. Mr. Lee was able to talk to members of his family in South Korea, including his sister, who fled several years before him. North Koreans are quite aware that hunger is not an everyday factor in life in America, or even in South Korea. And instead of shooting everyone who understood this, the North Korean government should start changing its propaganda.
Michael Malis, Kim Jong Il's unofficial biographer and one of the few Americans who visited Pyongyang, explained: "Their propaganda used to say that 'we are not jealous of anyone.' Now, as the outside world has slowly begun to creep into their country, they have begun to claim that they support the ideas of North Korea, while South Korea is completely destroyed by America.”
After Mr. Lee's sister reached South Korea and confirmed that this "destruction" by America was more like a "friendship with benefits" between the countries, he began planning his escape from the DPRK.
Leaving the country is a long, terrifying flight
Any North Korean who decides to escape knows that his entire family could end up in a labor camp if the government catches him. Mr Lee (who used a fake name and only spoke to us via Skype with his face hidden in the shadows) had to work out a complex web of lies before he could leave the country. He said it was essentially the same as telling your parents you were "staying at a friend's house" while you went to a party. Only here, instead of continuing to live in peace, your entire family risks ending up in a forced labor camp, where all its members will have to work literally until death if anyone finds out about your trick.
Mr. Lee escaped two years ago. Fortunately, the illegal removal of refugees from the personal murderous Disney World created by the Kim family is not a random incident at all, it is an established international mechanism. Sister Lee saved him with the help of male smugglers and paid for all the services herself, because people who live in North Korea do not have the money to pay for something like that. And if you think all it takes is someone sneaking you across the border into South Korea, think again. Even if you have a specific location designated, you'll have to walk a very long way to get there unless you want to get shot several thousand times before you even see the border fence itself.
Mr. Lee was smuggled out of the country through a network of undercover agents on a long train journey consisting of walking, riding buses and passenger cars from North Korea to China, then to Vietnam, and then to South Korea. Each part of the trip was handled by a different intermediary who specializes in smuggling North Koreans along one specific route. Mr. Lee followed the instructions of each secret agent and had to trust that none of them would send him back straight into the hands of the “thought police.” At various points throughout his trip, he called home saying, “I'm safe in Beijing” or “I'm safe in Saigon.” After his sister heard these words from him, she transferred another portion of cash to the intermediaries’ account, and he could move on.
Obviously, the business of smuggling North Koreans is illegal in North Korea, although it is also illegal in each individual country. If you can get to South Korea, you'll be safe, but these brokerage networks are also illegal there, so you won't have any claim against them if they, say, sell you into slavery. As a South Korean sponsor, you risk paying them thousands and thousands of dollars for the privilege of having a loved one by your side who will not one day be betrayed or killed.
But nothing like this in this case Did not happen. Mr. Lee was taken to a part of the world where soap operas are held instead of mass games, where Internet cafes are held instead of labor camps, and where regular famines are sport competitions to eat some food.
For those who fled the DPRK, the outside world is a real shock
"It's like being in a completely different reality," Mr. Lee said. In North Korea they teach that capitalist countries are filled with people dying in the middle of the streets. Even if he was skeptical about this (he had seen many American cities on DVD, and many of the car chases depicted in the movies did not feature piles of starving hobos), he still had the feeling that capitalism was "bad teaching." He was shocked to see that South Koreans, for the most part, lived as they pleased, and quickly accepted new concept labor, that he is, in fact, paid for his work.
Mr. Lee also came here with a rather negative view of South Korean women, after decades of seeing them portrayed as sex-crazed, clueless young ladies. He always believed that South Korean women wore makeup that made them look like "clowns or prostitutes" (basically, government propaganda convinced him that Seoul girls looked exactly like the rich people in The Hunger Games).
He was also surprised to learn about human rights. Particularly the very notion that people have rights and that they can claim them from their government. The North Korean government solved its "human rights" problem by simply choosing not to tell its people they existed. After all, you cannot demand something that you don’t even suspect exists.
Remember, Mr. Lee grew up in a country where people are taught from childhood that even simple curiosity about the lives of their leaders is immoral. That's why his arrival in South Korea also brought him a shocking realization of some facts about the Kim family. He did not believe all the crazy propaganda about the achievements of Kim Jong Il, but the real facts from the life of the glorious leader were very different from what he attributed to himself. “During the famine, government propaganda said that Kim Jong Il was suffering along with the people, eating only one bowl of rice a day.” The reality is that it is now impossible to say how much rice Kim ate during the famine, but we do know that he spent $600,000 a year to replenish his personal supply of brandy.
If this were a movie, the evil dictator with an iron fist would get his due before the end credits. But in real life, the Kim family endlessly oppressed their starving little country for 65 damn years and became crazier with every passing day.
Two news: the US threatens aggression against North Korea; a new street in the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang (we recommend checking it out, it’s interesting).
First news. The United States is ready to strike North Korea (DPRK).
The media reported this, but the United States did not refute it and, moreover, indirectly confirmed its readiness to attack North Korea. US intelligence sources told reporters that Washington is considering this possibility in order to prevent another nuclear weapons test by North Korea. According to NBC, the United States has already deployed two destroyers closer to the shores of North Korea - ships with Tomahawk cruise missiles are allegedly located 300 miles from the proposed site of future tests. There is an American aircraft carrier and US flotillas not far from the coast of North Korea. Also, US President Trump previously spoke about the presence of US nuclear submarines in the region and called North Korea a “problem.”
In general, this is the height of hypocrisy - the United States, which over the past half century has unleashed many wars around the world, intervened in the affairs of a huge number of countries and shed rivers of blood, calls a country (North Korea) a “problem”, which over the same half century has not started a single war and did not interfere in the affairs of other countries. North Korea lives on its own. It is already under sanctions and in partial international isolation due to its anti-American position. North Korea has more or less normal contacts with China, which is considered the patron of North Korea, and Russia. North Korea (DPRK), under unprecedented pressure from the United States and its satellites (Japan, South Korea), was able to master space technology, launch a satellite into space and even create nuclear weapons. It is the presence of nuclear weapons in the DPRK that saves it from aggression from the United States. History shows that countries that did not possess such weapons (Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria and other countries) easily became victims of American aggression, the military invasion of US troops in these countries, which led to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Now the United States is preparing to commit a new crime - to attack sovereign state. The United States is seeking to prevent North Korea from conducting another nuclear test. US ships arriving off the coast of North Korea are ready to open fire.
At the same time, the US authorities claim that with such actions they are “protecting” South Korea and Japan. At the same time, as the media report, South Korea and Japan are extremely concerned: after all, the United States can start a war in the region with its aggressive and inadequate actions against North Korea. Therefore, South Korea and Japan, being dissatisfied with such “protection” from the Americans, are already preparing evacuation plans and are urgently working on plans in case of the outbreak of war.
Celebrations are planned this weekend in the DPRK to mark the anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung. There is speculation that new nuclear tests may be timed to coincide with the celebration of this anniversary.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea (DPRK) stated that the tests will be carried out when the country's leadership deems it necessary. At the same time, the North Korean Foreign Ministry stated that in the event of an attack on the DPRK by the United States, the DPRK is ready to strike back.
Later, a representative of the General Staff of the Korean people's army stated that in the event of aggression from Washington, the DPRK would attack American military bases and the residence of the US President in Seoul (the capital of South Korea).
https://ria.ru/world/20170414/1492270707.html
Judging by the recent criminal US attack on Syria, there is virtually no prudence on the part of the US leadership. It is clear that Trump seeks to use such inadequate and aggressive actions to show his strength and uncompromisingness, to intimidate other countries, winning initially more advantageous negotiating positions for himself and the United States. The US attack on Syria and the intention to attack North Korea is a threat that the US addresses to all other countries. Therefore, there is no need to rely on the prudence of the United States at all. We can only hope for the Americans’ sense of self-preservation and that they will still not dare to attack a sovereign state (DPRK), since such an attack could unleash the United States terrible war with numerous casualties.
Regarding the US threats towards other countries, it can be noted that the US flaunts its aggression and its criminal attacks on independent states in order to threaten the rest of the world. The US carries out these attacks because it is confident of its impunity. Therefore, all countries must take this into account and demonstrate their readiness to firmly defend their independence and integrity - otherwise the United States, taking advantage of the sense of fear it has instilled in the rest of the world, will continue to arbitrarily attack different countries of the world, and US crimes will attract more and more victims.
And now another equally interesting news about the DPRK - about life inside the DPRK.
The day before, the head of the DPRK Kim Jong-un took part in the grand opening ceremony of the “street of dawn” (Ryomyon or Ryomnyo Street), which brought together several thousand residents of the capital of the DPRK Pyongyang - students, professors, workers, and military personnel. This attention to the new street is justified by the fact that it is an environmental project. In addition to residential buildings on the new street there are shopping centers, center for the development of green technologies. New area Electricity will be provided by geothermal energy and clean solar energy.
The opening of Römno Street was covered by about 120 journalists from different countries world, including Russia, Japan, USA, Spain, Great Britain, China and others.
Families of professors, university teachers and the most distinguished employees will move into apartments in the new buildings.
A 70-story skyscraper, equipped with high-speed elevators, was built in 45 days, and the construction of the entire street (about thirty high-rise apartment buildings) took one year.
Prime Minister Park Bong-ju said that the construction of the street is even more significant for a country that is actively developing its nuclear program than the production of one hundred nuclear warheads.
Earlier, Mirae Street was built in Pyongyang, and families of engineers, technical specialists, scientists, teachers, and athletes moved into residential buildings.
Reportedly, the construction of these new modern areas in Pyongyang is the idea of Kim Jong-un, who insisted on completing all work as quickly as possible and distributing new apartments among citizens. As reported by international media, by the time citizens moved in, the apartments already had furniture, dishes and many things provided as gifts to new residents.
Also for last years Leisure places have been put into operation, including the Rynra amusement park and the Oksu water park.
And once again it is worth noting that the situation is now extremely tense. We have to hope that war will not happen after all.
More photos of Pyongyang:
IN Lately Interest in the “kingdom of hermits” – North Korea – has grown sharply in the world. This is not surprising, because the country claims to be the most closed and very exotic, and the Forbidden fruit, is known to be sweet.
We present to your attention 30 interesting facts that, we are sure, few people know:
1. Average level Population literacy in the DPRK reaches 99%
True, given how literacy is defined, this is not surprising. Literacy is determined by a person's ability to write the name of a leader.
2. There are only 28 government-approved hairstyles allowed in the country.
Girls are allowed to wear 14 different haircuts; Married women are expected to keep their hair short, while single women can grow their hair longer. Men are prohibited from growing their hair longer than 5 centimeters, while older people can afford hair lengths of up to 7 centimeters.
3. Your ex's annual expenses North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's premium cognac was 800 times higher than the country's average annual income
The father of the current leader of the country, Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il, spent 700 thousand euros a year on the purchase of Hennessy cognac. The average annual income in North Korea is estimated to be between $1,000 and $2,000.
4. The leader was an avid film fan, and his collection amounted to about 20 thousand films - in general, the man enjoyed life
His favorites included Rambo, Godzilla and Friday the 13th.
5. Less than 20% of all North Korean land is suitable for sowing crops
The share of arable land in the DPRK accounts for only 19.08%.
6. Residents of the DPRK, especially those born after the Korean War, are almost 6 centimeters shorter than South Koreans.
The difference in height is probably due to lack of nutrition during the war, as well as chronic malnutrition of every third child in the DPRK. Citizens of the DPRK eat mainly corn, and those who are richer can afford rice
7. North Korea has the fourth largest army in the world
Up to 1.190 million people are “under arms” in the DPRK.
8. The number of people ready to join the ranks of the North Korean army is approximately equal to the population of the state of Senegal
6.515 million men and 6.418 million women are eligible to serve in the DPRK armed forces.
9. The total length of roads in the country is 25,554 kilometers, of which only 724 kilometers are asphalted.
That is, only 2.83% of all roads in the DPRK are covered with asphalt. This happens because few residents in the country have personal vehicles.
10. Nearly 6 million people in the DPRK suffer from food insecurity, and 33% of children are chronically undernourished.
According to some reports, 23.4% of North Korea's GDP comes from Agriculture. This includes the cultivation of rice, corn, potatoes, legumes, pigs, cattle. However, according to the World Food Program, due to natural conditions and a lack of arable land, the DPRK is experiencing chronic food shortages.
11. North Korea is called the most corrupt country in the world - along with Afghanistan and Somalia
According to the results of the Corruption Perceptions Index, in 2013, North Korea, Somalia and Afghanistan were countries where corruption reached critical levels. Score ranging from 0 ( maximum level corruption) and up to 100 (no corruption) is given to 177 countries. North Korea received a score of 8.
12. There is a “punishment of three generations.” This means that when a person is sent to prison, his entire family goes with him, and the next two generations of the family are born in prisons and live their lives there.
This fact is absolutely, terrifyingly true, and you can read about what it means to be second generation in the book Escape from Camp 14. We're not saying it will make you cry non-stop, but if you can read it without a single "Damn it, I can't take this anymore..." then you must be a robot. If you're wondering what a North Korean must do to be sent to one of these prison labor camps, the answer is simple: a political crime. And a political crime means criticizing the government or attempting to flee the country.
13. A six-day work week and one more day for forced “volunteer” work ensures that the average citizen has virtually no free time.
This fact periodically appears on the Internet, but its original source is unknown. However, you can easily learn a little about how workplaces are organized in North Korea. It seems that the government automatically gives everyone a job after high school and locks them into that job for life. However, the system is breaking down, and North Koreans are now forced to earn money themselves - by bribing their factory bosses. There are other jobs in state-run “companies” where you can earn foreign currency, but it is impossible to get into them without a bribe.
14. In North Korea, the production, possession and use of marijuana is completely legal and is recommended by the Ministry of Health as a healthier alternative to tobacco. “Tourists tell stories of marijuana plants growing freely on the roadside.”
Surprisingly, this is 100% true and in fact even more so. Marijuana is not the only drug that is legal in North Korea. The government encourages people to grow opium on land they do not use. As for marijuana bushes growing freely on the side of the road, it turns out that marijuana is often planted along railroad tracks to support the tracks with its deep roots. Meth, on the other hand, is strictly prohibited - and you could "face a firing squad if you get caught with meth."
15. According to official documents, Kim Jong Il learned to walk at the age of three weeks. While studying at the university, Kim also wrote 1,500 books, including six major operas, according to official documents. According to his official biography, all of his operas are “the best in the history of music.” Next are his sporting achievements. In 1994, Pyongyang media reported that when Kim first visited the golf club, he brilliantly completed 38 holes, 11 of them in one shot. All this in front of 17 personal bodyguards. After this, he decided to leave the sport forever.
These facts were widely reported even by Western media immediately after the death of Kim Jong Il. While it's impossible to verify how many holes Dear Leader completed in one go, we're guessing the actual number is a little lower than official documents claim. But Kim didn't just take the sport seriously, the North Korean soccer team was allegedly publicly ridiculed for losing the 2010 World Cup for six hours. It's better not to play football in this country.
16. If North Korea launched its largest nuclear warhead so that it exploded in Time Square, it would simply not reach him.
This fact is difficult to confirm or deny without an actual test launch, but it is worth remembering that in 2012 the reclusive country successfully launched its own satellite. On the other hand, as everyone knows, Korea simply does not have a launch vehicle powerful enough to lift something heavy enough off the ground. So this is mostly true, but the United States still should not be complacent.
17. Success space company of this country is 20%
This is a very strange statistic because it is unclear what kind of success is meant. We think this applies to satellite launches, because of the five launches made by North Korea, only one successfully reached orbit. However, the North Korean government claims that there is another satellite that went into orbit in 1998 and is currently sending patriotic songs into space. For science, probably!
18. At the Hoeryong concentration camp in North Korea, 50,000 men, women and children are held as slaves, tortured and experimented on, similar to the Holocaust.
The number quoted here appears to be taken from an Amnesty International report in the 1990s. One ex-guard who defected from North Korea suggested that approximately 2,000 people die of malnutrition at Hoeryong Concentration Camp each year, but the number of inmates remains constant at 50,000, thanks to an equal number of newly "chosen" prisoners. The same guard estimated that 30% of prisoners have physical deformities, such as missing limbs.
19. “Researchers” from North Korea have concluded that North Korea is the second happiest country after China.
This study was widely reported around the world in 2011, so you've probably heard of it before. What you may not have heard was the US happiness ranking. North Korean researchers place US at bottom a brief description of was: “Long dead.” Hmm...we've always suspected that all Americans are secretly depressed. I think we will agree with Korean scientists... 😉
20. All teachers in the 1990s were required to be able to play the accordion—and they had to pass an accordion exam before receiving a teaching certificate.
This fact appears to come from the 2009 book Nothing to Envy, which chronicled the lives of six North Koreans over 15 years. Among them was one school teacher. Apparently her accordion exam was postponed due to the death of Kim Jong Il, although she was able to find work as a teacher in kindergarten until she was unable to pass the exam.
21. Kijong-Dong is a propaganda town that was built by Kim Jong Il's father in the 1950s on the country's border. It was supposed to show the superiority of the North over the South and inspire people to desert from the South to the North.
But in fact there were no inhabitants in it. The government spent heavily and every effort was made to create the appearance of a functioning city, including lights on the streets. It was enough to look at good optics to expose a city whose glass buildings were essentially just boxes of complete absence any interior. The city is also home to the world's largest flagpole.
In addition to the empty buildings, North Korea also had loudspeakers that blasted propaganda for its southern neighbors. They, in turn, repaid in the same coin. Fortunately for everyone, both countries agreed to stop their noise in 2004.
22. Every North Korean household and business is equipped with a government-controlled radio that cannot be turned off, but can be turned down.
This is another fact that cannot be fully confirmed. Many websites report this, but the original source is unknown. But the fact that electricity is constantly being cut off in the country, at a minimum, suggests that the fact cannot be 100% true.
23. Idolatry in North Korea is such that a portrait of Kim Jong Il is the second thing that ordinary citizens should save in case of fire after themselves (there are even special bunkers for statues in case of war).
It’s impossible to say for sure about the paintings, but the 100% truth is that all the statues of leaders are guarded by the armed forces, like the real leaders of the country. Even we didn't go that far with our cat worship!
24. It’s not 2014 in North Korea. It is now 103 years old because North Korea counts years from the birth of Kim Jong Il, not Jesus.
What about those things that happened before Kim Jong Il was born?
25. Tourists in North Korea can only take photographs of what the party allows.
Each tourist is assigned a “KGB officer” who asks to remove photos in which the country’s inhabitants or the landscape does not look as it should, and also points out objects that should be photographed.
26. Execution by mortar shell in North Korea.
It's just terrible, isn't it? Yes, it is a fact that execution by mortar is used in North Korea, but it is not particularly common. It was used at one of the highest government officials, who didn't wait long enough to throw a party after Kim Jong Il's death and was executed for lack of proper mourning.
27. The North Korean Constitution states: “Citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech, press, voice, demonstration and association.”
This is of course true, and you can even read the North Korean constitution if you want. If you think this defies reality, you are completely wrong, but the document also contains some "buts" that will seem not very "democratic" to foreigners. For example: “Citizens must firmly guard the political and ideological unity and solidarity of the people,” and “Work is a noble duty and honor for a citizen.”
28. North Korea's economy was larger than South Korea's until the 1970s. Currently, GDP is only 2.5% of South Korea's.
North Korea's economy is even smaller than its own shadow. In 2011, the estimated GDP per person was approximately $1,800 per year, which is slightly less than, say, South Korea, where the GDP per person is approximately $30,800. On the other hand, we guess there's not much you can buy in North Korea...
29. North Korea holds elections every 5 years, in which ballot papers Only one candidate is listed.
This fact hardly seems surprising, although we should note that, while there is effectively only one candidate for any seat in government, voters can, technically, veto a candidate. This means that they can vote against someone by crossing out his name - but to do this, the voter must enter a special box, where everyone can see that he is making a choice and, rest assured, his name is already on the “black” lists.
30. In North Korea, the number of Internet users is only 605.
We haven't been able to find up-to-date numbers for this fact, but we suspect it might be a little out of date. The use of computers and the Internet seems to be growing every day, although it is mainly limited to upper-class officials and students. For example, North Korea recently debuted its own operating system called Red Star, based on Linux. Moreover, some even say that North Korea is passing digital revolution- although on such a small scale that we think the word "deviation" would be better than "revolution". However, it has been claimed that the North Koreans have a hand in developing software for everyone from Middle Eastern banks to...Nintendo and Sony? Mmm...let's just say we're a little...unsure about this.
Based on materials from mixstuff.ru and muz4in.net
The United States and North Korea are once again on the brink of war. Countries exchange threats to use military force almost daily. The situation is heating up and the threat seems more serious than ever. However, most experts still refuse to believe in a military outcome of this conflict and believe that not all diplomatic options have yet been exhausted.
Nevertheless, for the first time since 1961, after the memorable Cuban Missile Crisis, the world smelled of nuclear war. In this regard, “Our Version” considered possible scenario how the war between the United States and the DPRK will develop, how it will end and what it will lead to.
As you know, in response to another nuclear weapons test by North Korea, Donald Trump threatened the DPRK with “fire and wrath the likes of which the world has never seen” if Pyongyang does not stop threatening the United States. At the same time, he did not rule out the possibility of a strike on North Korea after its next nuclear weapons test. In response, the DPRK snapped back, declaring its readiness to launch missile strikes in the vicinity of the island of Guam, where the United States has its military base. North Korean missiles could be used as weapons medium range Hwasong-1 and Hwasong-2. The island of Guam is located approximately 2 thousand kilometers from the Korean Peninsula, is not part of the United States, but those born on Guam are American citizens, although without the right to vote. In this regard, let's assume that Kim Jong-un fulfilled his promise and launched the rocket. The war has begun.
Act 1. Kim Jong-un will be pulled out of the ground
Back in early August, the Pentagon, through the American press, made a statement about a plan to attack North Korea under the code name US Operations Plan 5015 - OPLAN, which provides for preventive airstrikes on strategically important targets on the territory of the DPRK. In it, Washington hinted that it would wage the war remotely, without the use of ground forces. The main role in this case is given to the B1B Lancer strategic bombers, which are based on the same island of Guam. These aircraft have been successfully used in Iraq and Afghanistan, although they are not carriers atomic weapons. Apparently, this indicates that the Americans would not like to bring the matter to nuclear conflict. The fact is that a one-time atomic strike on the DPRK will be ineffective - there are too many military targets and they are scattered throughout the country. But Washington will not dare to carry out carpet bombing due to purely political and psychological reasons– Against the backdrop of the unfading memory of Hiroshima, after a new strike, the United States will turn into a nuclear terrorist for the whole world.
Therefore, the States will limit themselves to an airstrike, for which purpose the region will short time up to five carrier strike groups can be deployed. In addition, it is worth considering that currently american army has the most effective non-nuclear weapons available, which are sufficient to achieve the main objectives of OPLAN. The first priority will certainly be the destruction of Kim Jong-un. If war breaks out, he will go to a special bunker, but the Americans will try to get the DPRK leader there too. How this will happen was demonstrated by the US military in June in Afghanistan when they used Mother of All Bombs, that is, “the mother of all bombs”, attacking a Mujahideen bunker with its help. Simultaneously with precision weapons will be destroyed command posts and nuclear facilities. Thus, North Korea will be deprived central government. It is believed that the DPRK does not have a reliable air defense system and over-the-horizon radars, and the air force is small in number and is armed with old Soviet aircraft, which is why American losses at the first stage will be minimal. It is also believed that North Korea has severely limited fuel resources, which will hamper its combat capabilities.
On this topic
The United States and the Russian Federation are not doomed to be adversaries and compete, as was the case during the Cold War, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said today during a speech to participants at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Alexander KHRAMCHYKHIN, Deputy Director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis:
– China is unlikely to provide military assistance to Pyongyang in the event of war. Much Great chance that after the American strikes, Beijing will try to occupy North Korea. Under the pretext humanitarian aid China will enter the weakened republic and install its puppet regime there. Technically, it will look like this: after the war starts, China will observe what is happening, and if the Americans do not decide to occupy the DPRK, then Beijing will do it, and will try to seize as many territories as possible.
Action 2. Seoul will answer for US aggression
It is difficult to say whether Kim Jong-un will launch another nuclear attack on the United States in response. Now no one can guarantee that North Korean missiles with nuclear warheads will not reach American territory directly. Let us recall that at the end of August, North Korea fired a missile that flew unhindered over Japanese territory. It appears to be a Hwasong-12 medium-range ballistic missile, technically capable of traveling 3,000 miles, which is what North Korea is threatening to launch towards Guam. It is alarming that neither Japan nor the United States even tried to shoot down this missile or were unable to. And this despite the fact that already a month ago, due to the missile threat from the DPRK, Japan put American-made Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile systems on full alert. The systems were deployed in the west of the country in three prefectures - Shimane, Hiroshima and Kochi - over which North Korea's ballistic missile trajectories lie. The Japanese military conducts round-the-clock monitoring missile launches In the DPRK, in addition, there is a Japanese destroyer at sea, equipped with an American ship-based multifunctional combat information and control system Aegiscombat-system, specifically designed to track launches of North Korean ballistic missiles. The interception could also be carried out by American THAAD air defense systems stationed in South Korea, which could destroy the launched missile on the take-off portion of the trajectory. But neither one nor the other was done - Hwasong-12 was given the opportunity to fly unhindered over Japan and fall into the sea. Of course, we can assume that the Americans and Japanese did not set themselves the task of destroying the North Korean missile, but, as they say, the residue remained.
Nevertheless, the United States will certainly be able to protect its territory from missile strike. Therefore, Kim Jong-un will apparently launch the main attack in a different direction - North Korea has long prepared a retaliatory strike, with the capital of South Korea chosen as the target. Greater Seoul is located right on the border with the DPRK - it is a gigantic agglomeration, home to about 25 million people. In addition, an American group of about 20 thousand people is stationed in the Seoul area - it will be one of the main targets. The North Korean army has already concentrated a powerful artillery group in the Seoul area, which includes approximately 250 long-range, high-power guns - perhaps some of the shells are equipped with nuclear charges. The guns are dispersed and located in fortified positions, making their elimination a difficult task. As a result of the shelling huge city will inevitably lead to large casualties among the civilian population.
In addition, it is worth considering that Seoul is among the top 10 cities in the world in terms of the number of headquarters of corporations from among the 500 largest transnational companies located there. Their destruction will lead to global economic crisis. But new prospects will open up for European and, above all, American companies.
Alexander PERENDZHIEV, expert of the Association of Military Political Scientists:
– If a war between the United States and North Korea does happen, then it is obvious that there is no point in Russia interfering in this war. Getting involved in a conflict where there will be huge casualties is madness. I believe that if war breaks out, Moscow will make every effort at the diplomatic level to prevent war on its border. At the same time, the Russian Federation will support the position of North Korea and counteract aggression against the DPRK, especially with the use of nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, Russia will most likely bear the burden of accepting refugees.
Act 3. North Koreans join the partisans
Apparently, the Americans will first of all try with surprise strikes to disable some key facilities of the North Korean nuclear missile complex - weapons production centers, enterprises where missile components are manufactured and assembled, as well as testing centers and warehouses. However, a problem arises here: the fact is that North Korean missile and nuclear facilities are dispersed and hidden in the mountains throughout the country, and the United States simply has no information about many of them. And in order to identify the location of these objects (and the United States cannot leave them intact), ground forces will have to be used. Of course, at first we will not be talking about a large-scale landing operation - special forces will be sent to conduct additional reconnaissance of important military installations. Such scenarios were considered very seriously and were repeatedly played out during joint exercises between the United States and South Korea.
The US Army has one special-purpose parachute regiment designed specifically for operations in the Pacific theater of operations. A separate special forces regiment of the Corps may be sent to help the paratroopers Marine Corps, 1st US Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta, Maritime Special Forces Rapid Deployment Group DEVGRU and other units. However, unlike pilots, they most likely will not have an easy ride. It must be taken into account that, within the framework of the civil defense system, the North Koreans are perfectly prepared for a military invasion, and are also powerfully pumped up with ideology. Therefore, despite their superiority in weapons, the Americans will have to seriously fight such fanatics on the ground. This will require additional forces for ground operations. However, even defeated North Korean units will retain combat effectiveness, switching to guerrilla actions. The partisans will put up fierce resistance, carry out acts of sabotage, and fight for every centimeter of land. It will take about six months to destroy the North Korean troops, as a result of which the Americans will suffer significant casualties.
Leonid IVASHOV, President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Colonel General:
– The Pentagon is truly capable of achieving a military victory over Pyongyang with precision weapons strikes alone. From a military point of view, the Americans are capable of carrying out a lightning war against North Korea; they have a wealth of experience in this, because the concept of a lightning-fast global strike has already been repeatedly tested in other countries. But now Americans are afraid retaliatory strike, which will most likely affect Seoul, is a significant pressure factor.
Although the possibility of war should not be ruled out, especially given the bellicose rhetoric of the parties to a potential military conflict, I still believe that war between the DPRK and the US-Japan bloc remains unlikely. They are all afraid of a military conflict near their borders, especially with the use of nuclear weapons. Another player is China, which indicates its tough position. Beijing is hinting that if North Korea unleashes armed conflict, and the United States starts a war, then China will take the side of North Korea. When in April of this year the American aircraft carrier group moved to the shores of the DPRK, China sent an almost 100,000-strong group to the borders of North Korea, after which the Americans immediately cooled their ardor. Russia's position is half-hearted - Russia does not give North Korea any guarantees. Perhaps the Russian Federation also needs to state that if the Americans strike first, Russia will take countermeasures.
Act 4. They will try to drag China and Russia into war
According to some experts, a military conflict in North Korea today is beneficial to Donald Trump, but only if it is a short, victorious war without major casualties. However, in this case, the nuclear-missile DPRK was chosen as the victim, and not some harmless Libya or Serbia, which could be very costly for the American leadership. The United States risks being drawn into a full-fledged military conflict, comparable in scale to the Vietnam War, which will lead to serious complications.
As a result, the United States will try to drag other countries into the conflict. First of all, Russia and China. After all, we should not forget that the defeat of Pyongyang will undermine the prestige and authority of China in Southeast Asia. Previously, China promised to stand up for the DPRK if the country was attacked for no reason. In addition, China has absolutely no need for a flow of refugees from North Korea. But Beijing is much more afraid of the appearance of the military forces of its “worst friend” in the person of the United States on its borders. Therefore Beijing will strive to support existing regime Kimov. However, few people in China now want to fight for the DPRK, so there will be no open military assistance. But at the same time, a number of experts are confident that Beijing will support North Korea indirectly, including by providing it with military assistance. Such support will lead to prolongation of the conflict.
Russia, which shares an almost 40-kilometer border with North Korea, could also be drawn into the war. Let us recall that Russia has already put air defense systems in the Far East on high alert. And it is no coincidence - it is impossible to say exactly where the rocket will fly, taking into account the incomprehensible qualifications of the North Korean rocket scientists. In addition, American interceptor missiles may be over Russian territory. According to experts, if North Korea launches missiles towards Hawaii, then American interceptors will fly significantly south of the Russian borders. But if the DPRK strikes on the US mainland, then the trajectory of American interceptors may lie not only over Far East, but even over the European part of Russia. Provocations are also possible from both the American and North Korean sides, which could even result in deliberate shelling of Russian territory.
REFERENCE
Balance of power
* North Korea
Armed forces - about 1.5 million. In the ground forces: more than 50 tactical missiles, 3 thousand tanks, 2 thousand armored personnel carriers, 13 thousand artillery pieces, more than 1 thousand multiple launch rocket systems, about 2 thousand. anti-tank installations, 2 thousand anti-aircraft missile systems.
Air Force and Air Defense: over a thousand aircraft and helicopters, 200 suicide pilots trained to perform missions of special importance, 1 thousand. anti-aircraft guns. Naval forces DPRK: 3 missile ships, 2 destroyers, 18 anti-submarine ships. Combat boats: 40 missile, 134 torpedo and 108 artillery. About 100 submarines. The nuclear missile potential is about a thousand missiles, including tactical missiles with a range of up to 70 kilometers, operational-tactical missiles with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers. Intercontinental ones with a range of up to 7 thousand kilometers are being developed.
* South Korea
Armed forces - 672 thousand people. In the ground forces: 2 thousand tanks, 2.5 thousand armored personnel carriers, 4,400 guns, 143 combat helicopters. The Air Force has 460 combat aircraft and helicopters, including 195 F-5 fighters and 60 F-16s. IN combat strength Navy 9 submarines, 40 surface ships.
* USA
Seventh Fleet, land and air forces stationed in South Korea. Total number military personnel (including sailors and marines) is more than 70 thousand people. The United States maintains a permanent military contingent of 28.5 thousand people. At two US air bases in South Korea, there are F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters and A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. In the event of a full-scale conflict, the United States can use the B-1 Lancer and B-52 bombers stationed on the American island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the B-2 Spirit strategic bombers, designed to break through air defenses, drop conventional or nuclear bombs. A 50,000-strong military contingent in Japan may also be involved.
North Korea is heaven on Earth, according to its leaders, and absolute hell, according to the citizens of this country who, by some miracle, managed to leave it. The interest of the world community in this country was fueled by the scandalous film “The Interview”, the plot of which was based on a fictional story about the assassination attempt on the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong-un. We have collected facts in our review, on the basis of which it becomes clear what is happening behind the “North Korean Iron Curtain”.
Labor concentration camps
There are currently about 16 huge labor camps in North Korea, comparable to gulags. They are located, as a rule, in mountainous areas. It is assumed that behind the barbed wire of these camps, which also allows electricity, there are about 200 thousand prisoners. Defectors, traitors and ex-politicians who do not belong to the DPRK government end up in North Korean gulags.
Punishment by inheritance
North Korean laws provide for punishment over "three generations": if someone commits a crime, not only will he pay, but also his children and grandchildren. They will all be punished accordingly. This usually results in people spending their entire lives in camps.
One of the worst crimes a North Korean citizen can commit is attempting to leave the country. Disagreement with the government is considered treason. And a person who decides to take an interest in how people live in other countries signs his own death warrant.
Insurance fraud
The North Korean economy is in decline. The country practically does not interact with foreign markets, so there is no export as such. Currently, the population of North Korea is about 25 million people, and the average GDP per capita is about $500 (for comparison, in the Russian Federation in 2013 it was about $15,000). The country is struggling to feed its citizens and in this quest even resorts to economic crimes.
Thus, in 2009, the DPRK government was accused of global insurance fraud. The North Korean government took out huge insurance policies on property and equipment and then claimed that the property was destroyed. In 2005, several of the world's largest insurance companies, including Lloyd's of London, sued North Korea over an alleged helicopter crash and a $58 million policy payout.
Arms trade
In addition to insurance fraud, the United Nations has also accused North Korea of illegally selling weapons and nuclear technology countries in Africa and the Middle East. Thus, in 2012, the UN detained North Korean cargo heading to Syria - 450 cylinders of graphite intended for use in ballistic missiles. In 2009, shipments to Iran and the Republic of Congo were intercepted: one contained 35 tons of missile components, the other contained Soviet-era tanks
The UN imposed sanctions banning North Korea from supplying or selling missile technology, but the North Korean government has said the sanctions are illegal and the country can do whatever it wants. It is known that the bulk of the money goes into Kim Jong-un’s wallet, but not into food for his people.
Electricity shortage
The capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, is a kind of utopian city for the elite. Armed guards patrol the city's borders to keep the country's lower classes out of the city. Most Pyongyang residents live in luxury (at least according to the standards of this country). However, even for three million upper-class citizens, electricity is only turned on for an hour or two a day. Sometimes, especially in winter, power goes out completely as millions of people try to beat the cold. Most houses outside Pyongyang are not even connected to the electricity grid. This is clearly visible in night photographs from space: China and South Korea are filled with lights, while North Korea is a solid dark spot.
Three caste system
In 1957, as Kim Il Sung struggled to maintain control over North Korea, he launched a global investigation into the "trustworthiness" of the country's population. The end result of this investigation was a completely changed social system, which divided the country's citizens into three classes: “enemies,” “hesitant” and “base.”
This division was based not on a person's personality, but on his family history. Families loyal to the government were included in the "core" class and were given better opportunities in life. They are now usually politicians and people closely associated with the government.
People in the middle stratum are the “wavering” or neutral class. The government does not support them in any way, but does not oppress them either. With a happy coincidence of circumstances, they can become the “foundation”.
The “enemies” class included those people whose ancestors included those who had committed such terrible crimes against the state as Christianity and land ownership. According to Kim Il Sung, they are the main threat to the country. These people are deprived of the opportunity to receive an education, they cannot live even near Pyongyang and, as a rule, become beggars.
Fertilizers from human feces
North Korea is a mountainous country with cold winters and short, monsoon summers. About 80% of the country's territory is located on mountain slopes, so most of the land is infertile. North Korea has always relied on foreign aid to obtain fertilizer. Until the early 1990s, the DPRK helped the USSR with fertilizers, and until 2008, 500,000 tons of fertilizers per year came from South Korea. When imported fertilizers ran out, North Korean farmers were forced to turn to a new source - human waste. A state program has even been adopted, within the framework of which enterprises are given a quota for the delivery of feces - about 2000 tons per year. Today there are even stores selling human feces as fertilizer.
South Korean Citizenship
Many North Korean citizens are fleeing to neighboring countries. China's official policy is to deport them back across the border. At home, such refugees are either destroyed or sent to forced labor camps for many decades.
Unlike China, South Korea has a near-absolute clemency policy: all North Korean defectors (who are not criminals) are immediately granted citizenship, job training, and psychological counseling for those who need it. Refugees are offered an allowance of $800 per month, and employers who hire them can expect a bonus of $1,800.
All North Koreans need to do is provide proof of citizenship. But even in their absence, the authorities, as a rule, turn a blind eye to this. After all, refugees from the camps do not have any documents in principle.
Since 1953, there have been more than 24,500 North Korean defectors registered in South Korea. Since 2002, South Korea has received an average of 1,000 refugees each year. The Chinese government believes that up to 200,000 North Koreans are hiding illegally in the mountains and countryside of the Middle Kingdom. Many people who flee North Korea to China die during the long trek.
Cannibalism
Between 1994 and 1998, North Korea experienced extensive flooding and much of its agricultural land fell into disrepair. The growing debt to the USSR excluded food imports. As a result, entire cities began to die out. During this time, about 3.5 million people died of hunger - more than 10% of the country's population. Any food supplies were confiscated by the military in accordance with the Songun ("army first") policy. North Koreans started eating their pets, then crickets and tree bark, and finally children.
It was at that time that the saying became popular: “Don’t buy meat if you don’t know where it comes from.” According to the stories of defectors, in those years people looked for street children at train stations, put them to sleep and butchered them at home. There is at least one official report of a person who engaged in cannibalism.
Prisons and torture
Very few people escaped from the forced labor camps of the DPRK and survived and were able to talk about what happened there. Shin Dong-Hyuk is a man who escaped from the terrible "Camp 14", which is considered the most brutal labor camp in the country because the worst political criminals are kept there. His story is told in the book "Escape from Camp 14".
Shin was born in the camp because his uncle deserted the army and fled to South Korea. When he was 14 years old, he tried to escape with his mother and brother. They were caught and taken to an underground prison, where they were brutally tortured. According to Shin Dong-Hyuk, he was hung from the ceiling by his legs to obtain testimony against his mother. When this did not work, he was hung by his arms and legs with his back down and slowly lowered over a vat filled with hot coals until the skin on his back was completely burned. In between interrogations, he was thrown into a tiny concrete cell. Hundreds of people have been tortured in North Korean prisons.
And further…
In December 2011, after the end of mourning for Kim Jong Il, comradely trials of people who cried badly began in the country. As North Korean government media reported, the trials were carried out by labor collectives, and those found guilty faced up to six months in labor camps.
To dispel the gloomy picture a little, let us recall what the whole world considered to be true.
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