Press Freedom – North Korean General Executed

On left: North Korea Vice Minister of the North Korean military
On right: Kim Jong-Un

Was a North Korean General Really Executed by Mortar Fire?

Kim Chol who used to be North Korea’s vice minister of the North Korean military was shot at point blank by mortar rounds under Kim Jong-Uns command in January

So far this year there have been 14 senior party, government, and military leaders executed.

One of several senior Korean People’s Army officials executed or arrested after Kim Jong-Un took over power from his deceased father, Kim Jong-Il.

During North Koea’s official three-month mourning period after the death of their dictator, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Chol enjoyed liquor with a female colleague

He specifically violated Kim Jong-Un’s warning against, “singing or dancing, merrymaking or recreation” for three-months after his father died. After Kim Jong-Il’s death there was a 100-day mourning which had strict rules that must be obeyed by everyone in North Korea.

These stories usually stay in North Korea because they do not want the global public to find out what they are doing

• This story in particular first appeared in South Korea in March. They suggest that is was originated from gossip within North Korea.
• Stories of elites emerge from gossip inside the country from clerks, typists, telephone operators, workers in foreign trading corporations, and middle management in the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea

These actions of public executions commanded by Kim Jong-Un suggests to others on the outside that he will dictate North Korea in the same way as his father

Shocking statement made by an unknown source, “When Kim Jong-Un became North Korean leader…high-ranking military officers started disappearing…From information compiled over the last month, we have concluded that dozens of military officers were purged.”

 

Food for Thought:

1. If you were highly ranked in the North Korean military and you were threatened by death if you had “fun” within the 100-day period of morning for Kim Jong-Il, would you risk getting caught to have a nice dinner with your wife on your anniversary night?

2. What are your thoughts on Kim Jong-Un’s executions to these 14 military leaders because they drank alcohol within the 100-day period that North Korea was commanded to stay somber and to mourn for the death of their dictator?

3. Do you think Kim Jong-Un is doing these military executions to the top generals for disobeying his rules to be perceived from the general public as “powerful” and the new “dictator” even though people know he is a young North Korean trying to follow in his fathers footsteps?

 

Sources:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/10/31/was_a_north_korean_general_really_executed_by_mortar_fire

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-24/officials-executed-for-drinking-during-kim-jong-il-mourning/4332326

http://www.ibtimes.com/north-korean-army-figure-executed-kim-jong-un-continues-bloody-purge-853153

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/467631/political-party/36674/The-single-party-in-the-developing-countries

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/24/2012102400755.html

 

Post Made By: Ana Goldberg

 

Press Freedom – Technology Revolution Hits North Korea

A Quiet Opening: North Koreans in a Changing Media Environment

All media and publications are state controlled. North Korea is among the most isolated of nations, with cyberspace policies considered among the most restrictive in the world. Since the 2000’s North Koreans are getting a little more access to global media and other information, which is loosening the regime’s iron grip on their knowledge. So far these changes have been very small but they are trying to gain more knowledge about technology. With these small changes, they are illustrating what may be a potential long-term route for change.

Since the change of the dictatorship in December 2011, North Koreans are starting to gain more information about the world around them. They are less “afraid” of the repercussions involved with getting caught and more interested in learning about new technology and how to use that technology to gain information about other countries. In an article that was released on May 11, 2012, there were interviews conducted over the last ten years where refugees, travelers, and defectors stated that North Koreans are using, “illegal Chinese mobile phones, DVDs, computers and small flash drives to work around official barriers to outside information.”

These actions from North Koreans are surprising because of the various consequences they could receive if caught with this technology. By accessing any kind of foreign media it could immediately result in being sent to labor camps, imprisonment, or publicly executed. Breaking these laws recently have started to become “normal” with Kim- Jong Un ruling.

During a broadcast on May 8, Kim stated, “We must use the internet to find more data on international trends and advance science and technology from other countries.” This was an extremely surprising comment made by Kim. This comment made gives the world some hope that North Korea will soon start to understand the 21^st century and use this new technology to help their citizens learn and communicate globally.

In the above picture, a North Korean military commander showing Kim- Jong Un new military equipment

In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, people look at the 3G moblie phones on display in a closet in Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. Egyptian telecom giant Orascom launched an advanced mobile phone network in North Korea on Monday, the latest attempt to introduce a global symbol of personal freedom into one of the world’s most tightly controlled societies. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Binyang)

Sources:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/technology-revolution-hits-north-korea-20120511-1ygim.html

http://www.audiencescapes.org/research/north-korea-quiet-opening/quiet-opening-north-korea-804

Click to access A_Quiet_Opening_FINAL_InterMedia.pdf

Post Made By: Ana Goldberg

Press Freedom: Gangnam Style Parody

With the passing of Kim Jong-il people around the world thought maybe there would be hope for North Korean people to live their lives without government controlled media. Unfortunately only little has changed. Within the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, article 53 grants North Korean citizens freedom of press and speech, only if media expressions are supportive of the government and the Workers’ Party of Korea (KWP). North Korean government predominantly owns the media. Everything that is printed and broadcasted in North Korea accentuates to reject individualism and accept the collective lifestyle. North Korean government influences and ultimately has complete power of the citizens through their media by using propaganda that is in favor of North Korea.

What is very interesting and may seek of a small turning point in North Korean press freedom is the parody film they made of Gangnam Style that was created in July by South Korean performer Mr.Park.

North Korean Parody Film

This video that North Korea released has a photo of the conservative South Korean presidential candidate Park Geun-hye’s face transposed on it. The lyrics on the bottom of the screen have Park Geun-hye defending his late dictator father, Park Chung-hee.

 

Sources:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322457/Korean-Workers-Party-KWP

http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2011/08/24/park-geun-hyes-balancing-act-on-north-korea/

 

Post Made By: Ana Goldberg