Introduction
In 1953, North Korea emerged as a Stalinist state after the Korean War. Kim Il-sung, first leader of North Korea, remodeled the nation according to a new ideology he developed called Juche. “Juche is a radical nationalistic ideology promoting autonomy”(LNK, 2015). This ideology is a core principle in the creation of the regime and has heavily influenced the decisions of the regime in today’s society. Currently, the North Korean regime is controlled Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, grandson of Eternal President Kim Il-sung. The current policies of the regime reinforce the nations autonomy by isolating the nation from the rest of the world and implementing self-sustaining practices. These self-sustaining practices have been detrimental
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In the late 1990’s, North Korea experienced a severe economic collapse, which left the nation unable to feed its civilians (LNK, 2015). During this time, the food available was reallocated to the Core class, leaving the wavering and hostile classes with out food. Estimations report, “ One million, or 5% of the population died from malnutrition” (LNK, 2015). The regime affirms the belief in self-sustainability; however, the current population growth rate of the lower and middle class will not support the regime indefinitely. The growth rate of the regime is heavily influenced by the malnutrition and human rights abuses occurring within the regime. Thus, if the regime wishes to continue, it will need to consider implementing more humane practices and improving the quality of life for the middle and low class North Korean …show more content…
For decades, the North Korean government has prioritized military expenditures over the needs of civilians. Currently, the North Korean government primary focus is building a nuclear weapon program. Kim Jong-un’s 2017 new year's address, “focused on building a nuclear missile capable of reaching the United States” (Pasick, 2017). This has been the regime's goal since 2011; however, two nuclear tests conducted in 2016 revealed the progress and capabilities the program has reached. While the program may be advancing, the quality of life for North Korean civilians continues to regress.
The 2016 Freedom House Report ranked North Korea the fourth worst state for political rights and civil liberties. The current regime has continually suppressed the population’s civil liberties and has enforced them through, “public executions, arbitrary detention, and forced labor” (HRW, 2017). As a result of these human right atrocities, in 2016 the Obama Administration placed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a list of sanctioned individuals. The North Korean government responded to the sanction by, “ informing Washington that they had ‘crossed the red line’ and effectively declared war on the United States” (AP, 2016) While the tensions between the United States and North Korea are growing, there is little indication that United States or United Nations led sanctions will improve the treatment of North Korean
In the book Northing to Envy, Barbara Demick describes North Korea as an undeveloped country. “You can see the evidence of what once was and has been lost…” (4,Demick) The North Koreas aren’t up to the modern world and still haven’t learned that all humans need rights to be happy. Many aspects of human rights are broken in North Korean society that affect the people negatively, making them feel violated.
One of the security challenges facing the United States (US) is the US and North Korea relations. The US policy toward North Korea is diplomatic yet firm. North Korea is our longest standing adversary. Policy toward North Korea is one of the most enduring foreign policy challenges. In this essay I will discuss the security challenge of U.S. and North Korea, the theory of international relation, realism, how it illuminates this challenge and how the instruments of
The research has shed light on the corruption of the North Korean government and the reign of ruthless leaders such as Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il. The politics of North Korea have been questionable at best in the nation’s history. Finally they are making progress to renew laws that better fit into North Korean society, but the process is slow. Change does not come to North Korea quickly.
The world is not a perfect place. It is filled with disease, poverty, war, and corruption. The amount that these aspects take over the everyday lives of citizens is what separates corrupt states from non-corrupt states. North Korea is one of the most corrupt nations in the world falling behind only Somalia. The transfer of power in the nation to Kim Jung-un following the death of his father, Kim Jung-il, has resulted in no cure for this corruption and more so even worse circumstances. This unbelievable corruption in North Korea under the Kim Jung-un regime is able to persist because of the characteristics of the nation’s rule of law, limited government, regulatory efficiency, and open markets where it is ultimately a part of the fabric of
North Korea’s brutal prison camps, little freedom, and nearly no hope for refugees are challenging to stop. Considering North Korea’s treatment of their citizens, they are easily the center of attention as far as world human rights abuse. While neither war nor peaceful negotiations seem like effective ways to stop North Korea’s abuse, world citizens can be aware of the terrible abuse happening around the world and take action to stop similar events from happening in their
Although most governments put positive spins on things, normally, they would at the very least give us a glimpse of the truth. North Korea doesn’t do that. Finally, Demick concludes that The citizens of North Korea aren't treated the way they should
Our homes are often berated and subject to inspections to insure mandatory portraits of our leaders are in good condition. Homeowners with portraits found to be “improper” often face arrest, execution, and torture. We live amongst the most rights repressing government in the world and we will no longer support it. Political and civil rights are nonexistent. Those critical of the Kim’s are executed. We have fearfully followed the strict restraints set in place by the government for far too long. It is the government's duty to bestow the right of free will upon its people, yet it has failed. They rely on methods of intimidation to control the people's will. (“North Korea” ❡1; “World Report 2015: North Korea” ❡4; “North Korean Defectors Building an army to topple Kim Jong-Un”
There is no disbelief that the United States has had historical conflicts with North Korea’s dictatorial leaders. Currently there have been passing threats from North Korea’s dictatorial leader Kim Jung Un to US president Donald Trump. Using current international approaches to the North Korean nuclear problem-solutions are based on the logic of crime and punishment. “According to this approach, North Korea’s crimes – possession of nuclear weapons and violation of UN resolutions – must be punished through forceful, comprehensive sanctions. Such sanctions, the thinking goes, will cause so much discomfort in the North that the regime will be at risk of collapse and Kim Jung Un will be compelled to choose denuclearization (Moon, 2016, pg. 343).” Policy makers ideally want to ensure that foreign policy is perfected to the best of their knowledge and that national security is performing to the best of their ability. “America’s main motive has always been denuclearization in line with its nonproliferation policy, especially after post 9/11 security concerns (Petrželová, 2017, pg. 10).” To avoid similar events to 9/11 posed by North Korea, policy makers should allow counterterrorism tactics to be executed as thoroughly as possible. The protection and safety of US citizens should always be a top priority for government agencies and policy makers. Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s
George Orwell’s 1984, gives readers a glimpse of what it would look like to have a future with a totalitarian government. A future where one person will control everybody through manipulation and fear. These types of governments continue to exist in certain countries today, one of them being North Korea. North Korea’s government is similar to the Party in 1984, in which their government is a totalitarian dictatorship where Kim Jong Un, their singular leader, controls everything. Both governments in North Korea and 1984 are led by dictators, “Big Brother” in 1984 and Kim Jong Un in North Korea, who are similar in many ways. Their similarity is due to the various techniques they use, which include mind control, propaganda and deprivation of freedom. It is clear that both governments use a variety of different methods of manipulation to control to their citizens.
The Secret State of North Korea offered a great look into what basic things North Koreans are lacking. Even within the realm of Communism. Lack of freedoms, lack of food, lack of community, lack of trust, lack of a social society, lack of programs for children, lack of equality, and a lack of information. When Kim Il-Sung created North Korea, the government was based on Marxism and Leninism, called “Juche.” Just as the Soviets, the North Koreans followed suite with massive inequality between the government officials and the common people. The documentary showed its viewers what the government is omnipresent in the everyday lives of its people, so much so that recordings of daily life are illegal, and “random” searches take place commonly.
The government claims that citizens get the full amount of basic rights and claim that DPRK has the best rights in the world ( Federal Research Division, 172-175). Contrary to what they said, the DPRK is one of the most repressive governments on the face of the earth. Their constitution claims that they get freedom of religion, speech, press, and more ( 175-176). The North Korean government instead ignores every single word in their own constitution (United Nations Human Rights Council 3). The Supreme People’s Assembly meets only once a year ( Federal Research Division, 175-176). The current state of modern North Korea is based off the policy of aggression, fear, and governmental brainwashing. (Daily Mail Reporter). North Korean citizens can and will be placed in a labor camp if they do anything that goes against the regime (“North Korea”). Not only can North Korean citizens get placed in a labor camp for going against the regime, but foreigners can and will be placed in a labor camp for committing that crime, too (David Brunnstrom). In the North, the government boasts about many of their so-called achievements and superiority over the others. Their media constantly shows how plentiful and how powerful the country is (“Kim Jong Un's New Year Address”). Videos and images of industry, food, technology, and stocked stores picture the country as a perfect
The country of North Korea has long been under the watchful eye of not only the United States but also the United Nations for many years over concerns of it nuclear weapons program but now, they are being looked at for an entirely different reason. Recent reports about the inhuman treatment of an estimated 200,000 North Korean citizens in the countries six political prison camps are been closely looked at. These reports show the mistreatment, starvation, and even unlawful killing of North Korean citizens from everything from owning a Bible to watching soap operas.
Understanding how North Korea as a country defines itself in a changing world. Where do they derive their customs and practices, political standings and military power? Define North Korea’s history leading into the modern age and define its culture and characteristics and how they interact with the world today. Understanding a subject as broad as the term culture begins where the culture began with the birth of civilization and the people that influenced it. There are many factors that play a role in the shaping of a nation none so much as turmoil and conflict and the Korean peninsula saw its fair share for the better part of a millennia. A complete statistical breakdown of North Korea shows a struggling nation that strongly depends on
Back in Washington, President Clinton’s administration concluded that North Korea was reviving their nuclear missile program and demanded access to the suspected facilities being built. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, granted access to multiple locations to U.S. officials for inspection of facilities in exchange for financial aid and food (Hathaway & Tama 724). North Korea’s negotiation for aid from the U.S. does not come as a surprise for the simple fact that citizens living under the supreme leadership of Kim Jong-un live in absolute poverty. Although the state-run government experiences hardship by trying to provide an adequate supply of food for citizens; the government spends a huge sum of money to maintain a large military force.
North Korea appears on the international stage as a country existing beyond the world we all know. It isolates its citizens from the rest of international community and does not obey any rules determined by international law, but requires respect and recognition. Moreover, North Korea is one of the countries that remains aggressive towards its neighbors and applies various terrorist techniques, i.e. illegal contraband, political terror and mass abductions of other countries’ citizens in its foreign policy. The reasons for which the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) behaves so unpredictably and irrationally are diversified. First of all, the DPRK as a country is managed very irrationally – regimes of Kim Il-sung and