What do you think of when you hear the word “famine”? Do you think of natural disasters, of unpredictable tragedy, of innocent lives lost? Tragedy and death are inherent to the concept of starvation on a large scale, but the nature of some famines may have as much to do with politics as it does with the environment. What I expected to uncover as I began my research on the 1994-98 famine in North Korea was food shortages on a massive scale as a result of terrible growing conditions, extreme climates, unpredictable and unpreventable circumstances, for the most part. Admittedly, my knowledge of famine was limited to what I knew of the countryside of pre-communist China, where the most sustenance provided by the land the bare minimum was, and any number of external changes negatively effecting growth of or access to crops could equal devastation for entire regions. With that as my frame of reference, I was surprised by the uniquely political circumstances behind the famine in North Korea. The famine that killed 2-3 million in the 1990's was more closely tied to its independence from the southern half of the Korean peninsula it had once shared, to the fall of communism and the Soviet Union, than to any singular natural disaster. The millions that died did so as a result of their government prioritizing its independence over their survival, its budget over their sustenance. North Korea's famine was born of 1950's conflict, fueled by 1990's politics, and sustained by human error and hubris from within.
North Korea is notorious as the “Hermit Kingdom”. Defensive and secretive to the point of paranoia, its history as well as its present conditions remains shrouded in mystery. What little we do know can be murky at best. The central govern...
... middle of paper ...
...ntal to the disaster.
Climate, conflict, isolation, and corruption culminated in millions of lives lost, surely with no small amount of pain and suffering endured. Though international intervention can only help to the degree that authorities in North Korea will allow it, we are not left entirely without recourse. It is too late now to undo the damage of the North Korean famine, and although power has since changed hands, the country remains famously isolated. If, however, we tell the story as best we can, and deny ourselves the comfort of closing our eyes when faced with such a colossal tragedy, then perhaps in the future we find a solution. Silent are the Koreans who perished, and silent still are the authorities that chose seclusion over security. If we wish to prevent this from happening again, we must not let their silence be our silence as well.
Blaine Harden, former national correspondent and writer for the New York Times, delivers an agonizing and heartbreaking story of one man’s extremely conflicted life in a labor camp and an endeavor of escaping this place he grew up in. This man’s name is Shin Dong-hyuk. Together, Blaine Harden and Shin Dong-hyuk tell us the story of this man’s imprisonment and escape into South Korea and eventually, the United States, from North Korea. This biography that takes place from 1982-2011, reports to its readers on what is really going on in “one of the world’s darkest nations” (back cover of the book), that is run under a communist state and totalitarian dictatorship that was lead by Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and currently lead by Kim-Jong un. In Escape from Camp 14, Shin shows us the adaptation of his life and how one man can truly evolve from an animal, into a real human being.
In this paper I will examine both Peter Singer’s and Onora O 'Neill 's positions on famine relief. I will argue that O’Neill’s position is more suitable than Singer’s extreme standpoint. First I will, present O’Neill’s argument. I will then present a possible counter-argument to one of my premises. Finally I will show how this counter-argument is fallacious and how O’Neill’s argument in fact goes through.
Salter, Christopher L., and Charles F. Gritzner. "Introducing North Korea,." North Korea. 2nd ed. New York: Chelsea House, 2007. . Print.
1984 demonstrates a dystopian society in Oceania by presenting a relentless dictator, Big Brother, who uses his power to control the minds of his people and to ensure that his power never exhausts. Aspects of 1984 are evidently established in components of society in North Korea. With both of these society’s under a dictator’s rule, there are many similarities that are distinguished between the two. Orwell’s 1984 becomes parallel to the world of dystopia in North Korea by illustrating a nation that remains isolated under an almighty ruler.
No one would ever think that a small country could create a controversy known the world over, but North Korea has achieved this goal. The North Korean genocide has claimed 2000 people a day and these killings are from starvation and beating. Many people think communism is better than democracy, but it has its faults. For example, North Korea is Communist and whatever the leader’s beliefs, the Communist citizen has to believe. What is happening and what happened is genocide.
The documentary Crossing the Line, encompasses the life of James Joseph Dresnok, an American who defected to North Korea in 1962 and has made the totalitarian state his home. His dreadful childhood and the hardships he faced in life seem to be the driving factors in his decision to defect to North Korea. Director Daniel Gordon takes a neutral stand on Dresnok’s decision, and this enables Dresnok to share his view of North Korea. Although this documentary does not provide a clear cut understanding of the unitary nation, as Dresnok has a very biased view of it, it is enough to conjure up the prevalent political themes that are present in this documentary. Totalitarianism and realism, propaganda, and corruption, are significant political themes depicted in this film.
The beginnings of the starvation are said to be a “biometeorological phenomenon,” however, the British reacted in a sociopolitical manner. Relief from the British government was slow and insignificant. The economic policies that existed were unhelpful and the British Parliament refused to make adjustments to provide for a national disaster. No free food was offered to the starving people as long as there was food for sale.
方玥雯[Fang Yue Wen] (2009). 北韓核武研發與東北亞安全：2002-2007. [The North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons and the Security in Northeast Asia: 2002-2007] in台灣[Taiwan]: 國立政治大學[National Cheungchi University] Retrieved 18 July, 2013 from http://nccuir.lib.nccu.edu.tw/handle/140.119/37029
Moreover, according to the same theory, relations among states are derived primarily by their level of power, which constitutes basically their military and economic capability, and in pursuit of the national security states strive to attain as many resources as possible. The theoretical model explains thus why the nuclear issue has eventually resulted in identifying with a security one, meaning that North Korea main concern is to assure its survivor, its efforts are in the first place finalized at meeting that target and its only means of pursuing it consists of the posing of the nuclear threat. North Korea finds itself stuck in an economic and, to some extent, diplomatic isolation; even though the financial sanctions leading to the just mentioned critical conditions have been caused by the government inflexible, aggressive and anti-democratic behavior, the regime has no other choice than restate and strengthen its strict and, apparently, definitive positions to ensure its survivor, since at the moment any concession or move toward a more liberal approach breaking the countrys isolation could easily cause a collapse of the whole system.... ... middle of paper ...
While in power, Kim Jong-il commanded a military-first political order centered on ideological principles such as juche (“self-reliance”) and gangseongdaeguk (“a powerful and prosperous nation”) that produced a heavily propagandized social discourse (Woo 2014, 118). Until his death on December 17, 2011, Kim Jong-il acted on the belief that military rule would produce an egalitarian democratic order for the people of North Korea. However, the fact that North Korean people continue to endure extreme suffering under the current rule of Kim Jong-un provides a case and point for understanding the global consequences of military autocracy disguised as
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.
North Korea is testing bombs to fire at the U.S. They are causing unhealthy environment issues. Further, cell phones cut off communicate and face to face conversation. Finally, teen suicide is a huge issue; Teens are ending their lives because they don't feel accepted.
“Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and modern market economy with low unemployment [rate], a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world,” -Forbes. A right-wing economy with a blend of governmental policy is the most evident choice for promoting business. This economy fosters individualism and competition while still having governmental regulations on public safety. The economy and quality of life are inextricably linked: a better economic system equates to a better quality of life.
July 27th, 1953 marked the official separation of Korea into its Northern and Southern parts. Since then, in the past 64 years, a hidden refugee crisis has been on the rise. From the end of the Korean War to now it is estimated that over 300,000 North Koreans have escaped the regime (McKay). None of those who have escaped North Korea have done so with ease nor legality as the politics surrounding this refugee crisis control the area with tight relations between nations and varying interpretations of who and when someone qualifies to be a refugee. From the inside of North Korea to outside of its border in China and beyond, this essay will look at those who choose to leave the regime and the legalities and legitimization of those who do. Through a history of
Four million children and a majority of that population has been taken advantage of and stripped from their chances of living life. Living has its benefits, but it also comes with a set of instructions that corrupt our visions.This vision says humans are considered free as soon as they are born, but living ain't free and at times pain is the check that pays. The North Korean government doesn’t give children the opportunities that we all under the UN are supposed to get. Children being treated like criminals for not even committing any source of crimes. The North Korean officials take children under custody to do labor, while in reality humans should be