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Horrible conditions in North Korea
Essay on human rights violations in the world
Essay on human rights violations in the world
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Imagine all of one's life being taught, being controlled into believing that the way they live is perfect, but in reality, it is just the opposite. Shannon L. Alder once summed this statement up by stating, ”your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in.” Shannon L. Alder is a present day Goodreads author, which she specializes in inspirational pieces and lessons. This quote directly explains the situation in North Korea, and how helpless the North Korean population is to this. To add to this, there are two sources that back up her statement fully, one of which is The Girl With Seven names, written by Hyeonseo Lee. The author wrote this about her life growing up in North Korea and mainly her escape into freedom. Another …show more content…
text that backs this up is “Total Control in North Korea”, written by Jessica McBirney. Jessica McBirney now works at the The Daily Signal, she also is a member of The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program. These texts backup the quote from above in many ways. Mainly, for three main reasons particularly, one of which is that the North Koreans simply do not know any better. Another reason is the government's control of the populations from their haughty leader. The third main reason for how this quote relates to North Korea is because of the perspective aspect, our perspective on North Korea versus a typical North Koreans perspective. These reasons skew the perspective of people depending on what they are exposed to. The controlled citizens of North Korea simply do not know how their country is in reality. To explain this, most of the citizens in North Korea believe they live in the best possible society on Earth.
In the online article “Total Control in North Korea”, by Jessica McBirney, she explain that “North Korea is so cut off from the rest of the world”, (Mcbirney 10). This quote sums up how North Korea urges toward a more reclusive society. Another example of this is in The Girl with Seven Names, by Hyeonseo Lee with David John. In this book, Hyeonseo Lee’s mother believes that staying in North Korea would be best for her. As outsiders (not from North Korea) we see from our perspective that this is a terrible decision that she wants to make because she does not see how poor their society really …show more content…
is. Furthermore, North Korea’s dictatorship is so powerful that most citizens believe the live in the most prosperous society.
The overwhelming Kim dynasty has been ruling now for three generations. They rule by force and by respect, while most of the innocent citizens do not realize this. In the book, Hyeonseo Lee states a fact that she recalls from her childhood, “From the youngest years we associated the Great Lead and Dear Lead with gifts and excitement in the way that children in the west think of Santa Clause.” (Lee 22). This quote shows how children are raised to think of their leader, whereas from an American’s perspective we can see how their insidious leader really is. The citizens for the most part devote their lives to their ruler, which is why they believe there is nothing wrong with their
society. Also, our perspective on North Korea is jurastically different, as a whole, than the typical North Koreans. Most countries (if not all) see North Korea for what their society really is, an overpowering dictatorship that controls the citizens with propaganda in order to make them believe their society is near perfect. Along with that, most countries see the rancor in the citizens that are against the regime, this is because of how hard it is to escape from this lockdown like society. Only some citizens see North Korea from this perspective, but the other citizens can see North Korea from their own perspective. They see a perfect society leaded by the greatest leaders that deserved to praised every single day. North Korea, in reality, has one of the worst societies. “Most North Koreans often experience food shortages and power outages.”(McBirney 13) This shows the effect of North Korea’s independent systems. Many citizens are starving without really comprehending it, this is because they think that they are either starving for their leader, or that their leader wants this to happen. The people are too controlled to understand that their leader is a really damaging dictator. In conclusion, North Korea’s controlling government style ruins the lives of many helpless citizens. Only below half of the population in North Korea is able to see the government from what most other countries perspective, and these citizens are the ones that defect and risk death. These defects seek asylums for safety but only a few are able to completely survive North Korea, one of these survivors is Hyeonseo Lee, who lives to tell her story from her perspective. Many North Koreans only realize how perfect their society is, but from other countries’ perspectives, they are able to see how terrifying North Korea truly is.
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.
Clarice Precious Jones, who goes by her middle name, is a 16-year-old African American female who lives in Harlem, New York. Precious is pregnant with her second child, the first of which is a girl who lives with Precious’ grandmother, has Down syndrome and was born four years earlier. Both of Precious’ pregnancies are due to being raped by her biological father, abuse that began at the age of three. Though she does not see her father often, Precious’ mother, Mary, is also physically, emotionally and sexually abusive to her on a daily basis. Mary treats Precious like a slave, beats her often and emotionally tears her down. Furthermore, Mary is scamming the system for welfare benefits, claiming to care for Precious’ first child and telling Precious that school is not important and will not help her in life so to settle and continue collecting the welfare check.
The Girl with Seven Names is an incredible memoir filled with suspense, drama, and bravery from a young girl who couldn’t even keep her name but overcame every obstacle in her path. After escaping North Korea, crossing China, and finally reaching South Korea, Hyeonseo Lee tells us her passionate story about every experience leading up to her arrival in South Korea, hunger, cold, fear, threats, and other complicated events took place in Lee’s Journey to obtain the freedom she deserved. As a North Korean defector, Hyeonseo Lee delivers an ambitious and powerful story about her escape from North Korea and the struggles to adapt into a completely different society.
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.
The supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il is a cruel leader. He rules his county with an iron fist. The prisons are full of political opponents. His people are kept isolated from the rest of the world. While his people are starving, his army is well-fed.
(migrationinformation, 2008). Citizens of North Korea do not attain the freedom to leave and experience other states. North Korea’s lack of freedom not only affects their citizens but also individuals from other countries in a negative sense, cutting off social bonds as a result. Not having mobility rights is an infringement on their negative liberty on account of the option of immigrating or emigrating not being available to them due to the laws placed by the government. In actuality, citizens “caught emigrating or helping others cross the border illegally are detained” (migrationinformation, 2008).
In a documentary video “Inside undercover in North Korea” by Lisa Ling, the leader of North Korea, which was a dictatorship, was treated like a god. Even though they are isolated by everyone outside of the country, they believe that their leader is their savior and that without the leader with them they can't survive. When they are born they are trained to love their leader without any judgments or any concerns about it. That way North Korea are easily influenced to do what the leaders says to. Just like in the story “Harrison Bergeron”, the society is controlled by the Constitution and also by the United States Handicapper General. They believe that everyone should be equal and nobody should have any higher quality. These societies are a utopian society. These two societies are holding ideas of a perfect
In addition, the leader’s death was around two decades ago, yet there are over 500 statues of him (Bristow). It is remarkable that North Korea’s life and culture are different from South Korea’s. Bristow writes about these cultural differences between the isolated North and allows the reader to compare and contrast with the developed South. It is true that status symbolizes respect and honor for their past leaders, but North Korea’s massive erection of statues – coupled with the belief that the leader is still alive today – is an uncommon idea that is rooted in an isolated and repressive country. In terms of religion, North Koreans believe in Buddhism and Confucianism, whereas South Koreans believe in Buddhism and Christianity. The differences show that both of these countries stand on the opposite sides of the religious pole. North Korea favors a religion that is widely held by the Chinese, while South Korea embodies a religion that is expressed by the West. Confucianism, at its most basic principles, includes a leader ruling over its people, whereas Christianity pushes for individuals in a society to make important decisions. While
North Korea could be described as a dystopian society. For all of its citizens, the Internet is widely monitored and restricted, allowing only limited access. “One could speculate that it is more propaganda about the country, its leaders, or negative coverage about the US.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Rogue states under dictatorial rule threaten the fragile peace, which exists in our modern world. Constantly as a society Americans have always fought against these said foes. However all too often we pass a blind eye to the humanity of the enemies’ civilian populations. For more often than not, those who live within these systems are chronically oppressed. The nation of North Korea is no exception, with “Bing-brother always watching.” The government in North Korea pervades all aspects of life.
In the novel, “The Girls with Seven Names” by Hyeonseo Lee, one can identify the adversity the author encounters, leaving North Korea and discovering the truth about her country. I characterize her as a courageous, smart, independent, and a survivor. Through her book, one can identify the corruption within the government, contrabands, the persistent fear over North Koreans, and importance of someone’s songbun. I really liked this novel because it reminded me of my mom’s experience leaving Guatemala and her experience in the United States.
Throughout the global media North Korea’s isolation and Harsh rule has become increasingly secretive, although some facts have been detected (“North Korea Profile”, 1). According to data collected from The Guardian, eighty-one out of one-hundred people in South Korea have access to the internet, yet in North Korea around .1 out of one-hundred people have access to the internet . Not only is the greater population of North Korea disconnected from outside sources, yet leaders in North Korea are also isolated from outside sources; putting themselves at a disadvantage. North Korea may launch a war, but they are unaware as to what they are up against because of its secrecy . Around one million are serving in the North Korean Army, but when South Korea’s army; combined with the U.S’s army (their ally), the ratio of the North Korean Army is signi...
While individuals from other cultures may be able to rely on neighbors, allies, friends, and family, Myung-hee suggests that Koreans may be geographically, politically, and even culturally situated in a manner that makes it difficult for them to do so. This may be hard to imagine for many people, and even impossible to relate to. While the author offers no "solution," to this problem, this question presents an opportunity for future research regarding geographic opportunities in infrastructure development, political opportunities in strengthening relationships with international allies and neighbors, and cultural studies to further examine the factors that may socially divide and isolate Koreans from even their closest neighbors. Meanwhile, "The Farmers"
To understand this situation more fully, one must be given some background, starting in the early 1950s. Due to the harsh differences between the peoples of Korea, and especially due to the onset of Communism, the Korean War erupted and the nation split in half, with the Communist-supported Democratic People’s Republic in the north and those who favored democracy in the Korean Republic of the south (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000). The two separate countries of North Korea and South Korea went their opposite ways, and each has experienced different fortunes in the past half-century. The South Koreans managed to recover from the turmoil of the 1950s and 1960s to become an economic power and a democracy supporter. On the other hand, North Korea can be viewed as a retro country, based first on a Communist ideology, laid down by leader Kim Il Sung and inherited by his son, the current dictator Kim Jong Il, then evolving into a totalitarian state (Pacific Rim: East Asia at the Dawn of a New Century). Today North Korea holds the distinction of being one of the very few remaining countries to be truly cut off from the rest of the world. Author Helie Lee describes this in her novel In the Absence of Sun: “An eerie fear crawled through my flesh as I stood on the Chinese side of the Yalu River, gazing across the murky water into one of the most closed-off and isolated countries in the world.” (1)