Corée du Nord - AtlasBig.com
coree du nord atlasbig com

North Korea’s Silent Struggle: Isolation, Human Rights, and the Hope for Change

Last updated:

Since I’m currently on exchange in Seoul, I’d like to share with you a summary of a lecture given by Sokeel Park at Yonsei University. The PSCORE-Yonsei club invited him so that its members could learn more about the North Korean regime and its abuses.

Sokeel Park is the South Korea Country Director at LINK. Liberty in North Korea (LINK) is an international NGO that helps North Korean refugees escape, empowers them to be changemakers, and changes the narrative on this issue. They rescue and resettle North Korean refugees in South Korea and the US. It also raises awareness of human rights issues in North Korea through media, research, and tours.

Korean-British activist wins British royal order for helping North ...

North Korea versus South Korea: a different narrative

Mr. Park began by asking the question: what do you think when you hear North Korea?

The answer that most people give is Kim Jong-un. If you type this question in a search engine, you are going to find multiple pictures of the North Korean supreme leader, news articles about the geo-political tension, and the nuclear bomb. This portrait of North Korea is the one being relayed by almost all of the mainstream media, but we tend to forget that North Korea is not just a dictatorial regime. It is a country with citizens and these citizens are the victims of numerous abuses. Their rights are violated on a daily basis.

Kim Jong-un is famous across the world but 25 million other voices are unheard.

Now if you ask the same question for South Korea, you end up with radically different results. Most of them include beautiful landscapes, vibrant colors and recommendations for places to visit. The contrast between the two countries is evident despite them sharing a common history up until the end of World War II.

Nowhere on this planet is there such a difference between 2 countries that share the same border, whether it be on an economic, political, or social level. Here is a little fact to put this in perspective: If South Korea were to work for only half of a single day out of the entire year, their total exports would be greater than North Korea’s exports for the whole year.

North Korea is often described as one of the most isolated countries in the world, both digitally and physically. Cut off from much of the outside world, North Koreans live under a strict regime that controls not just their access to information but also their very lives. For many, looking at planes in the sky evokes a fantasy akin to watching rocket ships, symbolizing an unreachable world. In contrast, South Koreans enjoy full integration into the global community. Hearing someone speak Korean abroad almost always indicates they are from South Korea—asking whether they are from North Korea or South Korea sounds absurd.

The economic divide between North Korea, South Korea, and even China is immense—and it’s growing. As North Koreans gain more knowledge about this gap, particularly with China, they are beginning to ask questions about the failures of their anti-market policies. For decades, both North Korea and China operated under similar economic systems, but China’s move toward foreign investment and market reforms has paid off, while North Korea’s economy has stagnated. This growing awareness among North Koreans is a sign that the population is beginning to understand the limitations of their system.

A Nation Trapped in an Atheist Theocracy

One way to describe North Korea is as an « atheist theocracy. » While the regime officially promotes atheism, its political ideology has taken on the characteristics of a religious cult. Devotion to the Kim family is not just expected; it’s enforced. The state demands absolute loyalty and reverence, taking up much of people’s time with forced participation in state-run events and ideological reinforcement activities.

Human rights issues are deeply ingrained in this system. Torture and abuse are common, with an estimated 100,000 people detained in political prison camps. These camps are centers of brutality where starvation, forced labor, and inhumane treatment are routine.

For those visiting the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, the contrast between the two nations is stark. At observation points along the river, one can see North Koreans going about their daily lives on one side, while just a glance away, the bustling metropolis of Seoul represents a completely different reality. This proximity is a powerful reminder that the North Korean crisis is not an abstract issue; it’s close, tangible, and affects real people.

The Voices of Defectors : Witnesses to Abuse

Defectors who have managed to escape North Korea provide some of the most direct insights into the country’s oppressive regime. One recent defector, who fled just last year, described horrific incidents of injustice. One of his friends was walking with a young woman late at night when a police officer approached. The officer separated the two and, in a shocking abuse of power, raped the woman just a few feet away. In a country where there is no accountability for law enforcement, abuses like this are far too common, with no recourse for the victims.

For children in North Korea, life is marked by the hardship. It’s normal for them to study in the morning and work in the afternoons. The education system is also highly variable depending on the economic status of the students’ families. Many students, especially males, are mobilized for construction projects instead of receiving proper education. Less than 10% of the population attend university and females make up an even smaller percentage.

The Defectors’ Journey : Vulnerability and Hope

For North Korean refugees, the journey to freedom is fraught with danger. Most escape across the Tumen River, which borders China, but a lot of them can’t swim well. Recently though, security has increased significantly on both sides, especially since the rise of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the onset of the pandemic. The typical escape route involves crossing China and Southeast Asia before reaching South Korea, but the risk of being sent back to North Korea by Chinese authorities is ever-present. Over 70% of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea are women, many of whom have been trafficked or exploited during their escape. These women often come from the most vulnerable segments of North Korean society, where gender inequality is rampant. Many older defectors focus on ensuring a better life for their children, hoping to break the cycle of oppression that has shaped their own lives.

Tumen River / main routes for defectors

LINK often organize ceremonies that serve as moments of reflection and hope for the defectors when they reach safety. Since they are a non-religious organization, they need something to get people together and to show empathy. Defectors recall songs from their North Korea Past — propaganda lyrics edited out — providing a glimpse of how they are leaving behind their old life and embracing a new future. These events offer hope, not just to the 1,271 people the organization has helped directly, but also to the children born to North Korean women in China, adding around 100 more to the tally.

Life After Defection

Defectors arriving in South Korea face the challenges of starting over but also the opportunity for a new life. Many are young and start families in South Korea, which is seen as a bright outcome of an otherwise grim journey. Resettlement programs focus on empowering these individuals, with courses in English and other essential skills. Rather than seeing them solely as victims, LINK wants to recognize the role North Korean defectors can play in pushing for progress and change within North Korea.

One of the most significant impacts of these defectors is their ability to maintain contact with family and friends still in North Korea. Some manage to send money back to their relatives, much like migrant workers around the world do. Micro-loans and smuggled information—via USB drives or SD cards—have become lifelines, enabling the flow of information and economic assistance into North Korea. The funds these defectors send back often offset the cost of helping them settle in South Korea, making this process a form of bottom-up marketization in North Korea.

Sadly, Sokeel Park explained that many North Korean defectors whom they had helped settle in South Korea did not live past their sixties. This is another fact that highlights the difference between life in North and South Korea. The life expectancy of a South Korean is around 82 years, while that of a North Korean is 72 years.

Raising Awareness and Enabling Resistance

One of the most effective ways to bring change to North Korea is by breaking the information blockade that has kept its citizens in the dark for decades. Although North Korea’s government heavily restricts access to external media and the internet, there are ways to get information into the country. The key to this strategy lies in developing software to smuggle into NK, as the population already has access to the necessary hardware—smartphones and other devices. What they lack is access to uncensored content.

Defectors play a vital role in these efforts. Having lived under the regime, they understand the obstacles North Koreans face in accessing outside information. They also know how to engage an audience that has been indoctrinated by state propaganda. This makes them essential in creating and curating content that will resonate with North Koreans. The goal is not just to deliver information but to encourage people to share it widely within their networks, gradually eroding the regime’s tight grip on information.

By enabling North Korean (NK) citizens to access uncensored content safely, the world can help them become more aware of the stark contrasts between their own lives and those in other countries, especially South Korea and China. As people inside North Korea learn more about the economic disparities and freedoms enjoyed by their neighbors, they will begin to question the legitimacy of their government’s policies.

Although overt resistance movements are virtually non-existent in NK due to the regime’s overwhelming control, small acts of defiance are occurring beneath the surface. The Pyongyang Language and Protection Act, which forbids speaking in a South Korean dialect, is one indication that the government is trying to clamp down on cultural influences from the South. Speaking in a different way may seem like a minor infraction, but in a society as tightly controlled as NK, even small acts of nonconformity can be powerful. These « weapons of the weak » are micro-resistances that show trends in NK society, revealing the regime’s vulnerabilities.

Additionally, some people who are allowed to travel abroad have begun engaging in subtle forms of resistance. One North Korean, for example, secretly donated to LINK while still inside the NK system, demonstrating the desire for change even among those who remain under the regime’s control.

Amplifying North Korean Voices

One of the most pressing goals in the fight for change in North Korea is amplifying the voices of its people, particularly defectors who have risked everything to escape. These defectors are not only survivors of the regime’s brutality but also powerful agents of change. Organizations like LINK work closely with the media to ensure that the stories of defectors are told accurately and empathetically. By changing how North Korea is portrayed in global news outlets, these organizations hope to shift public perception from seeing North Koreans as passive victims to recognizing them as active participants in their own liberation.

One such effort involves working with journalists to highlight success stories of North Korean defectors. For example, The Washington Post recently featured a piece on defectors who have successfully built new lives in Seoul, showcasing their resilience and potential. Similarly, FT Weekend Magazine published a heartwarming story about a North Korean couple who managed to escape separately and reunite in South Korea, eventually marrying in 2021. These stories humanize North Koreans, showing them not just as statistics or political pawns, but as individuals with hopes, dreams, and the ability to change their fate.

Two North Korean defectors: a tale of secrets, lies and love

Defectors have also created their own media like the Jangmadang Generation documentary. These young defectors are now using platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and books to share their experiences and challenge the regime’s narrative. By giving defectors the tools to tell their stories, the international community can help amplify their voices and raise awareness about the ongoing struggles in North Korea.

The Role of South Korea

South Korea’s government plays a crucial role in shaping how the world addresses the North Korean issue. However, the level of support for North Korean defectors and human rights varies depending on the administration in power. Historically, there has been a lack of consistency in South Korea’s policies toward North Korea. As a result, civil society in South Korea often mirrors the government’s approach, following its lead on how much support is provided to defectors and how much pressure is placed on the North Korean regime.

The current South Korean government has shown a considerable level of support for defectors and human rights initiatives, particularly in helping defectors make the journey from Southeast Asia to South Korea. But for many South Korean voters, North Korea remains a secondary issue, overshadowed by domestic concerns. This lack of consistent voter interest has made it difficult for South Korea to maintain a steady approach to North Korea-related issues.

Conclusion

Supporting the cause for change in North Korea does not require grand gestures; even small actions can make a difference. One of the most effective ways to be an ally is by listening to and learning from North Korean defectors. This means engaging with their stories, whether through books, podcasts, YouTube channels, or interviews. Defectors like Yeonmi Park and Hyeonseo Lee have written memoirs detailing their harrowing escapes, while others share insights into daily life in North Korea through vlogs and social media. These personal stories serve as powerful reminders of the human cost of the regime’s oppression.

While the road is difficult and often dangerous, the courage of those who escape and the efforts of those who support them offer a glimmer of hope for the future of a nation that has long been silenced.

Clara Chassot
Cliquez sur la photo pour plus d’articles !

Sources :

LINK

Yonsei PSCORE

FT magazine report

The Washington Post

Jangmadang generation

Yeonmi Park

Hyeonseo Lee