Vane Magazine Issue 4

Kim Jong-un, nuclear weapons, brainwashed citizens,
these are just some of the things people think of when
they think of North Korea, but there’s much more to the
isolated country than you see on the 6 o’ clock news.
With a heavy focus on war and military, constant surveillance,
forced dictator worship and 6 known concentration camps holding
approximately 150,000 – 200,000 prisoners (40% of which will
die from malnutrition), North Korea is looking more and more like
a modern day Nazi Germany. An estimated 100,000-300,000
people have defected from North Korea since the oppressive regime
took over in 1953 after the Korean War over 60 years ago, with
many of them being seperated from their families seeking refuge
in the USA, Russia, and South Korea. There are a number of
organizations set up to assist in these escapes, as well as aiding
North Korean citizens in need and doing what they can to help the
people’s crisis, one of these groups is a US/South Korean based
organization called Liberty in North Korea (or LiNK). LiNK explained
to us what they do, their goals, and the importance of focusing on
the people of North Korea.
Liberty in North Korea
Starting out as a small group in 2004 to raise awareness for the
people’s crisis, LiNK grew over the years to become one of the
leading groups in the fight for the North Korean people, vice
president Justin Wheeler explains that “Our vision as an organization
is to work with the people to accelerate change in North Korea”,
they achieve this through refugee rescues, resettlement assistance
and “changing the narrative”.
Changing the Narrative
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or an oppressive totalitarian
government) for the past 2 years then you probably would’ve heard
of the 2014 comedy film “The Interview” starring and directed by
Seth Rogen and James Franco. The film follows 2 entertainment
hosts’ journey to North Korea to interview leader of the DPRK Kim
Jong-un (and then assassinate him with orders from the CIA). The
film caused a stir worldwide and even threats of violence from the
war-obsessed country and it’s hot-tempered leader, many believed
it being an effective way of pointing out the ridiculousness of North
Korea’s government and create awareness while others argued that
depicting cardboard cutout fruit stores and a Katy Perry loving Kim
Jong-un could harm the already uninformed public’s perception of
North Korea by taking focus away from the people and creating a
disconnect. LiNK seems to be in the latter of these camps, saying
“Mainstream media has defined North Korea as crazy Kims and
nuclear weapons, which has created a barrier preventing ordinary
people around the world from getting involved”, this people > politics
approach is what makes LiNK a unique cause, with many of their
refugees sharing their stories in TED Talks, LiNK’s Refugee Stories
blogs, and even in their full length films such as ‘The People’s Crisis’
and ‘Danny from North Korea’.
North Korea and the Changing World
Since the death of Kim Jong-un in 2011 and the subsequent change of
leadership to his son Kim Jong-un, there has been a growing change
in North Korea, with mainstream awareness constantly expanding
and technology such as micro SD cards, USBs and small laptops
being so easily available, it is harder for the regime to maintain total
control over the people. The more that the North Korean people
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