Last week we asked you to post questions for Jean-Baptiste Kim, president of Voice of Korea, a London-based website that provides information for anyone who wants to learn more about this reclusive country.
You can read the questions we selected to put to Mr Kim, and his answers, after the jump.
In recent US popular culture (the films 'Die Another Day' and 'Team America: World Police', for example), North Korea has served as the all-purpose 'baddie' in terms of the way in which the country and its leaders have been represented as aggressively military and tyrannous. How are the United States and Britain represented in North Korean popular culture? Are there any US or British characters in North Korean films or literature and, if so, what are they like? Is there any differentiation between the USA and the UK in this way?
KatherineH
Mr Kim's response:
We do have similar concepts in our films, cartoons, comics in DPRK. Instead of 'Team America - World Police', we usually describe America as 'Wolf America - World Mafia' and I know that people in Venezuela, Cuba, China, Iran, Russia, Africa, Middle-East, even South Korea share the same opinion with us about how to call USA. We have had very good fun about 'Die Another Day' because I clearly remember that I have proposed the film production to cast our North Korean actors and actresses and filming in North Korea if they want. The production replied me by email (I hope they still do have records about the email communications) that they will continue on a cheaper way, which means, hiring USA born Chinese and South Korean actors and filming at their studios. We have seen the film and could not stop to laugh about the actors' funny North Korean accent. It was very good 'fiction comedy' and I appreciate it. I believe world audiences are not stupid that they will distinguish the difference of the fiction and the reality but I know that many Americans are still confusing between the two concepts because they are watching too much Hollywood films and Hollywood became the reality in US life. It is fundamental US educational problem. However, we do recognize little difference between American and British. For us, Britain is a good friend of America and Iraqis and Lebanese are all witnesses of this fact. It is not my personal judgement but a part of world opinion. Fortunately, North Korean films do not often describe British because we are just busy to criticise America at this time. However, DPRK people are very interested in Britain and its tradition which known as 'advanced democracy', unlikely USA. I hope Britain will act like the reason of the world, instead of the police of the world. That is the way how Britain was (unfortunately, not at this time).
What is our biggest misconception about North Korea, and what is North Korea's biggest misconception about us?
xThadd
Mr Kim's response:
Your question is very short but directly pointing the most important part of problem resolutions. I like it. Your biggest misconception is that you believe North Koreans are all dying under dictatorial state and our leaders are all mad who are war maniacs. Our biggest misconception is that we just ignore your misconceptions (because it is not true for us) and do not openly and publicly communicate with the world that drives the world to misunderstand about us. This is the reason why I accepted Guardian's Q&A invitation without hesitation. What I am saying here today will be all reported to Pyong Yang under my full responsibility. If you are open minded, then politics becomes easy to understand because it is the extended version of human life and the dynamics of politics can be found anywhere just around you. When you see unsmiling neighbour (let's say a gentleman) who never says 'Good morning' to you, you will then instinctively judge the neighbour not a friend or he might be the person you need to watch out. But in some day, if it happens to have conversation with the neighbour, you will be surprised how the neighbour is well educated and polite with tendering considerations about others. The only problem of the neighbour is that he wants to live as he is. It is his nature not too social. DPRK is your neighbour just like him. I admit that it is partly our fault not to vividly have dialogues with the world and this is why I am here today to talk with you. But it will be very hard for you to accept him as a good neighbour if he broke your car windows and never said "I am very sorry" and never gave you money to fix them. USA invaded North Korea already many times since July 12, 1866 until Korean war in June 25, 1950 and they are still threatening us at present time. Japan invaded us since A.D. 399 until 1945 under the Protectorate Treaty issued in August 29, 1910. Japan is still the most hostile nation against DPRK, a lot more than USA in fact. Therefore we do not consider USA and Japan as friends. However, China, Russia, and South Korea are doing good efforts as intermediates - unlikely UK, France and Japan - to prepare cups of tea on the table for USA to talk with us. However, before China got involved in this talk, we have been asking USA 'direct talks' many time for many years since Korean war but all refused by USA because Americans do not want to admit their imperialist behaviours, just like Britain and France do not admit their shameful imperialist history against Armenia, Palestine, Algeria, and many more,,,. It is again up to USA to kick off the table with illogical insistences that make us so angry. I know what USA will ask us. George W Bush will ask us to dismantle long ranged missiles and nuclear arms otherwise he will not remove UN sanctions from our heads. And I know what answer we are going to give him. We will say "Remove US military bases, nuclear bombers, nuclear missiles, and unfair UN sanctions from Korean peninsular first, then we will remove ours". Do you see the impossibility of peace between the two countries?. Yes. This is the reality we do have in Korean peninsular. If you are still in doubt, then watch Bloomberg TV this weekend. The thirty-ninth US president Jimmy Carter will confess all about this subject with Judy Woodruff. Mr. Carter is the witness how George W Bush cheated the world audience and ruined the lives of DPRK people (check out www.bloomberg.com).
Please name 5 advantages of living in North Korea over living in South Korea
Ribieria
Mr Kim's response:
This is very interesting question for me personally. As you are already noticed, I was born and grew up in South Korea but have been working with/for North Korea for many years now. FIRST - In South Korea, if you do not have money, you are a dead person. If you are very sick and need a medical operation, then you must have money to fully pay the medical services, otherwise you are a dead person. Nobody will help you there if you do not have money. The money is the almighty god in the south without any social security and protection for the poor who are the great portion of South Korean population. The situation is all the same in education, housing, retirement, etc,,,. The sons and daughters of the poor will be continuously poor in South Korea because you need a lot of money to go to colleges. In North Korea, medical and educational services are (including colleges) 100% free for everybody since March 1, 1950 and DPRK government never decreased budgets on health care and education even though we were in such trouble in 1990's. The money is good to have in the north but not everything in life. The social security and protection is established since 1950 as a socialist state. The sons and daughters of the poor can rise themselves if they are good at schools. SECOND - In South Korea, there is no political independence. The commander of South Korean Army is still an US general since 1945, the year of Korean liberation from Japanese rules. What is very funny there is that their constitution is describing South Korean president as the chief of the army but this chief has not got the authority of commandership over his own army but US general has it. It is constitutionally independent state but politically colonized under US rules. In North Korea, we do everything we want with our own army under our own political independence. THIRD - In South Korea, the history always repeats itself. Charles de Gaulle who was the president of the French fifth republic purged (means, executed) officers and civilians of the Vichy government, including Philippe Pétain, without mercy who supported NAZI regime against their own fatherland and his historical judgements enabled the new France after the second world war. But South Korean government did not judge Koreans worked for Japanese colonial government against their fatherland and those Koreans are still in power in South Korea as a political party, as large corporations, as medias, as deputies of parliament, as military generals. This is the reason why South Korea is still a political colony of USA because it was USA who forced South Korean government to protect those spoiled Koreans in order to make strategic relations with Japan in the time of cold war. USA needed Japan to confront Russia and China's southward advances through DPRK's land and sea. On the other hand, The general Kim Il Sung of DPRK did exactly the same with what the general De Gaulle did in France. This is the reason why we do have full independence in North Korea with purely clean history. FOURTH - In South Korea, if you are a communist or socialist, you will be arrested and will spend a half of your life in prison. There is no freedom of thought and speech there. As I have spent nearly three decades in France as a citizen of France, I just love French politics and society. France is multicoloured nation where extreme right and extreme left is living together along with right wing and left wing and the middle all at the same time but in peace, and every philosophical difference can be freely discussed as a political expression. Nobody criticise me when I am a socialist or communist in France, unlikely USA. But in South Korea, you must be conservative otherwise your socialist thought and behaviour will be investigated and judged by the state under 'the act of national security' issued in December 1, 1948 which was urged by US Major General A.V. Arnold, the commander of US army in South Korea. Communists or socialists are not accepted in South Korea because these people are against US occupation denying all US standards. I hope you do remember how 'McCarthyism' was in USA under the notorious Smith Act during 1941 -1957. In North Korea, everything is just opposite. We have experimented communism before, and now turned the system into socialism partly adopting capitalist economy, and again we are re-building the social and economical structures into more challenging way of developments. It is obviously not US standard but our own. FIFTH - In South Korea, practically there is no Korean traditions anymore but all American. When you go to South Korea, you will see everything written in English and American culture and civilisations are everywhere even under people's pants. People are proud of eating, singing, enjoying, living, learning, following, and doing everything like Americans. This is what I call 'cultural invasions toward political influences'. In North Korea, everything is just opposite. We sing our own traditional songs, we learn Korean traditional arts, music, architecture, and medicines, we study more about Korea than America / Europe, we speak Korean language more correctly, and we are so proud of ourselves that we are Koreans with an independent history of 5,000 years. This is the reason why I love North Korea even though I was born in South Korea. South Korea juridical abandoned me because I am in love with North Korea. South Korea is threatening me that they will put me in jail if I visit South Korea because I am a non-US standardised socialist who works for North Korea. I can not see my families in South Korea anymore and I can not visit the country even though my grandmother is dying there. Do you think this is what you call 'democracy'? But North Korea does not care if I visit South Korea because it is purely my private matter. Ask South Korean NIS (National Intelligence Service) if what I am saying is true. South Korean embassy is found in your country and they will tell you the truth.
Recognising that people are essentially the same the world over, I wonder if you can suggest if North Koreans would like reunification with the South some day?
davidpbrown
Mr Kim's response:
Did you say if we would like to reunify ? The Korean re-unification program was first proposed by the former leader of DPRK, Kim Il Sung, in October 10, 1980 but South Korea did not accept it under US rules for last 20 years. Kim Il Sung has spent all his life to unify the two Koreas and died in preparations of welcoming South Korean president for a talk. South Korea finally accepted our proposal in June 15, 2000 when South Korea's former president, Kim Dae Jung, was in power. It was always North Korea who asked the re-unification, not the south, and it was always South Korea who denied the re-unification program under US rules, not the north. Both USA and South Korea can cheat people but can not against the history. The history is the witness of our noble efforts of making peace in Korean peninsular, and the same history is telling you how USA cheated world people in this way. We fully allowed South Koreans to freely enter our eastern territory, the Kumkang mountain, and western territory - Kaesung city - where are the most strategic on military purposes. We did this only for achieving the peace between the two brother countries. What so funny is that the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Kim Dae Jung a Nobel peace prize in 2000, not Kim Jong Il, the successor of Kim Il Sung. Is this a joke or comedy? By the way, If you are still in doubt, then watch Bloomberg TV this weekend. The thirty-ninth US president Jimmy Carter will confess all about this subject with Judy Woodruff. Mr. Carter is the witness how George W Bush cheated the world audience on the subject of June 15, 2000 (check out www.bloomberg.com) because himself is the one who visited North Korea on the behalf of the Bill Clinton administration and he is the one who negotiated with our former leader, Kim Il Sung, on the subject of the first DPRK nuclear crisis in 1994. He knows exactly what was going on and he is the witness of the true history. However, the only thing George W Bush knows about is how to cheat people domestically and internationally. This person will be judged by the history and I am fighting for that.
Can you share with the Guardian readers, a joke that's popular in North Korea at the moment?
Possible
Mr Kim's response:
"OH YEAH ??? O.K, LET'S GO BACK TO THE MOUNTAINS"
This joke became popular since Korean war in 1950. It means if we are again invaded by USA, we simply go back to the mountains where we have destroyed US army with our Guerrilla tactics. North Korea is incredibly mountainous country where foreign troops can not efficiently lead war. We still enjoy this joke when USA threatening us and this joke is telling you that we are not afraid of super power because both of us - DPRK and USA - will die all together, not we alone, when the second Korean war breaks out. Unfortunately, there is no possible way of survival under nuclear attacks.
As a French national who was born in South Korea, do you have any doubts about your own understanding of North Korea as it has been represented to you? Do you feel like a propaganda tool?
Dishwasherproof
Mr Kim's response:
I am sure that you are talking about if I am brainwashed by DPRK government. This question is the most frequently received. Unfortunately I am quite intellectual with lots of critical knowledge who is capable of judging others in my own knowledge and intelligences. And I am not a person who is easily persuaded by other's logic as I am well trained by the military before. South Korean secret service, officially named 'NIS' (National Intelligence Service), tried to brainwash me many times for many years but I am still with North Korea on my own will. This is the evidence that I am not brainwashed by DPRK government in paradox. DPRK government treated me as a 'Korean' even though I was from the south. DPRK government did not force me but just showed me how they are. I judged them, analysed them, used my full knowledge and intelligence if what they are saying is true, I studied about them, had discussions with them, and I finally found that there are millions of errors, misunderstandings, confusions, malfunctions of international systems, bad intelligences, poor knowledge about the DPRK in where I was/am living - the western world. I know DPRK's truth, their nature, their history, their tradition, their belief, their culture, and their philosophy. This is the reason why I became the Voice of Korea. USA should have dialogues with DPRK and they must know that the threat is not efficiently working with DPRK according to the nature of North Koreans who are born to be warriors. Thousands years ago and for thousand years, China was the most powerful nation on the earth with the most advanced civilisations but Chinese Sui dynasty collapsed after 4 continued wars during A.D 598 - A.D 614 against North Korea because Sui dynasty lost 302,300 soldiers including huge financial losses in terms of supporting wars. Chungchun river where is just one and half hour away from Pyongyang was filled by the blood of Chinese soldiers. And the Tang dynasty came after the Sui also suffered huge losses against North Korea. The history tells USA that DPRK is not the one they can easily aggress. More dialogues make the world more secure but the dialogues should be fully respected in the diversity, which means, we all need to admit that each country is different, just like each person, with own culture and tradition. If USA intimidates us to follow US standards and their rules - they did to South Korea - then the deal is over. Unfortunately USA is repeating the same faults for last 53 years and this is the reason why I do not trust USA because they look not so intelligent when I see them repeating the same errors consistently over the five decades.
Given the increasing use of illegal cell phones, the small private markets that have opened up, the availability of South Korean films on video, and other small changes in the North Korean society is there a sense that the ruling classes are moving away from Kim Jong Il and preparing for a transition and possible unification under South Korea similar to the East German situation?
platoguy
Mr Kim's response:
You are too much magnifying the story. We are talking about politics, not novels. In October 22, 2006 in Beijing, Chinese government largely celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Great Leap Forward. China is still under communist rule even though its economy is all capitalised. Do you think China's ruling classes are moving away from the communist party and the myth of Mao Zedong in your same logic? And do you think that Chinese leaders are preparing for a transition only reason why China faced capitalist kind of changes? The appearance of small private businesses in DPRK is, in fact, very positive signal that DPRK is now opening the door. Illegal merchandises are found anywhere even in UK, France, and USA and do you want to say that these countries are nearly collapsing only reason why there are illegal trades ? I recommend you go and see South Korea. People in South Korea are eating North Korean foods, listening North Korean songs, watching North Korean documentary films too. Do you want to say that South Korean people are turning away from its government only reason why people are watching DPRK films there? And I already explained about re-unification matter for a reader with ID 'davidpbrown'. People are so funny and paranoiac about North Korea that they believe nothing harmful for themselves is just harmful for North Korea. North Korea is a state, not a boy scout group, just like any other country.
Why is there such inequality in North Korea, even though it claims to be a socialist country? We are told that Kim Jong-Il lives in great luxury while many North Koreans face poverty and famine.
HakSeng
Mr Kim replies:
Who told you that? US government? Do you have any proof or evidence? According to Chinese government's annual report (check out http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/03/eng20050303_175406.html), a great portion of US population is suffering the poverty while the extremely small portion of population is enjoying the ultimate wealth. And according to the recent report of the economist, the situation in UK is similar (check out http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8089315). Why is there such inequality in US and UK ? even though they claim to be the most advanced countries in democracy ? Tell me why. The inequality is not a typical DPRK problem but is the global problem everywhere in our age. People are so funny and paranoiac about North Korea that they believe nothing harmful for themselves is just harmful for North Korea. North Korea is a state, just like any other country. Well,,,, I need to repeat this phrase many times.
Why is there such control on visitor interaction in the DPRK? When I was there we were not allowed to leave the Hotel alone, even for a simple stroll about town. Also when we were walking (accompanied) in the park when we lagged behind some men, previously unknown to us, sternly rebuked us and clapped at us to get back into our group. It lent credence to the overall impression that neither we nor the locals were free to any great extent. I understand that a violent war and an antagonistic relationship with the world's superpower make the situation a little tense but this level of control support the hypothesis that the North is a totalitarian dictatorship. So again why is it so forbidden for locals and tourists to interact freely and casually in such a trivial way? What is there to hide?
DanScott
Mr Kim's response: I am very sorry for the unpleasant experience you have had. But I would like to advise you that when you go to Rome, do as Romans do. There is no need to criticise about that. That's the way how DPRK is. You can not criticise why people are eating meat of horses and land snails in France because that's the way how they are. DPRK is still in very particular situations and the country is a huge military base itself. All citizens of DPRK are soldiers in different services and different levels. This is how we are and we have strong reasons why. We have our own national security problems because Korean war has never been terminated but only temporally stopped according to the war treaty between DPRK and USA in July 27, 1953. We are, in fact, still in war operations everyday as they are. This is the reason why things are still strict there. Does US government allow its citizens to walk through and have funs freely when there are terrorism tensions in NYC or at airports ? When there is political or military or security tension, every country will act like us and the only problem in DPRK is that the tension goes so long already for 53 years since Korean war because of the war treaty in 1953. But I promise you that if you go to DPRK once more but with me, I will comfort you with increased freedom of discovering North Korea. I thank you for your visit to DPRK.
In a world where information in any form is now available instantly and completely, the DPRK has kept its cards closer than ever. Do you believe that, had you been more open with the international community in your affairs, the international community would in kind be more understanding of your situation and not be so quick to label you and your nation as the "universal bad guy?"
FireSpy
Mr Kim's response: I am just sick and tired of hearing what so called 'the international community'. Where is the international community then? It must exist in your concept or on the dictionary only!. What has the international community done when USA invaded Iraq and still killing hundreds of Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians every day, every week? Where are your good neighbours then ? And who are members of your international community? Should I tell you who they are? They are some scared guys (countries without power just like South Korea) who are always scared of US controls and some tough guys (countries with power those are USA, Russia, China, France, UK) who are always threatening other small guys. Do you now want to talk about the United Nations then? which is the spokesman of the United States of America? What has UN done when USA supported Israel was murdering Lebanese and where was UN when USA was/is killing Iraqis? Did you say 'Universal bad guy'? but you need to know that it is, in fact, the nickname of USA. According to the recent statistics released by the Guardian in November 3, the newspaper you are reading now, 75% of British people answered that George W Bush is more dangerous than Kim Jong Il and 69% answered that US policy made the world even worse than before. So then are you a fan of George W Bush?, fortunately I am not.
Is it possible to legally migrate to North Korea? Does the North have a Green Card Scheme, similar to the US and Australia which is open to only the highly skilled like laywers and scientists or is it open to all Imigrants?
MartinBrehmer
North Korea is purely for Koreans. Many Chinese people are living there through out many generations but they are still Chinese in law. But please do not mistake that our policy is not the same with NAZI's blood purism or racial purity. We simply want to live as we are. However, skilled foreign people are all welcome to DPRK with business VISA. DPRK is not an isolated country, unlikely your belief. DPRK is forced to be isolated by USA even though we want to communicate, want to sell and buy, want to share, want to go and see, want to meet the outside world. You do not even know how difficult for a DPRK person to visit Europe. It is even harder than putting your car in the sky. Both European Union and each European country do not easily issue a 'Schengen VISA' for us only reason why USA prohibited. Let North Koreans free to do business and exchanges with all of you. More dialogues make the world more secure.
The recent United Nations Human Rights report on North Korea highlights the government practice of segregating people with disabilities, and of other human rights abuses of disabled people including starvation, the killing of infants with disabilities and the fostering of a national ethos of "racial purity". Please comment.
simonheng
Mr Kim's response: I can not believe how you can say that. Who are you ? and where did you hear the horrible rumours?. Is it yourself who is spreading the rumours over the net? Please email me the evidences of what you are saying to DPRK@VOICEOFKOREA.ORG and I will publish your evidences to the website of Voice of Korea. I said 'evidences', not 'insistences' and UN documents can not be evidences if they do not include clear pictures which are not manipulated. We do have disabled people in DPRK who became disabled while doing jobs in military operations or industrial tasks. We also do have civilian associations and national care services helping these disabled people. The disabled, if they want, can study and work as a composer or musician or painter or anything they want and they are all supported by the state. We do have some abuses of human rights just like your own country and any other country such as India, Pakistan, USA, China, Russia, African countries, Middle-East, and a lot more. I do not understand why the United Nations never talk about the human rights in USA such as human executions, prisoner camps in Afghanistan, East Europe, Cuba, Iraq, South East Asia, nearly everywhere on the earth just like Guantanamo, and their extremely high criminal rates, etc,,,. Did you say 'starvation'? I already explained above for a reader with ID 'HakSeng' how miserable people's life in USA is. Our economy was largely damaged by USA and your good international friends - the western world - because you blocked every financial, economical, industrial transactions and developments of DPRK. And the world communist economy was suddenly collapsed which we used to trade within. If you have knowledge about the communist economy, you can not say that. We are not familiar with the currency economy as we used to exchange materials and services among communist group. We are now learning so fast the new experience which is the currency economy but it takes time to adopt ourselves into the new system but the speed of evolution became so slow because you guys are too much disturbing us with what so called 'Sanctions' for some decades now. And we have suffered huge natural disasters continuously for many years in 1990's and our infrastructures were largely destroyed. I am sure that it is not our fault. You think that we are just doing nothing for our people but, in fact, we are doing so much effort for the nation and its people in miserably forced situations explained above. On the other hand, Do you think the UN is brave enough to confront the almighty USA? I rather prefer to trust 'Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili' (known as Joseph Stalin) than United Nations. The UN is the puppet of USA has nothing to do in fair politics. I am so angry about what you said 'killing babies' as I am a father of three little children myself. Do you think we are all monsters with many heads and snake hairs like Medusa?. We are the creatures of the holy trinity who have exactly the same conscience and the reason just like yourself. I can not believe that this kind of horrible rumours and propagandas are running around the world. This is a typical Chat & Cheat - Trick & Trial tactics of secret services in common. I do not want to be involved in their dirty games and I do not have respects on this kind of horror film.
