christianity is considered as political crimes in north korea
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Library Research PaperFinal requirement for English 2TRANSCRIPT
CHRISTIANITY IS CONSIDERED AS POLITICAL CRIMES IN NORTH KOREA
Medina, Nara Nayl D.
2012-97947
BS Food Technology
G-5R
Thesis Statement: Religious activities such as reading the Bible, sharing the world of God and others that are
associated with Christianity are considered as political crimes in North Korea because it challenges the ideology of
the Kim dynasty.
Long before the division of Korea, it suffered a lot from being invaded by powerful countries such as
Russia, China and Japan. Although Korea was conquered many times by China, it gained benefits from the invasion
for it received most of its culture from the said country. Japan, on the other hand, invaded Korea for more than once
and held its territory for long periods of time. Eventually the Japanese occupation ended in 1945 (Latourette, 1964).
According to Latourette (1964), the separation of Korea happened after World War II. It was divided into
two: the south and the north. The south became Republic of Korea which was recognized and assisted by United
Nations and United States. While the north made ties with Russia and the People’s Republic of China and became
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPKR).
The Communist Party governed DPKR but only a small fraction of the population joined in 1962. Within
one year of existence, the most prominent leader was Kim Il Sung (Latourette, 1964). The success of Kim Il Sung in
gaining power and control over North Korea through communism is because of three factors which include ability,
luck and timing. Being intelligent yet ruthless and having an extreme commitment are the traits of a communist
leader that Russians saw in Kim. With these characteristics, he gained the support of the Soviet Union and achieved
his goals easily (Scalapino and Lee, 1972). There are many times he had been challenged, but he had always won
out over his opponents. Despite all the hindrances and interference, he survived through all these and manage to gain
the trust of hundreds of thousands North Korean people.
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More than 60% of North Korean population is nonreligious due to the reason of the country’s official state
of being atheist (Safra and Yeshua, 2002). However, there are still religious practices that survived despite the
suppression. These religious practices that still exist in North Korea are Christianity, Buddhism and Shamanism. In
Buddhist temples, religious practices are done secretly because it is handled by the Korean Worker’s Party and are
preserved as heritage sites for tourist attractions. Shamanism, on the other hand, is a traditional folk belief which is
widely spread in North Korea. It is a practice of fortune-telling which is operated semi-openly since many officials
believe in them. Both Buddhism and Shamanism are considered as superstitions that do not threaten the ideology of
Kim dynasty. However, Protestant Christianity that has been associated to South Korea and previously linked to
American imperialism is regarded as the main rival of the deification of Kim (Hawk, 2008).
DPRK constitution stated that citizens shall have the freedom of religious belief and have religious liberty.
Nevertheless, the government still refuses to respect this right. It is strictly prohibited to be involved in any religious
activities. Only those religious groups that are sponsored by the government are allowed (Joyce, et al., 2009).
Suppression from religious freedom is clearly seen in North Korea and the condition is not acceptable.
Religious activities such as having contact with religious groups in China or worshipping in other groups
that are not approved by the government can be considered as political offenses and crimes. Preaching, possessing
and distributing Bibles and other religious books, sharing one’s faith with others, evangelizing, engaging in
missionary activities, and converting to Christianity are some of the activities that are strictly prohibited (Hawk,
2008).
People who are caught being engaged in these kinds of activities are recognized as political offenders and
are punished by the government. There are corresponding penalties to these political offenders and it is not easy to
escape. Some of the penalties include imprisonment in political camps, torture, brutal interrogations, inhumane
conditions in detention and execution (An, 1995).
People living outside North Korea have limited access and knowledge of what was really happening inside
because North Korea is the most secretive, closed and strictly controlled nation in the world (North Korea, 1977).
No one is allowed to freely leave North Korea, therefore, most information and stories are from the testimonies of
defectors and refugees. The officials on South Korean Intelligence once claimed that there are political camps
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existing inside North Korea and many prisoners are serving life sentences. Information regarding these is confirmed
by the North Korean defectors and by the photos taken by the US during their investigation (Degenhardt, 1983).
Political camps are managed by the state security department where suspected political offenders are sent to
be punished and do labour. These camps consist of numerous prison labour colonies and are found in the north
eastern and central North Korea. The conditions inside these prisons are harsh and life threatening. Many prisoners
die because of illnesses, torture, starvation and accidents (An, 1995).
Once suspected as an offender, three generations of the family of that individual will be arrested and
imprisoned in the camps. The North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Chong Il both embraced the application
of the three generation punishment of the family of the individual who committed a mistake (An, 1995). Prisoners
who are guilty are deported to political camps with their parents, children, siblings, and even with grandparents and
grandchildren without any conviction and imprisoned for the rest of their lives.
A former guard in one of the political prisoner’s camp who was also a defector, An Myong Chol, witnessed
many inhumane treatments of inmates in the camp done by DPRK authorities.
An Myong Chol (1995) says camp inmates are slave laborers. The sole reason the inmates are not
killed in the first place is to “squeeze work out of them”. Maximum security were created to provide
inmates the least amount of nourishment required to sustain life while working them like slaves until they
die.
Said Mr. An (1995), “North Korea exploits its 200,000 inmates to make products it then
distributes to the general population. In fact the internment camps produce about 40% of North Korea’s
farm products, mostly corns, and 40% of its coal.” (An, 1995, Introduction Section, para. 1-4)
According to An (1995), most of the inmates have a height not more than 5 feet due to the over working
since they came in the camp. The inmates have been hit so many times causing cuts and scars in their faces and
entire body. Most have deformities such as having no ears, crooked nose, and blind eyes that resulted from beatings.
In Camp 22 where he trained as a guard, there are almost 2,000 inmates that are still working despite missing some
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of their limbs. They are not treated as humans. If the inmates do not follow all the camp regulations, they are sent to
detention barracks and forced to shave their head. They are provided with corn and small amount of salt for their
everyday meal. All inmates in the barracks die because of lack of nourishment.
Execution is another harsh way of punishing the inmates. Even though he has not witnessed an execution
personally, An (1995) confirmed based on what he heard from others that public executions were not allowed.
Executions were conducted under tight security. Some of the worst executions in women are cutting off their breast
and sexual organ. Other inmates were knock out by hitting their heads with hammer, cutting out internal organs
using knives or beating them with clubs until they were dead. These executed inmates were used as feeds for wild
animals. An (1995) verified these execution stories because the people conducted the executions themselves told
him.
Due to the harsh punishments on political prisoners, many inmates attempt to escape the political camps.
Even those who were not suspected as political prisoners attempt to leave the country. China is the nearest place to
escape from North Korea. Some refugees who flee to China are converted to Protestants and engaged themselves in
religious activities. National Security Agency (NSA) and Public Security Agency (PSA) are surveillance agencies
who are in charge of recognizing, finding and arresting political offenders, illegal religious groups, and foreign
spies. Even though shortage of food may be a reason of why North Koreans escape the country, NSA does not target
these people. They arrested refugees who escape to become religious believer or attempts to go to South Korea.
People who escapes the border are forced to go back to North Korea and upon returning they are severely punished
(Hawk, 2008). As of late 2004, the North Korean government takes a step forward on the prevention of the border
crossers that leave the country and increases their punishments (Human Rights Watch [HRW], 2007).
Inhumane treatment of people in North Korea which include public execution, torture and forced labour are
considered as abuse to human rights. There are also political prison camps existing in the grounds of North Korea
wherein the prisoners are deprived from their freedom of speech. The failure of the government to protect the
citizens lead to the decision of South Korea on supporting a resolution of United Nations that disapproves the
records of human rights in North Korea. The government of North Korea denies the accusations of violating the
human rights in political camps. They claim that the accused inhumane treatments of the inmates are prohibited by
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the law. Based on the testimonies of the defectors and refugees, the treatments inside the political camps are
opposite to what the North Korean government stated (Jeffries, 2010).
The government persecuted religiously active people particularly Christians ever since the foundation of
the North Korean state. Christians were seen as tools of anti-North Korea counter-revolutionary imperialist
aggression. One of the most important reasons why the government of North Korea repressed organized religious
activity and considers this as political crime is because it challenges the ideology of the Kim dynasty (HRW, 2007).
According to Abercrombie, Hill, and Turner (1980), ideology is a belief that is classified in different kinds
depending on a specific society where it was developed. Ideology exists in North Korea. The main subject of
ideology is none other than their Great Leader Kim Il Sung.
Kim Il Sung, being a communist leader, declared that there should be no other belief than the ones
described in Juche ideology which contains his writings, speeches and principles used by the government to justify
the practices of his policy (Cornell, 2002). The main basis of education of children and adults are the ideal
statements and scriptures made by their leader. Students in school are forced to learn KimIlSungism and Juche, the
self-reliance philosophy of Kim Il Sung. This is to ensure loyalty to the leadership as well as agreement to the state’s
ideology and authority (Hawk, 2008).
Despite the state-sponsored religious organizations, much more attention was paid to the personality cult of
their leader. Personality cult of Kim Il Sung is widely accepted in North Korea. They even spent the nation’s money
for the deification of the leader despite the fact that they are bankrupted because they are indebted in other countries.
They also glorify and honor their leader and address him as the “sun of mankind” (North Korea, 1977).
This cult of personality is very evidently seen on the streets, buildings and houses in North Korea. Kim Il
Sung Institute of Revolutionary Ideas is located in every village in which attendance is mandatory. Not being able to
attend the Institute means political consequences. The Institute is a place where learning activities about Kim Il
Sung and his family are held. Displayed in the walls of the Institute are the history of life and portraits with slogans
of Kim Il Sung and his family (Hawk, 2008). The mother who gave birth to the Great Leader Kim Il Sung, was
considered as a heroine. The principal topic of North Korean literature is his speeches, memories and policies (North
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Korea, 1977). Portraits, statues, monuments and propaganda posters of the leader are seen in the streets, schools and
public buildings. Hanging of portraits of Kim’s family is compulsory in every household. The purpose of this is to
remind people that Kim Il Sung is their god and they depend on him. They bowed before these portraits and thank
the Great Leader for all the blessings they received (Hawk, 2008). Songs describing Kim Il Sung as the saviour of
the country and redeemer of each citizen are sung during public events (Bong, 1973). The birthday of the leader is a
major holiday in North Korea. Communist party officials make sure that all people bow and lay flowers under the
statue of Kim Il Sung (An, 1995).
The widely spread cult of personality of Kim Il Sung was the reason why the current leader chose his own
son as his successor. During 1977, there was a report about the successor of Kim Il Sung which says that the current
leader was preparing his 36-year-old eldest son, Kim Chong Il to be his successor. If this happens, then hereditary
rule in a Communist country will be first seen in North Korea. The reason why Kim Il Sung wanted his successor to
be his son is because he wants to make sure that his name and reputation will not be ruined, the policies he started
will be continued and his position will be entrusted to someone he trusts (North Korea, 1977). If his successor will
not be his son or any blood related relatives, the personality cult that he started would not last that long.
Due to the powerful ideology of “the great, wise, respected and beloved leader” Kim Il Sung, he makes
sure that nothing will cause a threat on what he had started. He appointed his son as his successor, believing that in
doing so, his personality cult will continue under the same blood (North Korea, 1977).
The testimonies of defectors and refugees confirm that human rights and religious freedom are repressed in
North Korea. Being engaged in any form of religious activity is regarded as political crime and suspected as a
political offender will lead to considerable consequences such as torture, execution and mistreatment inside the
political prisoner’s camp. Due to the repressed human rights, North Koreans attempt to leave the country and cross
the borderline. However, security agents from NSA and PSA are arresting North Korean refugees who had been
converted to Protestant Christians while in China and spread religious activities in North Korea. This activity is
regarded as a threat to Kim Il Sung ideology. It is believed that South Korean and American agencies are behind the
continued growing of Protestantism. They assumed that Christianity is the main subject which challenges the
KimIlSungism, the one and only ideology (Hawk, 2008).
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Religious freedom is one of the human rights and North Korean government fails to fulfil its duty to
comply with this right. North Korea may be a secluded nation but it does not mean that they have the right to abuse
people. A former government official once said, “The only reason the North Korean system still exist is because of
the strict surveillance system.” (Hawk, 2008). The condition of North Korean people is of this kind. They opened
their eyes to this kind of reality and were struggling to survive in a country which is like a prison without bars.
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