TheJapaneseare report that Kim il Jong has been beat since 2003 . TheUNthinks North Korea is slipping into a " serious food shortage" ¦ that is have millions of people to go hungry . “ But what does North Korea imagine ? I spent a week ( July 21 - Aug. 1 ) monitoring theKorean Central News Agency , which offer readers the humanity from the vantage point of the North Korean government . Here ’s what I learned :
1. Kim Jong Il is loved around the world (and has the gift baskets to prove it)
Also , " A redolence from the Russian Embassy was laid at the Monument to Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War" on July 25 . KCNA did not cover what other bouquets arrive for Kim Jong Il in the week . The newspaper publisher is circumscribe by space to select the high spot .
2. Korea is under attack from Japan
Since the end of World War II , Japan has surveil a pacifist constitution . They ’ve also had a steady shrinking population of young people who are largely steep in video plot and manga . But harmonise to the North Korean media , that ’s just what Japan wants the globe to believe .
In reality , KCNA divulge , " Japan is making desperate attempt to seize other countries ' district with an aim to reinvade not only Korea but other state around it” ¦ ÂIt is the unaltered wild aspiration of the Japanese militarist to reinvade Asia and dominate the world . “
Of course , this has n’t go unnoticed by the KCNA . " This intelligibly rise that the motion of Japan to snap up Tok Islet [ Dokdo ] , part of inviolable territory of Korea , have reach the phase of its implementation,“ KCNA reported , quoting " a public statement" made by " a spokesman for the History Society of the DPRK.“
3. North Korea caresdeeplyabout South Korea
KCNA is unstinting in its coverage of South Korea and its President Lee Myung - bak . From the hoi polloi to their labor union , to their political parties , the KCNA refers to South Koreans as " the Lee Myung - bak group,“ or occasionally , " the chemical group of traitors . “
The newspaper does n’t exactly maintain an objective voice . When President Lee move up a ban on American squawk , an unpopular move that direct to massive demonstrations and candle - lit vigils in Seoul , KCNA offered this analysis :
" The woeful place create by the chess opening of south Korean market to American beef is a ware of the U.S. arrogant and high-pitched - handed acts to force unconditioned subservience and meekness upon the south Koreans and , at the same time , a born outcome of the Lee group ’s treacherous policy . “ KCNA retain , " This clip the U.S. forced south Korea to open up its mart to American squawk by using its colonial laughingstock who have neither primary national scruples nor an smidge of self - admiration . It is as clear as midday that it will bring full-grown ill luck and sufferings to them in the sidereal day ahead . “
4. The U.S. regularly forgets our anniversary
Did you make particular plans on July 27 ? North Korea did . It was , after all , the fifty-fifth day of remembrance of the Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War . But if history gives North Korea lemon , it make lemonade .
" The 55th day of remembrance of the victory in the outstanding Fatherland Liberation War was significantly celebrated across the country,“ KCNA wrote . " Amid the playing of song such as " ˜Our General Is Best ' and " ˜General use the Art of Compressing Space ' the player in the parties sky-high trip the light fantastic toe with the tone of gratitude to General Secretary Kim Jong Il , the peerlessly illustrious commander who has sagely led the anti - imperialistic , anti - U.S. confrontation struggle with the great Songun politics . “
" When the war recrudesce out , the world community vex whether the about two - year - old DPRK would hold out the aggression of the U.S. imperialist who had been lofty of " ˜having won ' more than 110 wars . But it find marvels from the first days of the war,“ KCNA ’s insurance coverage continued . " The KPA made a bright accomplishment of liberating Seoul , the bulwark of the enemy , within three days follow the start of the war.[Kim Jong Il ’s ] strategy and tactics were all unique , that could not be conceive with existing military cognition and rule . “
5. North Korea has Impeccable Manners
Meanwhile , " the Central Committee of the Workers ' Party of Korea sent a subject matter of greetings to the National Executive Committee of the People ’s Democratic Party of Nigeria on the occasion of its tenth instauration anniversary . “Â And " Kim Yong Il , premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK , on July 24 sent a congratulatory message to Tillman Thomas upon his assumption of office as Prime Minister of Grenada . “
6. North Koreans enjoyed the lazy days of summer
No less committed to pervade local coverage than in its unforgiving bashing of South Korea , Japan and the United States , KCNA divulge that " folk sports and amusement games" were held at the Taesongsan Pleasure Ground on July 30 " on the occasion of the 62nd day of remembrance of announcement of the Law on Sex Equality . “
The following day , the world learned , via KCNA , that " the Okryu Restaurant on the cant of River Taedong flowing through Pyongyang has been update to beseem the modernistic aesthetic horse sense while preserving its original look . “
And on a light note , KCNA report that " water sporting activities are brisk in the DPRK in the July - August month for water sport . The ocean washup resorts , swimming puddle and jam places across the body politic including the recently facelifted Majon Recreation Ground and newly built Sariwon overt - air Swimming Pool are crowded with working masses and schooltime youth and tyke these day . “
7. They’ve kept a dying language alive
With one of the guess 7,000 world languages disappear every two weeks , you have to be impressed by a people that manages to keep one of them , not only alive , but flourishing . I do n’t think of the Korean language . I mean the particular accent introduce by V.I. Leninand which is now used only by North Korea ’s drawing card and a handful of others around the existence :
" Shortly ago , the tool minister of Defence of south Korea at a session of the " ˜National Assembly ' openly let loose malignant and heedless remarks labeling the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea " ˜biggest primary enemy ' " ¦
" The puppet defence minister ’s late fiddle-faddle can not be construed otherwise than an undisguised treachery of get against the desire of the nation for rapprochement , one and reunification and the drift of the times as it revealed once again the dependable colour of the Lee Myung Bak group” ¦ “
It ’s wild stuff . But after a calendar week of monitoring the Korean Central News Agency , I realized this is far tamer than most of what I find on the net .
David Holzel does n’t speak Korean , but he does know a smattering of Marxist - Leninist . you’re able to read more of his writinghere .
