-Eric
Posted on 01/11/2007 4:21:44 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
(translator's note: both are residents in Ham-heung, N. Korea; the interview was conducted via telephone; Mr. B was out in China for a visit.)
-- How do N. Korean people view Kim Jong-il?
Oh, you mean 'that kid'(Kim Jong-il)? We don't care. Whenever we see 'that kid', we get mad. When 'Great Leader' (Kim Il-sung) was alive, we received some gifts, free school uniforms, and food rations. However, quite honestly, what has 'that kid' done for us? They always talk about achievements of 'that kid' on TV. It is so infuriating. We won't watch it. Our family turns off TV whenever 'that kid' shows up on it.
People in my age (30's) have some trace of gratitude toward 'Great Leader,' but what do those in teens and 20's have now? Since they were born, they endured starvation and had little schooling. Do you expect them to be loyal to 'that kid'? Frankly, friends around me, and many other folks feel that it is better to have a war than to live like this.
We talk a lot about the (economic) development down south(S. Korea) whenever friends get together for drinks. A friend of mine enviously says that a passenger car down south is the best in the world.
-We hear that N. Korean authorities are tightening control over people recently....
Who is going to obey them these days? People won't follow them even if rations are restored back to normal... How would you control people when you can give them nothing. If they crackdown on business, and take things away as they used to, people in Ham-heung would no longer take it nowadays.
During 'March of Suffering'(translator's note: catastrophic famine in mid-90's,) Ham-heung had the highest number of deaths from starvation. Other regions got (foreign) food aids, but those in Ham-heung got none. As a result, the resentment against the authorities is highest in Ham-heung.
That is why 'anti-Kim Jong-il' slogans were posted at Ham-heung Grand Theater in 2003. According to others, they also planned a mass protest, but the plot was discovered, and ring leaders were all arrested.
- How is your business?
It is so tough. Just about everybody is into business. It is getting harder and harder to make money. Earning 1,000 won now is several times harder than three years ago. However, there is no other way around it. My sister is making a living by running a sewing machine all day to stitch clothes.
- We hear that food situation will get worse due to the nuclear test. How do you manage?
We, common folks, have enough to worry in order to get through just another day. Making ends meet now is already too much.
[Kim Min-seh (originally from Shin-ui-ju, came to S. Korea on 2005)]
Ping!
-Eric
You have the stark contrast between North Korea and South Korea and still there are idiots in the West who believe that capitalism causes poverty and communism is a wonderful ideal.
Unfortunately some of those idiots are now in Congress ...just read Barney Frank's recent tirade about the redistribution of wealth.
HMMM okay ROFL never mind Maybe in few short years LOL!
OHH POOR BABY NOTTTT
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