Nothing to Envy is an incredible book by the LA Times Beijing bureau chief Barbara Demick. This book chronicles the lives of several North Koreans, as they struggle to survive the famine of the mid 90's (a famine which claimed the lives of millions of North Koreans). Many of them end up sneaking across the border into China, and then later make their way to South Korea.
North Korea, because it is so mountainous and cold, lacks adequate farm land to feed its population. This was not a problem during the Cold War, because the Soviets helped make up for food shortages. That all ended after the Cold War was over. The timing couldn't have been worse. In the subsequent years North Korea endured a severe famine, and, because of it's closed-door foreign policy, received very little assistance from the outside world.
The perversion lies in the fact that the government, instead of getting help, continued to stay isolated, and continued to try to brainwash its people into thinking that everything was fine. This book is the story of North Korean patriots who, through the course of the famine, become totally disillusioned by how backward their country is. Through guts and bravery, they journey to the northern border, cross into China, and ultimately find refuge in South Korea.
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North Korea
07/31/2012 03:19 AM
#1
North Korea
London Ooops:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--north-korea-women-s-soccer-team-delays-match-after-south-korea-flag-error.html
New leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-en caught quite a lot of attention recently. For example:
- He removed Ri Yong-ho, his military mentor, designated by Kim Jong-Il before he passed away.
- Kim appeared in public with his wife, who has never been introduced in the past.
- He visited a Disney theme park in Pyongyang. There he watched a performance, and went on rides.
It will be interesting to see how North Korea develops in the future.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0712/North-Korea-leader-gives-thumbs-up-to-Rocky-Disney-characters-video
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jul2012/kore-j30.shtml
Reply to London Olympics:
Amazing, this shows foreign ignorance. How can the staff make such an ignorant error at a major international event? It's the Olympics!
This also happens to Taiwan. Sometimes, people confuse Taiwan with Thailand. I guess this is part of the US-China Institute's mission - to enhance people's awareness of unfamiliar topics in this increasingly interconnected world.
edited by cfhuang on 7/30/2012
Ching-fen is right about the crazy mistakes people make. In 2006, during a visit by the Chinese Communist Party's General Secretary Hu Jintao, the US hosts introduced the Chinese national anthem by referring to the "Republic of China" (Taiwan's formal name) rather than the "People's Republic of China."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/22/world/asia/22china.html (China's media didn't highlight the problems: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,192622,00.html)
Grenada officials made a similar mistake, playing the Taiwan anthem -- after the Chinese built them a stadium!
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-202_162-2429938.html
I just read an article about North Korea's flooding. Evidently,the rain that China is experiencing is even worse in North Korea. already 88 deaths have occurred and many more injuries. however, the even bigger concern seems to be that the rain is washing away all of the farmland which will make it even mmore diffficult for North Korea to feed its people.
Did everyone see this? Another example of the strict control the Supreme Leader of that country has over its people.
North Korea's team would not take the field until advice/permission from the Supreme Leader back home. Weird.
It seemed not to so much be an issue of national pride, but rather, a concern about what the government's pride issues might be and what action they might dictate.