It’s hard to imagine that a country like North Korea exists in today’s world. Over 26 million people live under a strict dictatorship led by Kim Jong-un, who is seen almost like a god by many in the country. He controls everything with absolute power, using propaganda and tight control over information to keep the population in line. This makes it difficult for the rest of the world to truly understand what life is like inside North Korea.
Korea was once a unified kingdom for over a thousand years. However, in 1910, Japan took control, ruling harshly until its defeat in World War II in 1945. After the war, Korea was split into two zones at the 38th parallel: the Soviet Union controlled the North, and the United States controlled the South. By 1948, two separate governments were formed: North Korea, led by Kim Il-sung under Soviet influence, and South Korea, supported by the United States.
The Korean War broke out in 1950 when North Korea invaded the South, aiming to reunify the peninsula under communist rule. The war ended in 1953 with an armistice, but no peace treaty was signed, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.
Kim Il-sung, known as the Eternal President, established an ideology of self-reliance, isolating North Korea from much of the world. His rule was marked by strict control over the economy, heavy propaganda, and a security system designed to eliminate any opposition. This solidified his power and deepened the divide between North and South Korea.
Initially, North Korea experienced some industrial growth, but by the late 20th century, the economy collapsed, leading to a severe famine in the 1990s. Known as the Arduous March, this famine resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of North Koreans. Despite these hardships, Kim Jong-il, who took over in 1994, continued to maintain strict control through intense indoctrination and surveillance.
Many North Koreans have attempted to escape the oppressive regime, with the most obvious destination being South Korea. However, the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two countries is the most fortified border in the world, making escape extremely difficult. Despite this, there have been successful defections, such as the dramatic escape of a soldier named Oh Chong Song in 2017.
Some defectors have tried to escape by sea. In 2007, a North Korean family managed to flee by crossing the Sea of Japan in a small wooden boat, eventually reaching Japan and later settling in South Korea. However, such sea escapes are rare and dangerous due to North Korea’s tight control over maritime activities.
Another escape route is through China, but this has become increasingly difficult due to enhanced surveillance and agreements between China and North Korea to repatriate defectors. Despite these challenges, some defectors have taken extraordinary measures, such as storming foreign embassies in Beijing to seek asylum.
In recent years, the number of North Korean defections has drastically decreased, especially since 2020. This is due to tighter border controls under Kim Jong-un, increased security measures, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to even stricter border closures.
While North Korea has seen some economic stabilization compared to the severe famine of the 1990s, the lack of freedom and ongoing repression continue to drive those who can find a way to escape. Although it’s not literally impossible to escape North Korea, the extreme challenges and dangers make it feel almost out of reach for those desperate enough to try.
Research the methods used by the North Korean government to control information and maintain power through propaganda. Create a presentation that highlights these techniques and compare them to historical or contemporary examples from other countries. Present your findings to the class, focusing on how propaganda shapes public perception and behavior.
Participate in a class debate on the long-term impacts of the Korean War on both North and South Korea. Prepare arguments for both sides, considering political, economic, and social aspects. Engage in a structured debate with your classmates, and reflect on how the war has influenced the current situation on the Korean peninsula.
Write a short story or diary entry from the perspective of a North Korean citizen. Use your imagination to depict daily life, challenges, and hopes within the context of the regime’s control. Share your story with the class and discuss the emotional and psychological impact of living under such conditions.
Analyze a map of North Korea and its surrounding regions to identify potential escape routes for defectors. Consider geographical, political, and logistical challenges. Present your analysis to the class, discussing the risks involved and the reasons why certain routes might be more viable than others.
In pairs, simulate an interview with a North Korean defector. One student will play the role of the interviewer, while the other will act as the defector. Prepare questions and answers based on research about the defector’s journey, challenges faced, and life after escaping. Perform the interview for the class and discuss the insights gained from this exercise.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
[Music] It’s nearly impossible to believe that a country like North Korea exists in the modern world. Over 26 million people are trapped and essentially held hostage by a brutal one-party totalitarian dictatorship. Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, is worshipped by millions as a deity. He rules with absolute power, using propaganda and an iron grip on information to control the population. This leaves the outside world to piece together the harsh reality of life within North Korea’s borders.
The history of Korea leading to the division into North and South is marked by both ancient traditions and modern geopolitical pressures. Originally a unified kingdom for over a millennium, Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910, leading to a harsh period of colonial rule until Japan’s defeat in World War II in 1945. Post-World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into two zones of occupation, with the Soviet Union taking control of the North and the United States taking the South. In 1948, separate governments were established in each zone: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea led by Kim Il-sung under Soviet influence and the Republic of Korea supported by the United States.
The Korean War from 1950 to 1953 followed, with North Korea invading the South aiming for reunification under communist rule. The conflict ended with an armistice in 1953, but no peace treaty was signed, leaving the two Koreas officially at war to this day. But how did North Korea become known as one of the most oppressive dictatorships in modern history? Kim Il-sung, known as the Eternal President, implemented an ideology promoting self-reliance, which gradually isolated North Korea from much of the world, including its former Soviet allies. His rule was characterized by centralized control over the economy, extensive propaganda, and a security apparatus designed to quash dissent. He led North Korea during the Korean War, which solidified his control and deepened the ideological and physical divide between North and South Korea.
After the war, North Korea initially saw some industrial growth, but by the late 20th century, the economy began to stagnate and eventually collapsed, leading to a devastating famine in the 1990s. The famine, also known as the Arduous March, is one of the most devastating periods in the country’s history. The exact death toll from the famine is difficult to determine, but estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of North Koreans died from starvation or related illnesses during this time. Despite these hardships, when Kim Jong-il took over in 1994, he maintained strict control over the population through intense indoctrination and surveillance. However, the famine acted as a catalyst for many North Koreans who began to flee the country in search of food and freedom, opening the floodgates for thousands of defectors.
The most obvious destination for escape is South Korea, not only because it’s geographically close but also because South Korea claims the entire Korean Peninsula and has a Ministry of Unification. This means North Korean defectors are automatically granted citizenship in the South, that is, if they can make it. Despite Seoul being only 60 km from the border, the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is the most fortified border in the world, with high walls, electric fences, landmines, and heavily armed guards with shoot-to-kill orders. This makes this route virtually impossible, although there have been known cases of successful defection.
One of the most dramatic stories of a North Korean defector who crossed the border into South Korea through the DMZ involves a soldier named Oh Chong Song. In November 2017, Oh made a daring escape by driving a military Jeep directly to the military demarcation line. Abandoning the Jeep, he sprinted towards the border while North Korean soldiers opened fire on him. Despite being shot multiple times, Oh managed to cross the border, collapsing on the South Korean side just meters away from the military demarcation line. He was rescued by South Korean and U.S. soldiers and required immediate surgery upon arrival at the hospital to save his life. His defection highlighted the extreme risks North Koreans are willing to take to escape the regime.
Another option besides trying to escape straight south is to take a risky voyage by sea. One notable escape story involves a North Korean family who fled the regime in 2007. The group, consisting of three men and a woman, managed to escape North Korea by crossing the Sea of Japan in a small wooden boat. Their journey began from the northeastern coast of North Korea, where they set sail with limited supplies and without modern navigation equipment. After six days at sea, they eventually reached the shores of Aomori Prefecture in Northern Japan. Japanese authorities found them and eventually settled them in South Korea.
In September 2011, the Japan Coast Guard found a wooden boat containing nine people who had been sailing for five days and eventually arrived at the Noto Peninsula. While their intended destination was South Korea, fleeing North Korea by sea to Japan remains a rare and highly dangerous option because the North Korean regime tightly controls maritime activities, and most North Koreans do not have access to boats capable of making the journey.
The same conditions are true westward of North Korea in the Yellow Sea. Lee Chun, a high-ranking official within the North Korean Ministry of State Security, was dissatisfied with his life and the oppressive regime, so he decided to defect. On the day of his escape, he and his friend were carrying an inflatable tube and essential supplies. They chose a night with bad weather to avoid detection, knowing that the rough sea conditions would make it harder for patrols to spot them. Their journey began by infiltrating a coastal area heavily guarded with electric fences and landmines. Once they reached the sea, they swam for eight hours, enduring cold waters, strong currents, and the constant fear of being caught by North Korean patrols. They faced multiple challenges, including exhaustion and cramps. Eventually, they reached a small uninhabited island where they took a brief rest before continuing their journey. They used a makeshift raft to paddle further until they were spotted by South Korean military personnel, who sent a boat to rescue them. After confirming their identities and the legitimacy of their defection, they were granted asylum and began their new lives in South Korea.
The last option involves going north, at the 1,300 km long border between China and North Korea. However, defecting from North Korea through China has become increasingly difficult due to enhanced surveillance and bilateral agreements between the two countries. China’s advanced surveillance system along the border makes it challenging for North Korean defectors to evade capture. China and North Korea have an agreement that mandates the repatriation of defectors if they are caught, and these defectors, considered illegal immigrants by China, face severe punishment upon their forced return to North Korea.
Despite these dangers, some defectors have taken extraordinary measures to escape. In a famous incident in 2004, 44 North Korean defectors, including men, women, and children, stormed the Canadian embassy in Beijing seeking asylum. This event drew significant international attention to the desperate measures North Korean defectors are willing to take to escape the oppressive regime. However, the number of North Korean defections has drastically decreased in recent years, especially since 2020, falling to less than 100 per year. This sharp decline from the thousands of defectors seen during Kim Jong-il’s reign can be attributed to several factors.
Firstly, the North Korean regime under Kim Jong-un has significantly tightened border controls. More extensive security measures, including increased fencing, CCTV surveillance, and landmines along the borders with China and South Korea, have made it much harder for defectors to escape. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic led to even stricter border closures and travel restrictions, further reducing the opportunities for North Koreans to defect. During the pandemic, North Korea sealed its borders completely, making it nearly impossible for defectors to cross into China or other neighboring countries.
While North Korea has experienced some economic stabilization compared to the severe famine of the 1990s, which drove many to flee, the fundamental issues of repression and lack of freedom continue to drive those who can find a way to escape. While it’s not literally impossible to escape North Korea today, the extreme challenges and dangers make it feel almost out of reach for those who are brave and desperate enough to try.
North Korea – A country in East Asia, constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, known for its authoritarian government and isolationist policies. – North Korea has been a focal point of international relations due to its nuclear weapons program and human rights issues.
Kim Jong-un – The Supreme Leader of North Korea, who assumed power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011. – Kim Jong-un’s leadership has been marked by efforts to consolidate power and develop North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
Propaganda – Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view. – During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union used propaganda to influence public opinion and gain support for their ideologies.
Division – The act or process of separating or being separated into parts, often used in a political or social context. – The division of Korea into North and South at the 38th parallel was a result of geopolitical tensions following World War II.
Korean War – A conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by United Nations forces, primarily the United States, from 1950 to 1953. – The Korean War ended in an armistice, but no formal peace treaty was signed, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically still at war.
Regime – A government, especially an authoritarian one, in power. – The North Korean regime has maintained strict control over its population through censorship and surveillance.
Economy – The system of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services within a society or geographic area. – North Korea’s economy has struggled due to international sanctions and its focus on military spending over consumer goods.
Famine – An extreme scarcity of food, often causing widespread hunger and mortality. – The famine in North Korea during the 1990s, known as the Arduous March, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
Escape – The act of breaking free from confinement or control, often used in the context of fleeing oppressive regimes. – Many North Korean defectors risk their lives to escape the country in search of freedom and better living conditions.
Surveillance – Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal, often used by governments to monitor citizens. – The North Korean government employs extensive surveillance to maintain control over its population and prevent dissent.
