Christopher Hitchens - North Korea

Summary

In this powerful reflection on North Korea, the speaker shares a firsthand account of the oppressive and totalitarian regime. Describing the country's severe lack of personal freedom, the speaker compares it to Orwell's 1984, revealing a state that enforces constant surveillance and mind control. The regime's cult of personality around the 'dear leader' and his father, the founder of the nation, is exposed as both political and religious. Despite widespread suffering, North Korea's citizens are trapped in a system where their lives are reduced to mere tools for the state. The speaker also shares an eerie encounter with a parrot that seemingly echoes the regime's ideology.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker describes their experience of visiting North Korea under an assumed identity and after paying a bribe.
• 😀 The North Korean state closely controls every aspect of life, including mandatory sessions of hatred against the West and South Korea.
• 😀 The speaker mentions the pervasive propaganda in North Korea, with all media and public performances focusing on the 'dear leader' and his father.
• 😀 There is no private life in North Korea, and citizens live under constant surveillance, with a curfew in the capital city of Pyongyang.
• 😀 The concept of freedom, humor, happiness, or love does not exist in North Korea, where citizens are mere props for the state's agenda.
• 😀 The North Korean state is described as a 'slave state' that no longer provides basic sustenance or care for its citizens.
• 😀 The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea is the most militarized area in the world, not the peaceful zone it might seem.
• 😀 North Korean soldiers are said to be shorter and weaker than South Korean soldiers, reflecting the effects of the country's famine state.
• 😀 North Korean children are suffering from malnutrition and stunted development, both mentally and physically, due to the harsh regime.
• 😀 The leadership of North Korea is not just political but deeply religious, with Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il portrayed as having divine attributes, with a cult of personality centered around them.

Q & A

What was the speaker's experience in trying to enter North Korea?

The speaker had to use a second identity and pay a large bribe to enter North Korea, which indicates the strict and heavily controlled nature of access to the country.

What daily rituals or events demonstrate North Korea's intense state control?

In North Korea, schoolchildren are taught to honor the 'dear leader' and the 'great leader,' and workplaces hold daily sessions of hatred against the U.S., South Korea, and the West. The media, including television, operas, and films, is entirely focused on glorifying the leaders.

How does the speaker compare North Korea to George Orwell’s *1984*?

The speaker compares North Korea to *1984* by highlighting the oppressive surveillance, lack of private life, and constant state-sponsored propaganda. The regime’s strict control over individuals and the constant emphasis on the leaders' cult of personality echo themes from Orwell's novel.

What does the speaker mean by saying 'there is no private life' in North Korea?

The speaker emphasizes that North Koreans live under constant state surveillance, with no moments of personal freedom. People are either participating in state-led parades or are confined to their homes during curfew, with little to no personal leisure or expression allowed.

What is the significance of the 'Demilitarized Zone' (DMZ) in the transcript?

The speaker points out the irony of the term 'Demilitarized Zone,' explaining that the DMZ is the most militarized zone in the world, with high concentrations of force and violence on both sides, and it is where North and South Korean soldiers confront each other directly.

How does the speaker describe the physical and mental state of North Korean children?

North Korean children are described as physically and mentally stunted due to years of malnutrition and indoctrination. They are raised to believe they live under a regime ruled by a god-like leader, reinforcing the oppressive and controlling nature of the state.

What role does religion play in North Korea, according to the speaker?

Despite North Korea’s officially atheistic ideology, the speaker argues that the regime is deeply theocratic, with the 'dear leader' and his father being worshipped as divine figures. The regime is compared to a necrocracy, with the deceased leader's influence still shaping the country’s leadership.

What is the significance of the leader's miraculous birth as described in the transcript?

The miraculous birth of the leaders, accompanied by miraculous phenomena like birds singing in Korean, serves to reinforce the god-like status of the leaders. This mythologized narrative further entrenches the totalitarian grip on the people’s minds.

What does the anecdote about the parrot in the zoo symbolize?

The anecdote about the parrot, which supposedly says 'Long live the dear leader,' symbolizes the absurdity of life in North Korea, where even animals are subjected to the regime's pervasive propaganda. It highlights the extent of control, even in trivial aspects of life.

How does the speaker feel about the lack of liberty, humor, and love in North Korea?

The speaker describes life in North Korea as completely devoid of liberty, humor, love, or happiness. Citizens exist solely to serve the state, and personal joy or individuality is absent, reflecting the dehumanizing nature of the regime.