Human and Civil Right Violations in North Korea

By Anthony v.S-G June 5, 2012 ZIS

The Korean Peninsula, located in North East Asia, has consisted of two separate nations ever since the Korean War in 1953. At that time, Korea was divided into the communist North and the democratic South. Although the North and South Korean peoples are indistinguishable, they have been ferocious enemies ever since the conflict ended. Kim Il Sung, who was inaugurated as North Koreas first leader, established an inhumane government that strived to embody the North Korean ideals and ambitions. North Koreas population has experienced a series of dictators, all of whom are direct descendants of Kim Il Sung, and who are responsible for the current situation in North Korea where civil and human rights are being violated systematically. Currently, the North Korean people are being denied both civil and human rights, as they have no freedom of religion, have no freedom of speech or press and are routinely sentenced to forced labor in concentration camps if they express political beliefs that are contrary to those of the state. The North Korean people have virtually no freedom of religion, as the government prohibits them from practicing their beliefs and severely punishes anybody who is caught doing so. The North Korean constitution encourages freedom of religion, this however is ignored by the government. While religious freedom is officially granted, in reality people are prohibited from practicing their beliefs. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states that everyone has the right to practice and observe all aspects of their own religion and change their religion if they want to. The government of North Korea exclusively supports the Chondogyo religion because its religious ideas are very much in line with the political ideas of the government. Chondogyo is more of a political movement than a religion and is used for political purposes only. Throughout Kim Il Sungs reign, a cult of personality was created, which benefited him immensely. In North Korea, the dictators are revered as deities and replace religious symbols. This cult of personality was projected onto his son and now his grandson. Nowadays, the dictators are viewed as gods by the North Korean people and every school, public building and private home displays portraits of them. Kim Il Sungs and Kim Jong Ils ideological writings and statements are the main basis of education for children and adults. Children are taught that the Kim family came from

heaven and transformed into humans on mount Paektu-san, which further contributes to the myth that they are gods. While religious buildings such as churches and Buddhist temples do exist in North Korea, their purpose is largely to display the cultural heritage of Korea. Additionally, however, the existence of these buildings also helps to foster the illusion of religious freedom in North Korea. Officially 0.2% (source: Wikipedia) of North Koreas population practices a religion. This very low figure may point to the fact that many many more citizens secretly participate in religious activities without belonging to a recognized religious group. Freedom of speech and of the press is non-existent in North Korea. The government censors all media and does not tolerate the free expression of opinions. Despite the fact that Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states that Everyone has the right to say what they think and to give and receive information, the North Korean government does not allow its citizens these basic rights. For example, criticism of the government is prohibited and penalized rigorously. The government has manipulated the North Korean people, who think that they live in a utopian system that is surrounded by malicious, evil countries that want nothing but to harm them. The government does not want the people to talk badly about the political and economic system, possibly inspiring other individuals to similarly criticize the system. Likewise, freedom of the press does not exist in North Korea. The North Korean press aims to promote communism, justify the dictatorship and shape peoples perceptions by the use propaganda. Media reports are often biased and rarely contain information vital to the subject. The CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper remarked that "People in these countries are virtually isolated from the rest of the world by authoritarian rulers who muzzle the media and keep a chokehold on information through restrictive laws, fear, and intimidation." The North Korean government justifies their policies by arguing that they are needed to protect their people from the bad influence of hostile countries and cultures. Involuntary slave labor is regularly imposed as a form of punishment in North Korea. The North Korean people are routinely sentenced to slave labor in concentration camps if they express political or religious beliefs that are contrary to those of the state. Article four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states that No one has the right to treat you as a slave, nor should you make anyone your slave. Additionally, article five of the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights declares that No one has the right to torture you or subject you to cruel and degrading treatment, which is the case in the North Korean labor camps. These are death-defying and exceedingly inhumane, as torture and ill-treatment is widespread. Recently, on December 17, 2012, when Kim Jong Il died, many gatherings were held. Individuals who were caught not attending the gatherings or who attended but did not cry were sentenced to long periods of imprisonment in labor camps. Currently, 150,000200,000 thousand (Source: US state department) people are imprisoned in the labor camps, including children. Prisoners are fed 100 grams of mashed corn or 1 bowl of salt soup a day (Source: Soon Ok Lee, former prisoner), resulting in severe malnutrition. Also, prisoners must work for at least 18 hours a day (Source: Soon Ok Lee) and are routinely transferred to punishment cells if they arent capable of completing their work on time. These punishment cells are merely 60 centimeters wide and 110 centimeters high (Source: Soon Ok Lee), making it impossible to stand, lie or to stretch your feet. Because inmates are not allowed out of the punishment cells for several days they often return crippled. Up to 90 prisoners must sleep in a room five by six meters that is so filthy and crowded that diseases are rampant and the majority of inmates suffer from parasites. Currently, North Korea has a population of 24,589,000 (Source: CIA). These citizens live under the brutal North Korean dictatorial regime and are denied both human and civil rights. North Korea very much resembles a jail, as everybody lives a life like a prisoner in that he or she cannot move freely and has no freedom of choice. The international community must further their efforts to improve the North Korean peoples living conditions so that religions can be practiced, freedom of speech is tolerated and people arent routinely sentenced to forced slave labor in concentration camps. Regrettably, the North Korean government only accepts little foreign aid, as it does not want to negotiate with what it sees as its enemies. It wants the people to think that North Korea is a prosperous nation where the population is wealthy and needs no outside support.

Work Cited Page

Daily Mail Reporter. Punished for not crying: Thousands of North Koreans face labour camps for not being upset enough about death of Kim Jong-il. 13 January, 2012 Mail Online. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085636/North-Koreans-facelabour-camps-upset-death-Kim-Jong-il.html>. Greater Korean Republic. HOMEFRONT WIKI. 31 May 2012 <http://homefront.wikia.com/wiki/Greater_Korean_Republic>. Harden, Blaine. Outside World Turns Blind Eye to N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps. July 20, 2009 The Washington Post. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902178.html?sid=ST2009071902186>. Kummer, Patricia K.. North Korea Enchantment of the World. Canada: Scholastic Inc., 2008. Lederer, Edith M.. U.N.: North Korea Human Rights Violations Condemned . 19 December, 2011 The Huffington Post. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/unnorth-korea-human-rights_n_1158374.html#>. North Korea. 22 May, 2012 Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. 25 May, 2012 North and South Korea. eNotes. 31 May 2012 <http://www.enotes.com/north-south-article>. Parker-Pope, Tara. Short North Koreans... and Americans. September 29, 2008 The New York Times. 31 May 2012 <http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/short-north-koreansand-americans/>. 10 Most Censord Countries . May 2, 2006 Committee to Protect Journalists. 31 May 2012 <http://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php>.

Bibliography
Criminal Law in North Korea. 2007 Coming Anarchy. 28 May <http://cominganarchy.com/2007/04/05/criminal-law-in-north-korea/>. Currie-Mcghee, Leanne. Civil Liberties. USA: Lucent Books, 2010. Daily Mail Reporter. Punished for not crying: Thousands of North Koreans face labour camps for not being upset enough about death of Kim Jong-il. 13 January, 2012 Mail Online. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085636/North-Koreans-facelabour-camps-upset-death-Kim-Jong-il.html>. Edelmann, Rob. Freedom of the Press. USA: Thomas Gale, 2006. Greater Korean Republic. HOMEFRONT WIKI. 31 May 2012 <http://homefront.wikia.com/wiki/Greater_Korean_Republic>. Harden, Blaine. Outside World Turns Blind Eye to N. Korea's Hard-Labor Camps. July 20, 2009 The Washington Post. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902178.html?sid=ST2009071902186>. Head, Tom. Cvil Liberties. 2011 May 17 <http://civilliberty.about.com/od/internationalhumanrights/p/northkorea101.htm>. Kummer, Patricia K. North Korea Enchantment of the World. Canada: Scholastic Inc., 2008. Lederer, Edith M.. U.N.: North Korea Human Rights Violations Condemned . 19 December, 2011 The Huffington Post. 25 May, 2012 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/unnorth-korea-human-rights_n_1158374.html#>. Leland, Francis. Security, Civil Liberties and Terrorism. Stanford: Standford Junior University, 2004. NationMaster.com. June 5, 2012 <http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php>. North Korea Human Rights. 2012 Amnesty International. May 22 <http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/north-korea>. North Korea. 22 May, 2012 Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. 25 May, 2012

North and South Korea. eNotes. 31 May 2012 <http://www.enotes.com/north-south-article>. Ohi, Kongdon. Foreign Policy Reaserch Institute. 2007 FPRI. 23 May <http://www.fpri.org/footnotes/1216.200705.oh.northkorea.html>. Parker-Pope, Tara. Short North Koreans... and Americans. September 29, 2008 The New York Times. 31 May 2012 <http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/short-north-koreansand-americans/>. 10 Most Censord Countries . May 2, 2006 Committee to Protect Journalists. 31 May 2012 <http://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php>. Height Difference in North and South Koreans. THINK CHILDREN. June 5, 2012 <http://thinkchildren.org/statistics/>.