Human Rights Violations Of North Korea
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INTRODUCTION
North Korea is possibly the least accessible, and “the most brutal and repressive country in the world.” (Martin, 2006) Since its formation after World War II very little information has left the country. What has left are the defectors and the stories of horrible atrocities against humanity the government is bestowing upon its citizens. Classified as a democracy, it is just a mask hiding the Kim Dynastys totalitarian ways.
With its ideology of “Juche,” they have relied as little as possible on outside help. They rule and produce on the inside, with only the close to communist China being its biggest factor for production of money. Human rights are completely unheard of, and reports of torture within its reform camps are common from those that flee and escape Kims grip. Humanitarian aid is being pulled, and the country has started to show some of its nuclear power to the world. While these are just some of the issues at hand, North Koreas dignitaries show no sign that they have broken all human rights laws, and that the country is in a state of economic need.
HISTORY OF KOREA/NORTH KOREA
North Koreas hatching started in the late nineteenth century. At this time the peninsula was just one Korea; its monarchs created the “Hermit Kingdom” by closing its doors to foreign push-and-pull. However, Japanese influence on Korea was very strong as was Chinas presence and sheer size and power on the country. Russians also planned to gain from the peninsula economically. These giants held fierce competition against each other which sparked several wars. In 1894 and 1895 there was the Sino-Japanese War, and later, from 1904 to 1905 was the Russo-Japanese War. After Japans victories against Russia and the Chinese, Korea became part of the Japanese Empire when it was annexed in 1910. (USC-UCLA; North Korea Profile, 2006)
Japan ruled Korea with a sharp authority, attempting to wipe all the Koreans had previously known and believed including culture, as well as language. While small Korean uprisings had intended to bring down Japanese control, the Japanese did not lose power of Korea until the end of World War II. With the Soviet Union and the United States the two occupiers of Korea, an agreement on the future government of Korea was not settled. Korea was split into two, with the United States governing the South and the USSR overseeing the North. With the hope to unify them again up to the UN, it was made improbably due to the separate countries political, economical and social goals. Thus the south formed the Republic of Korea and the north, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea in 1948. Kim-Il Sung became the leader of the North through the Korean War, North Koreas attempt to take control of South Korea, from 1950 to 1953. The war was only ended when Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed, and the Demilitarized Zone on the 38th parallel was formed. 2.5 million people died in the Korean War. (N.K. Profile)
POLITICS
North Korea functions as a single-party state under a democratic framework. However, according to the “Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index 2006,” North Korea is ranked as the least democratic and most authoritative on its list of the more than 150 countries that are democratic. North Koreas Constitution does protect human rights, as well as democracy, most power falls onto the de facto leader, Kim Jong-Il. (N.K. Profile) Under his rule, the country falls to this low-point of democracy and into a totalitarian dictatorship.
Instead of list his country as Communist, or admit to influences of Marxism and Stalinism, Kim Il-Sung used “Juche” ideology to define how the political system would work. Juche can be translated as “self-reliance.” Juche includes three key principles that are: “Independence in politics, self-sustenance in the economy, and self-defense in national defense.” The main goal of building under Juche is to establish socialism and communism within the borders of North Korea. It differs from Marxism in that it states that Koreans are a blood-based nationality, that Korea will always continue and that Koreans will always live in Korea and speak Korean. As well as having many similarities with Marxist and Stalinist ideologies, Maoist ideologies show their influence as well. Today, outside analysts see little of Juche in North Korea. Much outside help has come as far as economics. North Korea survives heavily on imports and exports through China and other countries. Also, people have little influence on the choices made in government. (Kang, 2001)
The ruling party in North Korea is the “Workers Party of Korea.” This party has been the only ruling party since the formation of North Korea. While other minor parties exist, they are bound by the ruling party and their law. Elections within the party due occur, but there is never more than one candidate that is selected by the party beforehand.
The first and only president of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung, is the Eternal President. To this day no one takes his seat as President, and the position is formally left open and empty. The next highest position in North Korean office according to the Constitution is the Chairman of the National Defense Commission. The Chairman commands the military and directs national defense for the state. Kim Jong-Il, Kim Il-Sungs son, has taken this position since his father passed away in 1984, abolishing the reelection requirement for the National Defense Commission, as well as commenting on there being no need for the return of a presidential body. Kim Jong-Il also has a cabinet consisting of a Premier, Vice-Premiers, and Ministers of the government.
The legislative branch is known as the Supreme Peoples Assembly. It is made up of 687 members that are elected every 5 years. However, these members only meet twice a year for a few days at a time. The standing committee is known as the Presidium of the Supreme Peoples Assembly who make legislative decisions when the previous isnt in session. The fact that they hardly ever meet, elections are uncontested and any proposals the government sends through passes Parliament within days just illustrates that this is more of a distraction from Marxism than it is a step towards democracy.
North Koreas justice system is headed up by the Central Court. At it, there is one Chief Justice and two Peoples Assessors. Every court in North Korea follows this build, as well. However, the judiciary system is not capable of judicial review, or the ability to inspect whether laws, rules, and amendments are actually constitutional. On top of this, North Korean police