[Converse Rocker]

(Original post by JongKey)
Surely it goes against human rights?

In Korea, you don't have human rights, human rights has you...

It is pretty crazy that people have to live like this, no doubt.

[The Epicurean]

(Original post by Rhadamanthus)
Within a few hours of the noon announcement [of Kim Il-Sung's death], people all around North Korea began converging on statues of Kim Il-Sung to pay their respects. By one frequently cited figure there are 34,000 statues of the Great Leader in the country and at each one of them loyal subjects prostrated themselves with grief ... The mourners were organized by their work units or their classes at school. Each group had to bring flowers - mostly chrysanthemums, the traditional flower of death in Asia - or if they couldn't afford them, wildflowers that they picked themselves ... Those waiting in line would jump up and down, pound their heads, collapse into theatrical swoons, rip their clothes, and pound their fists at the air in futile rage. The men wept as copiously as the women. The histrionics of grief took on a competitive quality. Who could weep the loudest? Who was the most distraught? The mourners were egged on by the TV news, which broadcast hours and hours of people wailing, grown men with tears rolling down their cheeks, banging their heads on trees, sailors banging their heads against the masts of their ships, pilots weeping in the cockpit and so on. What had started as a spontaneous outpouring of grief became a patriotic obligation. Women weren't supposed to do wear makeup or do their hair during a ten-day mourning period. Drinking, dancing, and music were banned. The imminban [secret police] kept track of how often people went to the statue to show their respect. Everybody was being watched ... Among the millions of North Koreans who took part in the mass display of grief for Kim Il-Sung, how many were faking? Were they crying for the Great Leader or for themselves? Or were they crying because everybody else was?

Regarding the instant where recently after Kim Jong-Il's death, pictures were displayed of people in North Korea crying, it was quite horrific personally to see people here mocking them. Personally I find it horrifying scary rather than funny.

[Brand New Eyes]

Wow, this is new, I had no idea.

This was exposed years ago... and the article is very outdated. Jong-Il died months ago.

(Original post by Aaron_xyz)
I'm surprised The Sun staff have the journalistic ability to do this

PRSOM

(Original post by AspiringGenius)
You went there on holiday :O!

How?

You just book through a travel agency... It really isn't hard. They're dying for you to spend money (it's around $3k per person I think). You do have to be escorted around by a travel guide though, which is not optional.

[Brand New Eyes]

(Original post by Rhadamanthus)
If anyone wants to read more about this tyrannical dynasty, Barbara Demick's book Nothing to Envy is a harrowing account of life in the world's last Stalinist state (more accurately described as a slave state). Without a doubt, this country has to be the scariest place on the planet. Here are some excerpts:

I would also recommend this book. It's an easy read and follows several defectors. Oh, and the moving "Crossing" but you'll have to read English subtitles and it is dramatised for optimal effect.

tbh from your excerpt, the same thing happened in China following Mao's death and before/during (with the cannibalism)

(Original post by zedbrar)
Regarding the instant where recently after Kim Jong-Il's death, pictures were displayed of people in North Korea crying, it was quite horrific personally to see people here mocking them. Personally I find it horrifying scary rather than funny.

brain-washing is an understatement

[Rhadamanthus]

[Unkempt_One]

(Original post by Rhadamanthus)
"The imminban [secret police] kept track of how often people went to the statue to show their respect. Everybody was being watched ... Among the millions of North Koreans who took part in the mass display of grief for Kim Il-Sung, how many were faking? Were they crying for the Great Leader or for themselves? Or were they crying because everybody else was?"

That's interesting. I thought there would have to be mass surveillance in North Korea but this is the first time I've seen it explicitly mentioned.

[AtomSmasher]

Interesting article... For The Sun, anyway. There's isn't much original information in there, though. I expect the place is much more shocking deeper in to the country, where they don't allow visitors. It really does seem like they've used Orwell's 1984 as a guide book to build their country.

[StarsAreFixed]

I laughed at 'lights out at 11pm'. I hope they realise they were part of the 0.05% of the country with electricity! And 'the metro has chandeliers'..yes, the two statiosn on the network that they allow tourists to see. Did they do any research at all?

[illusionz]

[Bubbles*de*Milo]

Read: http://nothingtoenvy.com/

[Snagprophet]

I wonder what would happen if I went to North Korea and said 'ching ching chong' at them.

I don't know why we're propping this regime up through AID, surely the state would die without AID? We're just letting the misery continue.