People cross from one country to another for a number of reasons. There are two main circumstances that define the movement of people from one country to another. People will move across the different borders either voluntarily or involuntarily. When dealing with this topic refuge movement, most of the movement here is involuntary. Involuntary movement is mainly caused by circumstances that are life threatening.
In the event people in a country experiences living conditions that are life threatening, they will opt to move from their home countries to other countries where the living conditions are better. This background information is very important with regards to understanding the current situation facing China and North Korea.
The main aim of this paper is to present the current issues facing the movement of people from North Korea to China in a bid to get the United States to pressurize China on the issue of deportation of North Korean refugees from China. China should not be involved in the deportation of North Koreans back to their home country. Instead, the Chinese government should focus on ways to contain the refugees while working things out with North Korea.
The negative effects of the movement of people from North Korea into China will form an important part of the arguments which will seek to have China contain the North Korean refugees. It is important for China to understand that sending back the refugees to North Korea does not hold the key with regards to solving the problems that have been presented by the current regime in North Korea.
It is important to understand or at least have some background information with regards to the movement of refugees from North Korea into China. This has been on going for a number of years and involves hundreds of thousands of North Koreans.
This is not just any other movement, and the figures involved are enough to drop any jaw. The movement has not been happening over the course of the past five years but since 2000. There are two main reasons that have been cited for this movement by the UNCHR. First off, people are moving from North Korea into China due to food shortages in the country.
Secondly, China is receiving refugees from North Korea due to gross violation of human rights. A closer look at the nature of these problems proves that North Korea is well able to handle its own problems. The United States should pressure China to deport the refugees from North Korea as this will push the North Korean government to respond to the humanitarian crisis in its own country.
It is important to understand that the food shortage in North Korea is more than what meets the eye. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the country began experiencing food shortages due to the economic benefits cut-offs. This condition continued to worsen and in 1995, it got to its worst.
During the summer of 1995, the country experienced a severe famine that was responsible for between 600,000 and 2 million deaths. This is about 5 to 10 percent of the countrys entire population. A closer look at the food shortages reveal that there are some people who are dedicated to ensuring that the food shortage crisis does not go away.
The regime in the country is linked to the food shortage and famine in the country. The regime ensures that food distribution takes place in an unfair manner.Here, people close to the government are the only beneficiaries of the food distribution program in the country.
Although the country had a national ideology where it had declared itself as self-reliant, it was forced to call for international help after the famine situation got out of hand. The United Nations responded rapidly and moved to North Korea where it established it operations. These operations grew so fast that at one point in time, the country was ranked as the World Food Programs largest operations on a single country.
There are a number of countrys that have been exceptional with regards to the famine issue in North Korea. The United States of America was the largest donor to North Korea through the World Food Program. The US was dedicated to ensuring that the situation is the country is made better until 2005.South Korea and China have and continue to be important donors to North Korea with regards to the current food situation in the country.
There are practices that have been initiated by the government that have worsened the food situation. In a bid to try and control the famine situation in North Korea, the government opted for the massive conversion of land for agricultural use. Coupled with the use of chemical fertilizers, the massive conversion of land led to deforestation and soil erosion.
These have been responsible for lack of food for 24 million people nearly half of the countrys population, and chronic malnourishment of a third of the entire population. The government of North Korea is continuously making mistakes and these continue to endanger the lives of the people. The solution to the problem facing North Korea can be solved through deporting the refugees back to their country. The United States should move to ensure that China does not deport back the refugees.
The other major problem facing the country is human rights violation. The people in North Korea continue to suffer as a result of human rights violation by the regime.
Reports by both private and public organizations have moved to prove that there are extreme human right violations by the government in North Korea. What makes it worse is the fact that this has been on going for a number of years. On such organization is the States Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
This organization has been conducting research and assessment of the human rights violation in the country and the reports delivered all prove that there is excessive human rights violation. The regime in the country moved to ensure that there is total denial of any form of religious, civil, or political liberty. There is a list of the various proscribed offences that come attached to severe and extensive punishments.
These have been established by the constitution in conjunction with the North Korean laws. The media in the country is regulated and controlled by the regime. This includes all the media organs both ancient and modern. Most of the people in the country lack access to the various media sources except from the official media in the country.
In the country, there is extensive physical abuse by the government especially for political prisoners. The regime had constructed concentration camps through similar to the ones that were found in the Soviet gulag system. Prisoners barely make it alive out of these prisons.
The descriptions of the living conditions but the survivors in the concentration camps is disheartening. Sending the refugees back to their country is as good as subjecting them to these conditions.
China should be pressurized to accept the refugees and stop sending them back to North Korea. In a nutshell, the problem that is presented by the refugees from North Korea in China is best resolved through ensuring that the refugees have a safe place to stay while the China and other nations find ways to ensure that the problems facing the country are taken care of in the best manner. Sending the refugees back to North Korea is exposing them to the very same living conditions that they are running away from.
If China is willing to play an important role in the problem presented by the regime in North Korea, it should come up with ways through which it can effectively cater for the refugees. The problem in North Korea is fueled by the regime. The two main problems in the country are presented by the food shortage and the human rights violation. A close analysis on these problems shows that the best way to handle these problems is to deal with the regime directly.
Here, the other nations that are hoping to resolve the current situation in North Korea should come up with solutions to deal with the current regime in the country. Chinas move to send back the refugees from North Korea back to their country is ill-advised. These refugees should be left should be taken care of as China looks for ways through which the current situation in North Korea can be solved.
In many countries, religion is still a very sensitive topic that might lead to severe violations of human rights and dignity. North Korea is particularly notorious for its oppressive political regime where people have virtually no civil rights and freedom to express their faith. According to the laws, North Korea does not prohibit any religions; however, in reality, most beliefs are being actively persecuted (Burkle, 2020).
Linda Burkle (2020) explains that Christians are some of the most oppressed groups in North Korea. As a result, Open Doors 2020 World Watch List declared North Korea as the worst country to live in for Christian people (Burkle, 2020). Christians are being transferred to labor camps and prisons, while approximately 200,000 Christians have also gone missing for unknown reasons (Burkle, 2020). Even acquiring sacred texts is impossible and might lead to imprisonment and torture.
Unfortunately, other nations do not interfere in North Koreas internal affairs due to immense differences in political regimes and the possibility of a war. The North Korean government is widely known for its inhumane laws and policies while holding significant military potential and nuclear weapons. That is why other nations attempt to achieve a diplomatic solution and do not interfere with religions within the country. Concerning reasoning, North Korea prosecutes Christians due to the governments belief that religious people undermine national values and integrity. North Korea emerged after World War II and gradually increased the severity of political control. As a result, for more than 70 years, the North Korean government has been actively prosecuting religious groups and, specifically, Christians to mitigate the spread of freedom. It is an unjust policy, but, unfortunately, other nations cannot do much to help oppressed religious people in North Korea.
Power: It is the ability to achieve a desired outcome. Power encompasses but not limited to the ability of oneself to do something or the capability of a government to grow the economy. On a political scale, power is thought as the ability to make someone involuntarily do something. Power can be political, personal, and economic.
The young North Korea leader, Kim Jong Un has got power over his people. He commands his forces to be ready for an attack on South Korea and United States of America (USA). The Koreans heed to his call and turn out for the rally. On the other hand, South Korea and the USA have got economic power. South Korea funds the joint factory park in North Korea. It also provides work force to the factory. Both countries have sophisticated war equipment including planes and nuclear weapons.
Sovereignty: Sovereignty means absolute and unlimited power within some geographical scope. It can be legal or political. Legal sovereignty is the total independence of the law making organs. Political sovereignty is the independence to entirely control, an area with no external interference.
Kim says that, the government, political parties, and organizations in North Korea held a joint statement. In the statement, they warn South Korea and (USA) of a possible attack without any prior notice if they are provoked. They promise to deal with the southerners according to wartime regulations . South Korean down plays the Northerners threats, claiming they are not new. The southerners say it is a routine military drill between the USA and South Korea. No country is ready to let its sovereignty threatened or undermined.
Government: A government is an institution that makes and enforces public policies for and on a society. Governments have three arms; legislature, judiciary and the executive that work jointly for a smooth running of a country.
Three governments are involved in the conflict; USA, South Korea and North Korea governments. Together with his generals, Kim Jong Un makes decisions for the country including going into war. The South Korean government collaborates with the USA government for military drills in the country. Analysts also argue that North Korean government is only using threats to draw the USA government into talks.
Authority: Authority is often used to mean the same as power. On the contrary, we do have a difference between these two terms. While power means having influence on someone to do something involuntarily, authority looks at the justification of exercising power. It looks at the legitimacy of ones influence on people. We can refer to authority as institutionalized power.
The North Korean government, under the stewardship of its leader Kim Jong Un and his generals, exercises its authority to protect its borders. The North Korean government, political parties, and organizations also make a joint statement about the same. Given that the 1950-53 war between North Korea and South Korea ended in a cease-fire and not a peace treaty, North Korea had all the reasons to be cautious when USA carries out joint military drills with the South.
On its part, South Korea is also keen on the operations of their rivals. The government spokesman uses his authority to issue statement concerning the governments position on North Koreas threats. Exercising of authority is also seen when the UN exerts sanctions due to Pyongyangs nuclear test. The UN serves to maintain peace and ensuring that human rights are kept by nations.
Works Cited
Gaus, Gerald F. Political Concepts and Political Theories. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 2000. Print.
Gerson, Jen. New Harper Appointment To Senate Advocates Term Limits, Reform. National Post. National Post, n.d. Web.
Jonas , George. Why Everyone in The Middle East Cant Just Get Along. National Post. National Post, 26 Mar. 2013. Web.
Kim, Sam. North Korea in State Of War With South Korea As Analysts Worry Misjudgment Could Lead To a Clash. National Post. National Post, 26 2013. Web.
Stefan, Meister. The Cyprus Crisis Reveals Much About German-Russian Relations. The Guardian. The Guardian, 26 Mar. 2013. Web.
The once united nation of Korea broke into two conflicting sides that have been a wound to many citizens in the region. As one approaches the gated boarder strip that separates the North and South Korea, you can feel the military presence in the area. However, the natives have a very different perception of the events that took place before the establishment of this boarder line. The rising tensions between the two sides have been the center of the unification process (Liston par. 13). Currently, it is very difficult to tell the willingness of either of the two countries to unite.
Both countries are covered by a cloud of paranoia and distrust to a point where it is almost impossible to reach to a consensus. Although there is a possible futuristic unification possibility, the process has taken too long to star. The unification process began in 15, June 2000 (Branigan par.14). This was the first time that the two countries had a meeting and decided to work towards achieving and restoring peace between them. The agreement was followed by months and years of diplomatic consensus aimed at reaching g a common ground for the two to coexist.
However, this process has always been derailed by the political and economic differences between the two countries (Kim par. 20). The six decades of separation have been very difficult for the two countries hence the heavy military presence at the border where they are both separated. However, there is a seemingly positive gesture considering the Post-Korean war. The two countries though their governments have initiated fresh plan to reconcile the two nations and form a unified notation. According to the governments in both sides, the only goal that they have is to have Korea unified as a single state in the near future.
The two countries have made it clear that they were committed to the unification process and this has been backed by several guidelines aimed at ensuring that the process is purely Korean. One of the conditions that is very important in order for the process to move forward is that it has to be purely a Korean initiative without any external interference or influence (Kelly 18). Among the conditions and guidelines, the two countries agreed on a peaceful unification process (Kelly 20). This process according to the guidelines must not be coercive or may not involve any form of forceful aggression to agree to any terms.
All forms of slander and defaming each other have been cited as one of the most demoralizing factors in the process of unification. Therefore, the two sides have agreed to avoid any kind of bad mouthing in order to foster and enhance trust among the two nations. However, the Korean peninsula faces great challenges even with the clearly laid down procedure to achieve unity between the two countries. Critics are skeptical as to whether a middle ground will be reached especially after the recent North Koreas rhetoric and military threats against the south.
It is still too early to tell the direction that this place will take in the near future considering that the process has been a long journey that has not bare any fruits yet. Nonetheless, we cannot rule out the possibility that the two countries can be united and form a single country in the near future. This is a possibility that the entire world will be watching and monitoring every closely.
The United States should not interfere with North Koreas nuclear weapon research and development in any way. North Korea is justified to explore into the nuclear weaponry due to its past experiences. Given the early partnership between the U.S and South Korea on International capital, this ended up hindering the growth and development of this nation. Hence, North Korea as a nation figure that it had a powerful nation for an enemy and just as any other nation went ahead to establish security strategies ( Thiroux, 2009, p.3).
In addition to this, North Korea until 1991 was a communist country. Thus with the fall of the Berlin wall, this particular nation could not produce enough goods for its own people. Therefore, a good majority of the supplies were imported from the neighboring countries: from agricultural inputs to manufactured goods. This clearly drained the economy and therefore the just like any other nation that would do anything for its economic survival, so did North Korea through investing in nuclear weaponry (Nikisch, 2002, p. 8)
In addition to this, North Korea hasnt had much to be proud of as a nation. Be it its history or resources. Therefore, the development of the nuclear weaponry does not necessarily mean that they are preparing for war. It is probably the sense of innovation that is driving them.
At least with the supply of nuclear gas, the nation has been able to manufacture this weaponry. This has also made the nation very popular as its relations with the United States gets sour day out. Therefore, it is probably going against the rules that the nation can gather enough attention. Therefore, the United States has no business dictating what North Korea should do otherwise there would be no improvements on the already sour relations.
The U.S- North Korean relations
The U.S has always wanted to be the only world super power given that it also has some of the most sophisticated weapons. Therefore, this clearly illustrates that it will definitely stand at nothing to foresee that no nation surpasses it. ( Thiroux, 2009, p. 1).They have therefore done this by claiming that North Korea is preparing itself to go to war, which is most certainly not true. However, this powerful nation has been able to brainwash all other nations for support in stopping the development of these weaponry.
Some political scholars have also mentioned that North Korea could be preparing itself for the third world war. These are probably the American based scholars who for sure do not understand why North Korea is doing what it is currently doing in terms of technological advancement. Surely, North Korea could be doing this with the sole aim of quenching their thirst for knowledge and innovation. So clearly the United States assumes that it is the only nation that should to do this worldwide.
The human rights concern
In addition to this, the United States has that bad habit of poking its nose in matters that does not even concern it. This shows that it is very insecure of losing its position as the global hegemon. Therefore, it has gone ahead to establish spy networks across the world which are normally very expensive to maintain.
Therefore they end up using the taxpayers money on very irrelevant issues. This in itself is an abuse of human rights principles because the Americans end up being taxed so highly for very irrelevant missions in these hard economic times (Habib, 2009, p.6).
More on matters regarding human rights, North Korea has not done anything so far to signify that it is abusing human rights principles. As a matter of fact, a good number of North Koreans have been able to provide for their families through these programs. Science and technology has also become an integral part of the North Korean community.
In a couple of decades, the nation will be as far much ahead as China is in economics and this seems to depress the United States so much. Given the quick rise of China from nothing to something the global arena, the U.S just cannot stand any more competition, especially from the East.
Future international relations
Despite the fact that the United States has made North Korea look like the guilty party, the future international relations between North Korea and other nations seems to be picking up very fast in a positive direction. For example China has been for a while a good source foreign assistance towards North Korea for quite some time now.
This has definitely made the U.S lose its mind given that China is an emerging economic super power. The aid from China is furthermore very appealing given that it rarely comes along with some strings attached and in addition to this, the goods are normally very affordable to North Korea.
In a nutshell, the United States should accept that the global trends are changing really fast. Instead of focusing on matters that hinders other nations growth and development it should channel the resources to the improvement of its so badly damaged economy due the recession. It should be focusing on important issues within its boundaries and let North Korea do what it has to do because clearly there is no sign that it is ready to stop at any given point.
References
Habib, B.(2009) North Koreas Nuclear Weapons Program: The futility of Denuclearization negotiation. Web.
Nikisch, L. ( 2002) North Koreas Nuclear Weapons Program. Web.
Thiroux, T. & Krasema.J. (2009) Theory and Practice (10th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson publishers.
The media shapes the general thinking of people around the world besides influencing their ideologies. A certain pattern that has emerged is whereby the media doctors the information given to the public such that it ends up communicating its own opinion to the public. Ironically, this happens on a large scale in societies that would claim to enjoy democratic rights. Here, governors, senators, presidents, and other politicians are greatly at the mercy of the media to attain and maintain political offices. Tools that are at the disposal of media houses are enormous. (The National 2009)
This may include choosing which news to report, altering information on actual events, fronting headlines in a biased manner among other things. History however is not biased. It is only in the future that we may understand how events happening today shaped the world. We may try to look at the world with keen and discerning eyes independent of media reporting. We may then be surprised to learn how we have been blinded by the media and our cocoons of ignorance that does not give us a true picture of world events. To help us understand this better, I will review a recent event that occurred in Asia where North Korea and South Korea were involved in naval combat. (SANG-HUN 2009)
Body
North Korea and South Korea are in existence as a result of the cold war that existed between the U.S and Russia. In fact, forces from both countries were involved in warfare that split Korea into two countries. While North Korea is basically a communist society and country, South Korea is more democratic and an Important ally of the United States. These two countries are always suspicious of each other and have put measures that suggest full combat can occur between the two at any time. While the Northern country is poorer than its counterpart, it has built a formidable military force that could include nuclear weapons. The possibility of the Northern state acquiring nuclear weapons has caused the U. S and its allies to review their foreign policies and accommodate the northern state to guard their security. North Korea claims that it has missiles that can strike any part of the world. (SANG-HUN 2009)
From the New York Times reporting, the headline on this event was, North Korea Issues New Threat after Naval Clash . The reporter goes ahead to give details on how the two countries were involved in naval combat and are pointing fingers at each other for firing the first shot. He says that the northern state has threatened to retaliate mercilessly and that the southern state will pay dearly for this aggression. He tells us that the two countries have had a ceasefire for seven years. He then concludes by telling us that the north has this time undermined negotiations with the United States. (SANG-HUN 2009)
As much as the reporter has tried to give us accurate information on this event, there are elements of bias in this reporting. The media reporting has labeled North Korea as an aggressive state and a warmonger. The news headline: North Korea Issues New Threat after Naval Clash suggests that North Korea is a country that issues continuous threats. It is therefore obvious that the media has an obvious preset mindset about the country. Although my analysis will point more towards South Korea as being the aggressor in this particular case, this has not been pointed out in the reporting. Moreover, I do not think it was necessary to use words like pay dearly or merciless military measures . It could be better to frame the statements and words used in the reporting in a way that reflects a clearer picture of the situation. Words like the North are greatly displeased by the south actions and are even considering retaliation if the south does not apologize would have been more applicable. One fair question to ask ourselves is the events that should have followed including the U.S media reporting if the roles of the two countries had been reversed. (The National 2009)
The BBC media reported the event under the headline; US warns over Koreas naval clash. The report goes ahead to state that the U.S has warned the Northern state against retaliation ahead of the U.S presidents tour in Asia which is expected to focus on North Korea. The reporter is careful to include sources from both countries which have conflicting reports. Each side claims to have had an upper hand during the combat. The reporter tells us about the relationship of the two countries at sea including past conflicts. During all this reporting, the reporter gives us opinions on issues from both sides as they were given to him. I find this to be good reporting that is not leaning on any side. However, this approach may hide some information. This may be actual information that the reporter considers to be biased. (KIM 2009)
A reporter from the National Newspaper in South Korea has reported this event under the headline; North and South Korean ships exchange fire . He tells us that North Korea and South Korean ships exchanged fire before the North Korean ship retreated after suffering heavy damage. He reports that there were no South Korean casualties and that it was not clear whether the North had suffered casualties. According to his reporting, it is the North Korean ship that crossed disputed waters attracting warning shots from the south. The North Korean ship then opened fire causing the South Korean counterparts to retaliate before the northern ship retreated to its waters. The reporter goes ahead to tell us that the North has threatened the south with aggression and that it could retaliate. This reporting is obviously biased towards the North. (KIM 2009)
A report from Singapore on the event is almost similar to the one from BBC under a different heading; North Korea vows to defend itself after sea clash Like the reporting from BBC, the reporter is careful to give opinions from the two countries considering how the two countries have related in the past. Analyst opinions have been also considered. These analysts have ruled out the possibility of a military escalation between the two countries due to diplomatic approaches of the United States. (The Korean Herald 2009)
It is only people who understand a number of things that can actually get a clearer picture of what really occurred. First, one must understand the historical relationship of the United States, North Korea and South Korea. Secondly, one must understand the changing world politics especially with the emerging economic powerhouse of China and other Asian countries. Thirdly, one also needs to know the leanings of the media houses towards their countrys ideologies on issues in their reporting. (The Korean Herald 2009)
I do not know if we can call it nationalism but most media houses are on a mission to guard the pride of their countries. One can also read a lot into these reports that may be a reflection of true foreign policies from different countries. For example, since South Korea is a great ally of the United States, It will be very difficult for the western media to present it in bad light. The reverse is true and applicable to North Korea which has been displayed in a bad light. What we are being told is how western governments see some countries including the relevance and behavior of these countries instead of getting true facts from the media. It may be described as an exponential cycle that is perpetuated, maintained, and enlarged by the media and the general population that is fed by incorrect information that will influence its behavior. (The Korean Herald 2009)
North Korea has indeed displayed some actions that may according to our current understanding of world issues indicate an element of aggression in the past. This includes launching and testing of missiles that could launch nuclear weapons in various positions around the world including the United States. This could be another factor that would make most people judge or understand others from their past actions. However, regarding this specific example is the controversial question of whether the country (North Korea) has a right like western countries to acquire nuclear arsenal. (KIM 2009)
Being an important ally of the United States, South Koreans have probably infiltrated various spheres of the U. S economy including media houses. This could range from shareholders in these media companies to working personnel. This obviously puts South Korea in a position to influence the western media to its advantage at the expense of North Korea. It could also be like a symbiotic kind of reporting. It is probable that the South Korean media normally strives to put the United States in good light even when the country is morally wrong on some issues that affect the world. The state-controlled North Korean media on the other hand will probably display the U.S in bad light. (The Korean Herald 2009)
The loads of media houses have proved on many occasions to be biased. When an issue occurs, one can almost predict accurately how the event will be reported by different media houses. Some media houses have shown to be historically connected to some ideologies. Media house owners have a great say in this reporting. While they may be forced to report news in ways that attract their customers, their underlying opinions on issues are almost always there. These media owners are likely those kinds of people who take great pride in their countries and are very unlikely to promote media reporting that will reveal the weaknesses of their countries and countries they consider to be their allies. (The National 2009)
If we were to report these events in the future, how differently would we do this considering how these events have shaped our history? I doubt that we would see North Korea as an aggressive country but as a country that was trying to fight for its rights in a world where it had been neglected, labeled and ignored by the western world. Maybe we will then see that the true aggressor in this particular case was the United States which contributed to the splitting of this country into two different states and even perpetuated hate between the two countries through its one-sided foreign policy. This incident where a North Korean sea vessel was attacked by South Koreans is an aftermath of the cold war that existed between Russia and the U. S. While the former U.S.S.R. collapsed, its communism elements are still alive in the current world including North Korea. (KIM 2009)
Conclusion
The media would be doing the world a great favor by feeding it with correct and accurate information that considers future implications. This is arguably the best way of shaping the popular ideologies that could draft policies that promote peace around the world. While the media has a free hand to choose which news it will report and how it will report the news, it needs to know that the consequence information it relays to the public cannot be ignored. In Rwanda, people killed each other partly after being incited by the media. In the U.S, incompetent politicians have been elected after getting media support. In some Arabic countries the media has created Islamic extremists. The power of the media is extremely enormous. It, therefore, needs to be exercised with utmost care.
Works Cited
KIM, KWANGTAE. NKorea vows to defend itself after sea clash. Associated press writer. 2009. Print.
SANG-HUN, CHOE. North Korea Issues New Theat After Naval Clash. 2009. Print.
The Korean Herald. Us warns over Koreas Naval clash. Seoul, South Korea. 2009. Print.
The National. North and South Korean ships exchange.Canada. 2009. Print.
‘My Escape from North Korea’, a speech by Hyeonseo Lee, a North Korean defector, and activist, describes a North Korean’s experience as a refugee and the challenges she faced while settling in South Korea. The famine in the 1990s forced countless to escape from North Korea despite risking their lives. Today, North Korean refugees have settled down in various countries, notably South Korea. In a new environment, North Korean refugees are prompted to face physiological and psychological challenges such as adapting to the culture and finding their own identities.
One of the many challenges North Koreans face is the adaption to the cultural norm in South Korea. Being separated for nearly 70 years, the use of language, religion, technology and even the eating regimen between the North and South Koreans contrast significantly. The North and South Korean cultures consist of different degrees of communication and social interactions. For instance, North Koreans are known to be direct in their speech and utilize unadulterated Korean dialect in their discussions. On the other hand, South Koreans are exposed to global languages and practice a verbose and courteous communication style. This significant contrast can ignite conflicts between the two and makes it difficult for the North Korean refugees to integrate into the South Korean society. Lee expressed that when she began settling down in South Korea, she had to learn English, a language that was not accentuated by the North Korean government. North Koreans who are more conservative would also have to acclimatize to the miniskirts worn by South Korean K-pop girl groups and the lively music that is uncommon to hear in the North. Conclusively, the cultural difference might compel North Korean refugees to depose their former cultural preferences in order to acculturate in their new surroundings.
Another great challenge for North Korean refugees is the identity crisis. Identity crisis causes refugees to feel insecure about their own identity and causes them to lose the sense of belonging. It is devastating for refugees to encounter such a challenge because aside from a few belongings, they are only left with an intrinsic sense of identity and culture. Lee experienced a similar crisis as a young refugee in South Korea. She explained how she constantly inquires whether she is a North Korean, or a South Korean in her early years as a refugee. Life can be much tougher for the younger refugees. As they traverse this crucial and defining period in their lives, they too have to cope with the surrounding changes, such as the education system and the South Korean capitalist society. Some young refugees may tend to conceal or suppress their North Korean identity because they felt ostracized by their South Korean classmates and perceive that their status in South Korea is a stigma. Hence, it is clear that North Korean refugees face conflicts with their sense of identity as they are labeled with a fragmented identity and are not completely adapting to the South Korean society.
In conclusion, North Korean refugees confront various resettlement issues and challenges in South Korea, depending on various factors of an individual such as age, gender, one’s resilience and social abilities. The challenges and obstacles that they encounter in South Korea hinder them from advancing with their new lives. Efforts ought to be made by the South Korean government and its citizens to aid these refugees in adapting and asserting their status in South Korea.
Recently, the United Nations has announced that being allowed to have an internet connection is a fundamental human right since it enables communication, collaboration and learning at a vastly reduced cost and at greater efficiency. However, North Korea has been adamant in limiting the capacity of its population in being able to connect to the internet. This is, in part related to its stringent controls on the freedom of speech within its borders and how it facilitates control and obedience through the dissemination of ignorance and propaganda (Beck, 2011).
In this paper, an analysis will be conducted involving the current issue of North Korea’s limitation of its citizen’s right to the freedom of speech by preventing them from connecting to the internet and how this is an international politics issue since it propagates the bellicose rhetoric (i.e. threats directed against other countries) that North Korea is known for due to its status as an isolationist state (Gordy & Lee, 2009). It is the assumption of this paper that the limitations placed on internet connectivity within North Korea prevent notions related to peaceful international cooperation from disseminating among the citizens of the country which leads to the continued adverse relationship that North Korea has with other nations in the area of international politics.
Freedom of Speech, the Internet and its Influence on International politics
Within the past decade, the internet has become a source of communication and collaboration wherein people become capable of expressing views and opinions to a worldwide audience (Swaffield, 2009). It is a tool for free speech that has allowed the dissemination of ideas across cultures and continents, resulting in a much more informed global society. Becker (2005) notes that the internet has even become a tool which has helped to influence international politics due to the greater level of communication, interaction and connectivity that it provides (Becker, 2005). Through the internet, ideas involving democracy, free trade, peaceful relations and other positive notions have helped to influence international politics resulting in people and nations advocating for better and more peaceful relations as a direct result of ideas that they gained from the internet (Park, 2008).
One of the reasons why the internet has become a popular avenue of communication and collaboration has been the general consensus by viewers and listeners alike that the mass media is invariably biased, thus necessitating a better means of learning about global and local events (Alterman 2003). The necessity of access to unbiased information in order to enact positive change in a country can be seen in the heavily censored media of North Korea which limits the ability of its citizens to know more about the outside world. People in North Korea only know what the government sanctions them to know and, as a result, this has influenced its current standpoint in international politics (Parsons, 2012). With a citizenry that does not know any better, this has the effect of them acquiescing to the actions of their government as being correct, which has resulted in the various threats that the country has directed towards South Korea and the U.S. as well as its nuclear arms build-up (Jin Woong, 2008).
What is the Freedom of Speech, and why is it an International Politics Issue?
The concept of the freedom of speech is attributed to being a fundamental human right wherein people are given the ability to exchange ideas, information or concepts without fear of censorship or interference. In fact, it is a First Amendment right within the U.S., which prevents the government from establishing laws that infringe upon an individual’s inherent right to free speech and peaceful petition (David-West, 2011). Since the freedom of speech is considered a universal human right, its subsequent limitation and even outright prevention in the case of North Korea is a definite cause for concern since it means that millions of people with the country are prevented from voicing their thoughts in a manner that would help to enact positive social change. In fact, its prevention is viewed by many countries, especially those in Europe, as a human rights violation that should be immediately addressed since it in effect denies a right that everyone should have access to (Garine, 2013).
What must be understood is that from an international politics standpoint, silent acquiescence is at times considered the same as agreeing to the stance that a government has taken (Demick, 2004). In this regard, North Korea’s violation of the right of the freedom of speech is considered an international political issue since various countries do not want to acquiesce and thus validate North Korea’s actions against its own citizenry (Passariello, 2010). This shows that from an international politics perspective, North Korea’s preventive measures against access to the internet and the freedom of speech is a contentious issue in international politics due to the manner in which a vast majority of nations view such actions as being against the fundamental human rights that all people from all nations should have access to.
Why does the North Korean government limit online free speech/access to the internet?
What must be understood is that online free speech is a powerful tool for change; it can instigate profound social and political changes within a nation or even society as a whole which at times is detrimental towards prospective goals set by governments. For example, the revolution that occurred in Egypt which toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak, as well as the uprising that brought down Mohammed Morsi, were caused by the power of online speech (i.e. via online social media) inciting the masses towards revolution (Kyungyon, 2014). In fact, the current changes happening in the Middle East today are a direct result of the ideas carried by the power of online speech from country to country resulting in revolutions which have toppled numerous incumbent government regimes.
Taking these factors into consideration, it becomes obvious as to why the North Korean government is trying its best to prevent access to the internet given that its systematic denial of rights has not endeared the government to its people (Kyungyon, 2014). While it may be true that North Korea has been successful in creating a “cult of personality” surrounding Kim Jong Un, the fact remains that should its prolific denial of rights in comparison to other countries be known to the North Korean people, it is obvious that some form of the uprising would occur. From this example and the fear that the North Korean government has placed on the possibility that its people would rebel against it as a result of the internet and free speech, it can be seen that the power of online free speech is truly profound, however, based on the example of Egypt and the Middle East, unmitigated online free speech can be a cause for concern for various governments since such methods of communication can and will result in actions which may disrupt various plans that the government has set into motion.
It is based on this that from an international politics standpoint, the denial of access to the internet and limitations on free speech is a contentious issue since governments around the world view it as a denial of fundamental human rights yet from the North Korean perspective, denying free speech and the internet to its people is a means of survival given the sheer magnitude of its crimes against the very populace it was meant to protect (Lefkowitz, 2012).
Imposed Restrictions and International Politics
One of the current issues in international politics in relation to North Korea’s imposed restrictions over freedom of speech within the context of the internet has been the acquiescence of the North Korean population towards the limitation of online activities due to a distinct lack of proper informed consent. Informed consent can be defined as an individual understanding the full implications and possible future consequences of an event, activity or trial that they are about to enter into. It is usually the case that informed consent is applied as an inherent right for participants when it comes to activities or actions that may have extenuating implications after an act has been performed.
This applies to situations wherein an individual’s opinions, thoughts or arguments could possibly be used against them in the future or even extends to activities wherein their physical or mental state may experience a certain degree of aversion to the acts that are performed on them (Hee-Yoon, 2013). Within the context of international politics, various countries have pointed out that there is a distinct lack of informed consent on the part of the North Korean people regarding their access to the internet. Many of them do not even know what the internet is or even how it works with access often being limited to the political elite. This, of course, is unacceptable to other countries that focus on allowing people to have the right to universal access to the internet instead of limiting it to a select few (Fish, 2009).
In the case of restrictions of online freedom of speech in North Korea, it should be noted that there is little in the way of sufficient informed consent when restrictions are implemented. For example, in the case of “the Great Internet Wall of China” (an epithet used to describe the barriers to internet activity that occur within the country), there was no informed consent involving the limitation of the right to freedom of speech online, rather, limitations were unilaterally implemented by the Chinese government due to “subversive elements towards societal harmony” that they correlate with unhindered online activity (Bush, 2007).
As a result, internet postings within the country’s localized intranet (i.e. referring to a networked connection that is limited to a particular area or region) are heavily regulated with information that presents the country or the government in a bad light being subject to deletion with the internet poster also being brought up on criminal charges should they be found. In the case of North Korea, even individuals with access to the internet are heavily monitored with their browsing history, emails and all aspects of their online activities being heavily monitored by the state. All of this is done in an attempt to ensure that foreign influences do not make their way into the mindset of the North Korean people (Rennack, 2005).
From an international politics perspective, the actions of North Korea are in violation of an individual’s right to privacy and, as such, should be stopped since all people should be given the right to be free in their own homes or online. Yet, for North Korea, this statement that is advocated by various countries is viewed as nothing more than adverse influences meant to “open the floodgates” so to speak so as to bring in western influences into the country and topple the regime from within.
When examining the limitations that have been put in place in North Korea, literary sources show that there is little in the way of sufficient informed consent on the part of the general public regarding the denial of an essential basic human freedom. What exists in its place is an arbitrary imposition of government will prevent people from making their displeasure at the government’s activities known which could result in mass action resulting in the destabilization of the state (Bossuet, 2009).
As mentioned earlier, such actions are viewed negatively in international politics since it would be the same as being in the same room as a husband that everyone knows is guilty of domestic abuse at home. From this example and others like it, one of the most common allegations levelled against North Korea by nongovernmental organizations and even countries like the U.S. is that the systematic denial of rights being done by the North Korean government to its own people must stop since it is both immoral and unethical.
While it may be true that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure the continued survival of the state, the fact remains that such an activity should not be done through a violation of basic human rights, yet, such violations are continuously being enacted on a daily basis on the activities of their citizens whereby the views they express are being limited to what the government deems as “acceptable” (Kirk, 2005).
International Politics and Unbiased News
The problem with the mass media in North Korea at present is that the news that is presented is usually edited, scripted and developed based on the needs of those in power. The views that are presented are often presented in such a way that they create a greater sense of appeal towards the general public which makes it less likely that incidents of outright anger at the government would occur. The propaganda model presents the notion that the content produced by mass media outlets is invariably aligned with the inherent interests of the political and economic elites in that the produced content supports the current sociological and ideological biases that this specific sector of the population espouses (Austin & Bryan Jr., 2004). Through such support, this, in turn, impacts the perception of viewers who rely on the media as a means of information regarding daily events around them (Xiangying, 2006).
From an international politics perspective, while it may be true that numerous states aside from North Korea conduct such practices, the fact remains that access to the internet helps people to separate fact from fiction and is thus an important element necessary for every person to have. Various states argue that when it comes to international politics, the will of a state’s people should be what is represented and not a viewpoint that was manufactured by a government in order to bring about irrational exuberance.
Irrational exuberance can be defined as the means of by which an individual moulds their behaviour on the actions of other people. It is defined as being “irrational” since some individuals tend to take things at face value resulting in their opinion being swayed by the media without necessarily considering the other side of the issue (Grzelczyk, 2007). This can be seen in the various forms of propaganda released by the North Korean government that does not allow its people to have alternative viewpoints presented to them.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be stated that the limitations placed on internet connectivity within North Korea prevent notions related to peaceful international cooperation from disseminating among the citizens of the country which leads to the continued adverse relationship that North Korea has with other nations in the area of international politics. Based on the facts presented, it can be seen that the freedom of speech online is an essential concept to society since it acts as a platform of not only the free exchange of information, ideas and concepts but also as an integral part of a checks and balances system between society and the government.
Reference List
Alterman, E. (2003). State of Disunion. Nation. p. 10. Web.
Austin, P., & Bryan Jr., J. A. (2004). My Freedom Trip: A Child’s Escape from North Korea (Book). Book Links, 13(4), 15. Web.
Beck, P. M. (2011). North Korea in 2010: Provocations and Succession. Asian Survey, 51(1), 33-40. Web.
Becker, J. (2005). Chapter 9: Kim Jong Il–The Reformer. Rogue Regime (pp. 190-208). Jasper Becker. Web.
Bush, G. W. (2007). Statement on North Korea Freedom Week. Weekly Compilation Of Presidential Documents, 43(17), 536. Web.
Bossuet, J. (2009). Inside North Korea. New Internationalist, (421), 4. Web.
David-West, A. (2011). Between Confucianism and Marxism-Leninism: Juche and the Case of Chŏng Tasan. Korean Studies, 3593-121. Web.
Demick, B. (2004). The Hidden Stories of North Korea. Nieman Reports, 58(3), 113-114. Web.
Fish, E. (2009). Is Internet Censorship Compatible with Democracy? Legal Restrictions of Online Speech in South Korea. Asia-Pacific Journal On Human Rights & The Law, 10(2), 43-96. Web.
Garine, P. (2013). An Anarchist in North Korea The Opposite of Freedom: A Journey to Pyongyang. Fifth Estate, 48(2), 13. Web.
Gordy, K., & Lee, J. E. (2009). Rogue Specters: Cuba and North Korea at the Limits of US Hegemony. Alternatives: Global, Local, Political, 34(3), 229-248. Web.
Grzelczyk, V. (2007). Of Roguery: How the United States’ Rhetoric Influences North Korea. Conference Papers — Midwestern Political Science Association, 1-33. Web.
Hee-Yoon, K. (2013). Food Insecurity in North Korea: Why South Korea Should Take Action on Food Aid. Peace & Conflict Monitor, 69-84. Web.
Jin Woong, K. (2008). The patriarchal state and women’s status in socialist North Korea. Graduate Journal Of Asia-Pacific Studies, 6(2), 55-70. Web.
Kirk, D. (2005). Welcome to North Korea. Forbes, 176(11), 176-178. Web.
Kyungyon, M. (2014). South Korean civil society organizations, human rights norms, and North Korea. Critical Asian Studies, 46(1), 65-89. Web.
Lefkowitz, J. P. (2012). Escaping from the North Korean Stalemate. Commentary, 134(5), 39-44. Web.
Park, H. (2008). The self-entrapment of rationality in dealing with North Korea. Korean Journal Of Defense Analysis (Routledge), 20(4), 353-365. Web.
Parsons, B. (2012). Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West. Booklist, 108(12), 4. Web.
Passariello, C. (2010). Monuments to Freedom Aren’t Free, But North Korea Builds Cheap Ones. Wall Street Journal – Eastern Edition. pp. A1-A11. Web.
Rennack, D. E. (2005). North Korea: Economic Sanctions: RL31696. Congressional Research Service: Report, 1-17. Web.
Swaffield, B. C. (2009). ‘The world’s most isolated country’. Quill, 97(4), 35. Web.
Xiangying, H. (2006). Cross-cultural pragmatic differences in US and Chinese press conferences: the case of the North Korea nuclear crisis. Discourse & Society, 17(2), 237-257. Web.
People cross from one country to another for a number of reasons. There are two main circumstances that define the movement of people from one country to another. People will move across the different borders either voluntarily or involuntarily. When dealing with this topic – refuge movement, most of the movement here is involuntary. Involuntary movement is mainly caused by circumstances that are life threatening.
In the event people in a country experiences living conditions that are life threatening, they will opt to move from their home countries to other countries where the living conditions are better. This background information is very important with regards to understanding the current situation facing China and North Korea.
The main aim of this paper is to present the current issues facing the movement of people from North Korea to China in a bid to get the United States to pressurize China on the issue of deportation of North Korean refugees from China. China should not be involved in the deportation of North Koreans back to their home country. Instead, the Chinese government should focus on ways to contain the refugees while working things out with North Korea.
The negative effects of the movement of people from North Korea into China will form an important part of the arguments which will seek to have China contain the North Korean refugees. It is important for China to understand that sending back the refugees to North Korea does not hold the key with regards to solving the problems that have been presented by the current regime in North Korea.
It is important to understand or at least have some background information with regards to the movement of refugees from North Korea into China. This has been on going for a number of years and involves hundreds of thousands of North Koreans.
This is not just any other movement, and the figures involved are enough to drop any jaw. The movement has not been happening over the course of the past five years – but since 2000. There are two main reasons that have been cited for this movement by the UNCHR. First off, people are moving from North Korea into China due to food shortages in the country.
Secondly, China is receiving refugees from North Korea due to gross violation of human rights. A closer look at the nature of these problems proves that North Korea is well able to handle its own problems. The United States should pressure China to deport the refugees from North Korea as this will push the North Korean government to respond to the humanitarian crisis in its own country.
It is important to understand that the food shortage in North Korea is more than what meets the eye. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the country began experiencing food shortages due to the economic benefits cut-offs. This condition continued to worsen and in 1995, it got to its worst.
During the summer of 1995, the country experienced a severe famine that was responsible for between 600,000 and 2 million deaths. This is about 5 to 10 percent of the country’s entire population. A closer look at the food shortages reveal that there are some people who are dedicated to ensuring that the food shortage crisis does not go away.
The regime in the country is linked to the food shortage and famine in the country. The regime ensures that food distribution takes place in an unfair manner.Here, people close to the government are the only beneficiaries of the food distribution program in the country.
Although the country had a national ideology where it had declared itself as self-reliant, it was forced to call for international help after the famine situation got out of hand. The United Nations responded rapidly and moved to North Korea where it established it operations. These operations grew so fast that at one point in time, the country was ranked as the World Food Program’s largest operations on a single country.
There are a number of country’s that have been exceptional with regards to the famine issue in North Korea. The United States of America was the largest donor to North Korea through the World Food Program. The US was dedicated to ensuring that the situation is the country is made better until 2005.South Korea and China have and continue to be important donors to North Korea with regards to the current food situation in the country.
There are practices that have been initiated by the government that have worsened the food situation. In a bid to try and control the famine situation in North Korea, the government opted for the massive conversion of land for agricultural use. Coupled with the use of chemical fertilizers, the massive conversion of land led to deforestation and soil erosion.
These have been responsible for lack of food for 24 million people – nearly half of the country’s population, and chronic malnourishment of a third of the entire population. The government of North Korea is continuously making mistakes and these continue to endanger the lives of the people. The solution to the problem facing North Korea can be solved through deporting the refugees back to their country. The United States should move to ensure that China does not deport back the refugees.
The other major problem facing the country is human rights violation. The people in North Korea continue to suffer as a result of human rights violation by the regime.
Reports by both private and public organizations have moved to prove that there are extreme human right violations by the government in North Korea. What makes it worse is the fact that this has been on going for a number of years. On such organization is the State’s Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
This organization has been conducting research and assessment of the human rights violation in the country and the reports delivered all prove that there is excessive human rights violation. The regime in the country moved to ensure that there is total denial of any form of religious, civil, or political liberty. There is a list of the various proscribed offences that come attached to severe and extensive punishments.
These have been established by the constitution in conjunction with the North Korean laws. The media in the country is regulated and controlled by the regime. This includes all the media organs – both ancient and modern. Most of the people in the country lack access to the various media sources except from the official media in the country.
In the country, there is extensive physical abuse by the government especially for political prisoners. The regime had constructed concentration camps through – similar to the ones that were found in the Soviet “gulag” system. Prisoners barely make it alive out of these prisons.
The descriptions of the living conditions but the survivors in the concentration camps is disheartening. Sending the refugees back to their country is as good as subjecting them to these conditions.
China should be pressurized to accept the refugees and stop sending them back to North Korea. In a nutshell, the problem that is presented by the refugees from North Korea in China is best resolved through ensuring that the refugees have a safe place to stay while the China and other nations find ways to ensure that the problems facing the country are taken care of in the best manner. Sending the refugees back to North Korea is exposing them to the very same living conditions that they are running away from.
If China is willing to play an important role in the problem presented by the regime in North Korea, it should come up with ways through which it can effectively cater for the refugees. The problem in North Korea is fueled by the regime. The two main problems in the country are presented by the food shortage and the human rights violation. A close analysis on these problems shows that the best way to handle these problems is to deal with the regime directly.
Here, the other nations that are hoping to resolve the current situation in North Korea should come up with solutions to deal with the current regime in the country. China’s move to send back the refugees from North Korea back to their country is ill-advised. These refugees should be left should be taken care of as China looks for ways through which the current situation in North Korea can be solved.
In many countries, religion is still a very sensitive topic that might lead to severe violations of human rights and dignity. North Korea is particularly notorious for its oppressive political regime where people have virtually no civil rights and freedom to express their faith. According to the laws, North Korea does not prohibit any religions; however, in reality, most beliefs are being actively persecuted (Burkle, 2020).
Linda Burkle (2020) explains that Christians are some of the most oppressed groups in North Korea. As a result, Open Doors 2020 World Watch List declared North Korea as the worst country to live in for Christian people (Burkle, 2020). Christians are being transferred to labor camps and prisons, while approximately 200,000 Christians have also gone missing for “unknown reasons’ ‘ (Burkle, 2020). Even acquiring sacred texts is impossible and might lead to imprisonment and torture.
Unfortunately, other nations do not interfere in North Korea’s internal affairs due to immense differences in political regimes and the possibility of a war. The North Korean government is widely known for its inhumane laws and policies while holding significant military potential and nuclear weapons. That is why other nations attempt to achieve a diplomatic solution and do not interfere with religions within the country. Concerning reasoning, North Korea prosecutes Christians due to the government’s belief that religious people undermine national values and integrity. North Korea emerged after World War II and gradually increased the severity of political control. As a result, for more than 70 years, the North Korean government has been actively prosecuting religious groups and, specifically, Christians to mitigate the spread of freedom. It is an unjust policy, but, unfortunately, other nations cannot do much to help oppressed religious people in North Korea.