I recently watched the National Geographic Documentary Inside
North Korea. The show follows an optometric
surgeon who has been granted rare access to the most secretive country on the
planet. Nat Geo's own Lisa Ling and her
film team pose as helpers to the medical team.
I have a special fondness for the Korean people. For years I've studied Korean Martial arts
and I have gained insight an interest about Korea through the pursuit of their fighting
skills. Korea is situated between China
and Japan and throughout history has proven to be a melting pot of the two
cultures. Nowhere is this more evident
than in Korean Martial arts. In spite of
foreign influences the Koreans have managed to carve out a cultural identity
that is all their own.
South Korea is well known but North Korea is a real
mystery, even to its neighbors. Getting
to see this rare glimpse on the other side of the fence is quite shocking. It seems an entire nation that has through
fear and absolute poverty been brainwashed by Kim Jong-Il. The show highlights just how deeply rooted
this idolatry is in the North Korean Culture.
In ten days the surgeon was able to restore sight to over
1,000 North Koreans and after being able to see the first thing they did was
kneel and praise an image of Kim Jong-Il.
The conditions in that country are deplorable. Medical Care is nonexistent, food is rare,
and people live in abject fear even within their own homes. North Korea is not the third world. The country has a massive million man army
and a nuclear arsenal. Despite what it has militarily it's people live in
depravity.
Frankly it breaks my heart to see such a noble people
completely repressed and deluded in this way.
I don't know what the future holds for North Korea but it is clear to me
that this situation is a blight on mankind.
It's an offense to all freedom loving peoples and cultures. As an American it's easy to pass judgment on
North Korea as an evil regime worthy of destruction. I hope that in time we will remember that the
Korean people are ultimately victims of the their communists oppressors. The North Koreans hate us because that is all
their culture and government have taught them about us.
The Soviet Union fell under the economic weight of
itself. One hopes that eventually Communist
North Korea will fall as well. It is
certainly on the ropes. My hope for
North Korea comes from South Korea.
South Korea fought alongside us in the Korean war and they still stand
side by side with American soldiers every day guarding the line. This author hopes that someday when Kim
Jong-Il's evil regime falls and the communists throw in the towel that North
Koreans will reunite with family in South Korea and the South Koreans will show
them the joys of freedom and that America isn't the demon they have been lead
to believe.
