How can the rest of the world believe this? North Korea is the only remaining Communist ditatorship in the world. Everything there is strictly censored. People are told what to think, who to believe, what to wear, what to say, how to behave- there is no freedom whatsoever. This is, or at least was, a state built around the leader, the all powerful cult of personality Kim Jong-il. His father, the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, is the religion. He died 17 years ago, but the propaganda of the leader has been engrained so far into the minds of the public that some refuse to acknowledge his death.
The world was offered a rare window into life in North Korea during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, when the national team played in the group stages. However, the country's government ensured the secret of life in the state remained- the "fans" were rumoured to be actors employed to wave North Korean flags at the games, with select others hand picked by Kim Jong-il himself. Their uniform appearance was exactly as the leader desired, and offered no light on the every day life of the people.
I would like to offer a few theories on the death of the leader. Firstly, though the news was announced this morning by a tearful newsreader on state television, Kim Jong-il could have been dead for any length of time. How do we know that he didn't die last month or last year? The announcement of his death could have been delayed until the government felt the time was right. His age- given as 69- is a mystery, and official propaganda would have you believe that he was born in the North Korean mountains as two rainbows lit up the sky. It is believed that he was actually born in Vyatskoye in Soviet Russia.
Is it any coincidence that on the day of his death South Korean officials reported North Korean missiles being fired? This may have been yet another propaganda ploy, to show that North Korea is still strong even at a time of weakness. The footage of the people weeping in the city is also bizarre. There seems to be a robotic pattern to their grieving, like they are puppets on a string. To outsiders looking in, North Korea is a strange and intimidating bubble.
The death of Kim Jong-il could be a chance to burst that bubble. Politicians worldwide have encouraged the nation to step forward into the twenty first century, move on and grow out of the depths of Communist despair. This will not happen. North Korea will press ahead with its nuclear programme, its space programme, its overall theatre production, and although Kim Jong-il no longer plays the starring role, the people are still, and always will be the puppets.
Look out world.
Signing out.
