Category: Kim Jong Un

The Orphan Master’s Son

On By scottpetersenIn Kim Jong Un, North KoreaLeave a comment

[A repeat from September 21, 2014] On July 10, 2014, I offered a post on Kim Jong Un – the animal who rules North Korea (pardon me – the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea“).  Little did I know that I’d be following up my post so soon with another post about North Korea — “The Hermit Kingdom.”  

On February 17, 2014, the United Nations released a report on North Korea which details some of the unspeakable cruelties and horrors that occur daily in North Korea:  starvation; corruption; prison camps; wholesale extermination, slaughter and murder; torture; rape; kidnapping of young women; forced abortions; brainwashing; and acts worse than your worst nightmare. 

I just finished reading The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson.  This 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner (for fiction) and New York Times bestseller depicts life (if you can call it that) in North Korea.  It paints a 443 page picture of one young man – an orphan named Jun Do  – who rises through the ranks to rival Kim Jong Il  (1941-2011) the psychotic “Dear Leader” who preceded Kim Jong Un.  I could go into great and glorious detail on the images of the book.  Suffice to say, the book is powerful and compelling.  And painful.  It makes you want to task Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp (see 8/25/11 and 12/30/12) to do a Control Alt Delete of North Korean leadership.

Rocket Man. . . . .

On By scottpetersenIn Kim Jong Un, North Korea, The Orphan Master's SonLeave a comment

Kim Jong Un will never be a “hero.”  Kim Jong Un and his two forebears have been monsters that have fed off the lifeblood of their people.  North Korea is little more than a brutal and dehumanizing gulag posing as a nation.   The poor souls of North Korea are dying like flies.  Starvation.  Illness.  Abuse.  With no care, no concern, no sympathy from the Rocket Man.  Who lives like a god. . . . .

If you want to get a feel for the abyss that is North Korea (beyond The Orphan Master’s Son) there are three TED Talks (12 minutes each) that I would suggest you watch.  Two are offered by Korean women who lived in the North.  One escaped (her tale is captivating).  The other was brought in as a teacher to sons of the elite.   The third is a young man who was orphaned at 13.  And he escaped to China. https://www.ted.com/talks/joseph_kim_the_family_i_lost_in_north_korea_and_the_family_i_gained  and 
https://www.ted.com/talks/suki_kim_this_is_what_it_s_like_to_go_undercover_in_north_korea  and 
https://www.ted.com/talks/hyeonseo_lee_my_escape_from_north_korea  These TED Talks are powerful, incisive and compelling.  They should make you angry . . . .    

How do you deal with incarnate evil that is Kim Jong Un?  It would be nice if China would encourage refugees to cross the river and allow resettlement.  But presently, China captures refugees and sends them back to North Korea where most are then killed.  If China changed this policy, maybe they could be a hero. . . . .    

 

The Orphan Master’s Son

On By scottpetersenIn Adam Johnson, Kim Jong Un, North Korea, The Orphan Master's SonLeave a comment

On July 10, 2014, I offered a post on Kim Jong Un – the animal who rules North Korea (pardon me – the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea“).  Little did I know that I’d be following up my post so soon with another post about North Korea — “The Hermit Kingdom.”  

On February 17, 2014, the United Nations released a report on North Korea which details some of the unspeakable cruelties and horrors that occur daily in North Korea:  starvation; corruption; prison camps; wholesale extermination, slaughter and murder; torture; rape; kidnapping of young women; forced abortions; brainwashing; and acts worse than your worst nightmare. 

I just finished reading The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson.  This 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner (for fiction) and New York Times bestseller depicts life (if you can call it that) in North Korea.  It paints a 443 page picture of one young man – an orphan named Jun Do  – who rises through the ranks to rival Kim Jong Il  (1941-2011) the psychotic “Dear Leader” who preceded Kim Jong Un.  I could go into great and glorious detail on the images of the book.  Suffice to say, the book is powerful and compelling.  And painful.  It makes you want to task Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp (see 8/25/11 and 12/30/12) to do a Control Alt Delete of North Korean leadership.

Kim Jong Un

On By scottpetersenIn Kim Jong UnLeave a comment

Kim Jong Un is the 31 year old leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (aka “North Korea”). He is the son of Kim Jong il and the grandson of Kim il Sung (his predecessors). This 31 year old whiz kid is President of the country and head of the military. And he controls every aspect of life in the “Hermit Kingdom.”

Those who cross Kim Jong Un learn quickly. Then they die.  He has caused to disappear scores of his own family members. He is reputed to have fed his uncle – Jang Song Thaek – to a large pack of dogs who had not been fed for several days. He keeps his 24.7 million people on a starvation diet.  And his people die like flies.  And he doesn’t care.   There are increased rumblings at the top.  And factions.  Dice are rolling.  The knives are out.  On March 14, 2013, Kim was the target of an assassination attempt.  And survived.  Keep watching the news in the coming weeks.   

Last week (July 8th), some rare footage of Kim Jong Un made its way to the West.  It shows Kim Jong Un limping.  Struggling to walk (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdGozD6cIGE ).   Yet a bare thousand views.  I wonder how it happened.  Shooting hoops with Dennis Rodman?  Poor guy.  Gosh – I sure hope it’s serious. . . .