The Hermit Kingdom

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, aka North Korea, is a country of almost 24million souls governed by a totalitarian Stalinist dictatorship under a personality cult headed by several generations of the Kim family. North Korea is one of the most isolated impenetrable societies on earth and is ruled through continual and intense propaganda and iron-fisted control of virtually every facet of day-to-day life. So little is known about this country that the fact that it suffered an almost decade-long famine during the nineteen nineties during which an estimated 2 million people perished, was hardly known in western countries. The actual number is probably higher, as many deaths were classified as having been caused by collateral diseases.

In her book, Nothing To Envy, journalist Barbara Demick presents an oral history of several North Koreans who were able to defect to economic powerhouse, South Korea. It is through these stories that the desolation of life in the Hermit Kingdom can be understood. The particular, but by no means only, example of the miseries foisted on its citizens brings home the extent to which the residents of this closed society have been forced to suffer. The state's ability to provide fundamental nutrition for its people experienced a massive breakdown resulting in continuous foraging for scraps and even edible weeds causing sickness and death on a massive scale.

One very sobering story is told by a former kindergarten teacher who's pupils would arrive at school wearing ragged hand-me-downs, layered to counter the lack of heating in the classrooms. The children themselves being so undernourished that they appeared to be several years younger than their actual ages.

After the students had settled into their seats, the teacher would bring out her accordion to lead the class in a rousing rendition of "We have nothing to envy in the world."

Our father, we have nothing to envy in the world.
Our House is within the embrace of the Workers Party
We are all brothers and sisters
Even if a sea of fire comes toward us, sweet children
do not need to be afraid
Our father is here
We have nothing to envy in the world

The "father" is of course whichever Kim happens to be in power. The government supplies framed Photos of the Kim's for every home and public building, but can't seem to bridge the massive food deficit.

It turns out that the accordion is the official "people's instrument" which all teachers must master before graduating. In addition to schools, forced labor parties are also serenaded with accordion propaganda tunes. This brought to mind the great lamented Boston writer, George V. Higgins, who maintained that nothing good ever came from any event at which an accordion was played.

This might be funny if it weren't for the widespread suffering of the North Korean people The Kims can find money for nukes, but let the people forage for roots and weeds to eat. George Bush was right, this country has definitely earned its place on the axis of evil.