The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Family of 5 found dead in 3 separate locations

  • 3

    All-Korean showdowns set up on 1st day of medal race

  • 5

    Opposition party leader ends 24-day hunger strike for treatment

  • 7

    Exhibition for soldiers highlights North Korea's human rights abuses

  • 9

    Sil-A overcomes stage fright, and them some

  • 11

    Historic NASA asteroid mission set for perilous return

  • 13

    Hangzhou Asian Games open after COVID-enforced delay

  • 15

    Korea looking to hit ground running on 1st day of medal events

  • 17

    Korea's top-ranked Go player wants to capitalize on rare chance

  • 19

    EU does not want to decouple from China but must protect itself: EU trade chief

  • 2

    Xi says he will seriously consider visit to South Korea: official

  • 4

    Understanding Korean Modernization

  • 6

    Bears of Joseon part 1: Fanciful tales and deadly claws

  • 8

    US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

  • 10

    PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

  • 12

    Allies vow stern measures against Russia-NK arms deal

  • 14

    Top diplomats of Korea, Iran discuss bilateral ties following frozen funds transfer

  • 16

    League of Legends, other esports join Asian Games in competition for first time

  • 18

    Yoon returns home from New York trip

  • 20

    PHOTOSOpening ceremony of 19th Hangzhou Asian Games

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • About the past
  • Korea: deConstructed
  • Parchment Made of Sheepskins
  • Workable Words
  • Dialogues with Adoptees
  • Imbricated Chaos
Mon, September 25, 2023 | 04:54
Rep. Tae Yong-ho explains essentials of North Korea
Posted : 2021-12-12 09:54
Updated : 2021-12-12 15:06
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Rep. Tae Yong-ho, former deputy ambassador of North Korea to the United Kingdom, speaks at Freedom Speakers International's forum in Seoul, Nov. 27. Courtesy of Voices from the North
Rep. Tae Yong-ho, former deputy ambassador of North Korea to the United Kingdom, speaks at Freedom Speakers International's forum in Seoul, Nov. 27. Courtesy of Voices from the North

On Nov. 27, Freedom Speakers International held a forum featuring former diplomats from North Korea. Below is an excerpt of remarks by Tae Yong-ho, former deputy ambassador of North Korea to the United Kingdom. ― ED.

By Tae Yong-ho

In 2016, I defected from North Korea and came to South Korea for freedom. Today, I am honored to tell you about North Korea. As you know, it is very difficult to understand North Korea because North Korea is a place where you cannot go; it may seem like a very remote place. I would like to tell you about some of the main aspects of North Korea.

Military: North Korea has nuclear weapons and is the country with the second highest number of military and paramilitary personnel with a total of 7.7 million active reserve and paramilitary personnel. That is approximately 30 percent of its population. It has 1.28 million soldiers considered to be on active duty, consisting of 5 percent of its population.

So that's why in North Korea's daily life, great investments are going into its military and that is one of the reasons why North Korea is so poor.

Human rights: According to the United Nations, which published its findings in 2014, North Korea is a country with serious human rights violations that is unparalleled in the contemporary world. That is one of the reasons why North Korea cannot open its doors to the world community and that it is difficult for people to visit North Korea.

Political structure: North Korea functions as a highly centralized one-party system. There is a constitution, yes, but in addition to the constitution, North Korea is governed by the party. The Workers' Party of Korea is quite different because of the 10 Principles of the Party. In North Korea, the exact term is "Monolithic Ideological and Guidance System" which establishes the standards for governance and guides the behavior of North Koreans. These ten principles are North Korea's version of the Ten Commandments of the Bible.

If you compare the 10 Principles of the Workers Party of Korea and the 10 Commandments of the Bible, you can easily see that North Korea indeed copied the Ten Commandments of the Bible and applied them to its political structure. The Kim family is regarded like the gods of North Korea. North Korea loves the word "eternal." In North Korea, children and adults are taught that human beings have two lives: One is physical and the other is political.

Political life is eternal, while physical life ends when you are dead and buried in the ground. So, that is one of the reasons why North Korea loves the word "eternal." For instance, Kim Jong-un's grandfather Kim Il-sung is the father of North Korea. Now, he is called the "eternal president." Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il, is now called the "eternal General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea." North Korea claims that it is a socialist state. Ironically the whole system and political structure is based on idealism, not materialism.

Legislative and executive power: There is legislative power in North Korea, which is called the Supreme People's Assembly, and there are 687 members who are elected every five years by universal suffrage.

These are sham elections. They are not elected by the people, they are all appointed by Kim Jong-un. There is also executive power in North Korea, which is called the Cabinet of North Korea, but the members of the Cabinet and the Premier are also appointed by Kim Jong-un.

Finally, about North Korea's political structure. Is it Stalinist dictatorship or hereditary dictatorship? There are a lot of arguments about it. I would describe North Korea's political structure as a kind of hereditary system. Even though there is a constitution, and even though North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, everyone with any power in North Korea is appointed by Kim Jong-un. So, this kind of political administrative structure is a dynasty and absolute monarchy.




Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of Freedom Speakers International and a lecturer in public speaking at Seoul University of Foreign Studies, edited this text for publication.


EmailCJL@alumni.harvard.edu Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation
2Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China
3Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closerSeoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer
4Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil. Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.
5Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars
6S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain highS. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high
7JTI Korea joins Jongno clean-up JTI Korea joins Jongno clean-up
8Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatoryPatients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory
9CKD Kochon Foundation awards Ukraine health authorities for treating tuberculosis patients amid raging war CKD Kochon Foundation awards Ukraine health authorities for treating tuberculosis patients amid raging war
10Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Yim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston' INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'
2TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion
3BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
4[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
5Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group