North Korea Reportedly Punishing Insincere Mourners
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Image credit: Kyodo News/AFP/Getty Images
North Korean authorities are punishing mourners who failed to exhibit sincere sadness and despair after the death of Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17, the Daily NK reported Wednesday.
The online North Korean newspaper, which is published by opponents of the governing regime, said a source in North Hamkyung Province revealed the information. The source told the paper “authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn’t participate in the organized gatherings during the mourning period, or who did participate but didn’t cry and didn’t seem genuine,” according to the Daily NK.
There are an estimated 200,000 offenders and families held in North Korean prison camps, according to a May 2011 report from Amnesty International. The report details two types of camps known as “zones.” One zone, known as a Total Control Zone, is for people who have committed “serious crimes.” People in these camps are never released.
The second type of zone, called a Revolutionary Zone, are camps for people who have committed what North Korean authorities perceive as less serious crimes. These crimes may include making critical comments toward government policy or trying to cross the border. Sentences in Revolutionary Zone camps can range from a few months to 10 years.
The report estimates that 40 percent of inmates in the camps will die from malnutrition, and every former inmate interviewed for the report had witnessed at least one public execution while being held.
The late Hwang Jang Yop, a North Korean defector and former official, described similar punishments after the death of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il’s father and the founder of North Korea, in 1994.
“The party conducted surveys to see who displayed the most grief, and made this an important criterion in assessing party members’ loyalty,” Yop wrote. “Patients who remained in hospitals and people who drank and made merry even after hearing news of their leader’s death were all singled out for punishment.”
The Daily NK said its source also reported that North Koreans who were accused of being critical of the country’s dynastic system were being sent to re-education camps or banished with their families to remote areas.
North Korea today said that Kim Jong Il’s body will be embalmed and enshrined in the palace that houses his father’s remains. The country also said it plans to build a new Kim Jong Il statue and construct “towers to his immortality.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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“Patients who remained in hospitals … even after hearing news of their leader’s death were all singled out for punishment.” And this country can’t understand why it gets no respect?!? North Korea needs to be dragged forward kicking and screaming all the way up into the 18th century.
Posted by: Felipe | January 12, 2012, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
“or who did participate but didn’t cry and didn’t seem genuine,” – - well that certainly explains all of the over acting and extreme excessive crying from the masses.
Posted by: pgdion | January 12, 2012, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
All those out there who constantly complain about our government and our country should take a trip to North Korea….oh, and do take a big box of kleenex with you!!!!!!
Posted by: Karen Lee | January 12, 2012, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm
If only these people knew what a sick little pervert Kim Jong il was, and his son probably is to.
Posted by: Plato Junior | January 12, 2012, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
As the joke of a nation that is called North Korea continues . . .
Posted by: metroman | January 12, 2012, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Should’nt be too hard to fake. Just think about how much harder life will become if you disappear into a work camp if the “new” leader dislikes you. Cry for yourself and your family and think of all the insufferable excruciating humiliation you are induring for a handful of well fed an al retentive megalomaniacs with a 12th century attitude
Posted by: YumDimPoooh | January 12, 2012, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
Freak show. Better to engage them though , as it’s best to be cozy with ones enemies even if they are loony as HeII (and maybe especially so then) . Any modest cultural invasion from the civilized nations will end N. Korea altogether after a while . The people there are just largely ignorant of the outside world , and are taught from birth that the universe revolves around N. Korea and it’s leaders. Sad. They need a window to the world , and it isn’t happening .
Posted by: pikmint | January 12, 2012, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
despicable colony mentality. Colony of ants.
Posted by: Spitting Into the Wind | January 12, 2012, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
How so very sad for these people; what a convoluted mess this country is with such a brutal dictator. Why would anyone want to treat people like this? Where is a supreme being when you need one?
Posted by: nfission | January 12, 2012, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
I feel so sorry for the people of North Korea. Imagine being told that you didn’t cry enough. Disregarding whether the people were sad or not, their leaders can’t even recognize the difference in how people are wired to mourn. I have been to funerals where people cried and fell apart and others where people remained quiet despite their broken hearts. Personality differences are not something people can change. Like another comment noted, it is like their leaders are stuck in a previous century and don’t have the common knowledge that the rest of the world understands.
To send someone to jail for not crying is is absolutely insane.
Posted by: Librarian53 | January 12, 2012, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
This is mixed up…..
Posted by: mlr | January 12, 2012, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Why on earth do we let N Korea exists… this is just insane!
Posted by: CLR | January 12, 2012, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
NO WAY! This is just wrong – plain wrong. Get in trouble if you cry too much – get in trouble if you don’t.
Posted by: what? | January 12, 2012, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
God Bless America!
Posted by: GetAGrip007 | January 12, 2012, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
I knew something was up when I saw photos of all of the over-the-top behavior. Such a wonderful place it must be.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 12, 2012, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
For all you haters of America please go to North Korea and then when you come back you will kiss the ground of the good ole USA.
Posted by: Seriously | January 12, 2012, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
And you wonder why the people were crying hysterically, pounding the ground, and rolling over like kids throwing tantrum. It was all a staged performance because they knew that it would unpatriotic to the dictator if they did not perform well. Now, those who did not cry as expected would have to be punished.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 12, 2012, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
Don’t think for a minute America will burden itself with helping these people – there is no oil there…
Posted by: bjc70 | January 12, 2012, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
why don’t the government schedule another day for those who did not cry well or missed the performance to have the opportunity to make up? That will be a good thing to do for citizens.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 12, 2012, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm
___”God Bless America!”
POSTED BY: GETAGRIP007 | JANUARY 12, 2012, 6:28 PM 6:28 PM_________Amen to that. Most people take this great country for granted, sometimes very unappreciative.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 12, 2012, 6:50 pm 6:50 pm
Obama might want to consider this angle for democrats that don’t fall in line.
Posted by: RedRyder | January 12, 2012, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
North Korea’s talent show.
Posted by: Trudge | January 12, 2012, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
North Korea — what a LOSER of a country…absolutely disgusting…
Posted by: RalphF | January 12, 2012, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
In other words, North Korea is taking a hint from George Orwell and prosecuting “FACE CRIME”! “
Posted by: Dale Auburn | January 12, 2012, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
No wonder people were crying so hard… just by think of the fate that awaited them if they did not….
Posted by: JigmeSingeWonchuk | January 12, 2012, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm
the fact that abc news actually interviewed an “actor’s coach” and exposed these “fakers” probably got another dozen of them thrown into labor camps. Americans don’t know the severity of tyrant behavior N. koreans have to endure. It’s not because N. Koreans want to live this way that they do. They’re forced to do so. Everyone that’s saying, “let’s go to war w/ the N. Koreans”, “let’s bomb ‘em”. Yall don’t know what are you’re talking about. I’m an American born Korean and although I’ve been to the South, haven’t been to the North, and I hope one day that the North will be open to more international aid.
Posted by: James | January 12, 2012, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm
I smell a revolution in the air.
Posted by: GAW | January 12, 2012, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il’ and now son, were and are demons in training. Living in North Korea must be like living in hell. I cannot imagine such a thing as what they must endure. This dynasty is pure evil – so evil, even satan won’t text them anymore. I wonder if they think they are working for brownie points in hell – maybe they can make General of all demons in Squadron 5, Worshipful Master and then, they hope, Sovereign Grand Inspector General of at least one fifth of hell. Now, if America is hell bent on getting rid of ugly dictators – why pick on the little ones? Why not take out this son of ill repute? Free the people of their unimaginable oppression.
Posted by: Tony | January 12, 2012, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Take note, all you people that complain about our country and/or our government. America ROCKS compared to this crap!
Posted by: Whatever | January 12, 2012, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
You can force tears, but you can never force respect. These people cannot respect their government for enslaving them. It is only a matter of time.
Posted by: iamcommonsense | January 12, 2012, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
Don’t think for a minute America will burden itself with helping these people – there is no oil there…
POSTED BY: BJC70 | JANUARY 12, 2012, 6:42 PM+++Good…We give away to much money now to countries that despise us. Let them overthrow their own government. Its not our job….We have enough problems with our government.
Posted by: william | January 12, 2012, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
Faked emotions for sure’
Posted by: owen | January 12, 2012, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
I was working at a department store when I met someone who’d managed to make it to the states from North Korea..I asked her how she liked it here.She told me “You have no idea how blessed you are to be born here..USA is Number One!” I think of her everytime I hear about news from North Korea.
Posted by: Kelley | January 12, 2012, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
Political correctness has no end. Its root is in it’s censoring of free speech. To stop people from perfectly describing their enemies, like the word Communist, for example. In end game Communist countries even your emotions are censored, and punished by the same politically correct kinds of people in government and media. Our political correct speech began in the 1950s when Communists in the media were successful at shouting down those trying to expose them. Saying the word Communist became more politically incorrect as their cause advanced and as they infected all of government, media and academia. We can see where that has led. We can see here with N Korea where it is going. I’m suprised our media even reported it.
Posted by: Ernest Emmerling | January 12, 2012, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
Political correctness on parade.
Posted by: Ernest Emmerling | January 12, 2012, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm
ok – I give… are these guys whacked over there -or what…?
Posted by: CLR | January 12, 2012, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
Perfectly horrible and absolutely none of our business. I exercise my First Amendment rights and my Second Amendment rights to ensure that I keep the rest of them. Those people gave up their rights long ago, now their grandchildren suffer for it. I exercise my rights to make sure may grandchildren don’t suffer the same fate. Until those people are as willing to fight for their rights as I am, they will have no freedom, and deserve none.
Posted by: oonogil | January 12, 2012, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm
Why is the regime allowing cell phones? Don’t they realize this is how the Arab spring was promulgated?
Posted by: DrStrangelove or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb | January 12, 2012, 8:31 pm 8:31 pm
The people were crying tears of joy, that they no longer have to put with such a madman as Kim. And their goverment thought all of that crying was for their stupid leader, wrong !!!!
Posted by: myopinionpal | January 12, 2012, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm
Oonogil ~~ I’m curious as to how you propose they “fight for their rights”? The entire country is military. You do NOT cross the dictator or you will die, as well as your parents, spouse and babies. They have no weapons. They have no way to fight back. Their only one hope would be that the military itself would somehow magically decide to all in unison go after these dictators, but since the military is (generally) well taken care of the likelihood of that happening is virtually nil. The saddest part of all is that the overwhelming majority of the citizens there have absolutely no idea that life anywhere else is different. They are incredibly isolated!
Posted by: Joyce | January 12, 2012, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
Truly the most sick thing I’ve ever seen about NK. It’s a cult.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | January 12, 2012, 9:43 pm 9:43 pm
I feel really sorry for the people because I honestly believe that they are scared to do anything contrary to government belief. I truly believe that they are still starved and TOLD to honor Kim Jon Il and to sing songs about bountiful rice when there is no rice to eat.. I actually saw a documentary that said “we are told to sing songs of how much food we have and its soo much” but how they starve all the people, even the soldiers. Thats why they are so skinny. Its really dangerous to go against the government. I just feel really bad for them. Its got to be serious when they are about to persecute 200,000 of their people and maybe execute half of them. They dont have jails. They have concentration camps. Anyway I just hope they are set free.
Posted by: Mrsj | January 12, 2012, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
Man. North Korea sucks.
Posted by: Thor-Axe | January 12, 2012, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
North Korea is just downright creepy, like some horrible sci-fi show on the SCIFI channel. Either Iran, or this country is going to be responsible for our last and worst war. Trouble is…they’ll have no problem hitting that button…to die a martyr is the easiest ticket into heaven for these brainswashed nuts. Turns out the sleeping tiger will be a cuckoo.
Posted by: Jeanne | January 12, 2012, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
“Patients who remained in hospitals ” REALLY!!!? OMO This is just soo ridiculously sad. these people done nothing wrong and are being treated worst than Wild Animals or just animals in general. These people whole life seems scripted. and you know what’s really horrible if one family member do some that is not scripted (in other words something the government don’t approved which is basically everything ) their whole family will pay the horrible price . When you think one die and the other might make things better heck No they just make things even worst. There is no way to help these people since they are already brainwashed and even the ones who are not there is still nothing you can do.. just downright SAD. God Bless Their Souls
Posted by: TinkerSahya | January 12, 2012, 10:42 pm 10:42 pm
North Korea GROW UP AND JOIN THE PRESENT.
Posted by: Shannon | January 12, 2012, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
Joyce
Of course they have no weapons, they gave them up long ago. Now you know why I don’t. Anyone who thinks this can’t happen here is very naive. It can’t happen over night but it can happen a little at a time. And will.
I would be the first to help if I thought it would do some good. I’m tired of sending troops into harms way for nothing. I have learned that when you stand up for someone, they are very likely to sit down and let you fight their fight. Our president or the next, no matter who he is will decide that we need to help the poor people of N Korea. We’ll get a few thousand troops killed trying to help people who won’t lift a finger to help themselves. You can’t tell them you’re fighting for their freedom because they don’t even know what that is.
The very best we can do is to say a prayer for them and leave them alone.
How can they fight? Not our problem, we have enough of our own.
Posted by: oonogil7 | January 13, 2012, 12:14 am 12:14 am
see the difference between the people of the government vs the government of the people ? when a government is too big and powerful, it can eventually be like this; and now you see it , so preserve what freedom and civil rights you have before it is too late !
Posted by: what is your opinion ? | January 13, 2012, 2:24 am 2:24 am
OONOGIL7: It’s interesting that you think the US would inevitably go the way of North Korea if any restrictions are imposed on firearm ownership. Not the way of Australia. Or Canada. Or the UK. Or any of the other Western democracies with more sensible firearm control legislation, lower crime and much lower homicide rates than the US (and that’s all of them). No, America’s future would be as another North Korea but for firearms. You don’t have a very high opinion of your fellow countrymen and countrywomen, do you?
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | January 13, 2012, 5:30 am 5:30 am
Maybe its cutural difference. But cry or die is one hell of a choice
Posted by: Python | January 13, 2012, 7:41 am 7:41 am
2HUNDREDTHOUSAND – As OONOGIL said, the move toward this type of regime is not done overnight. Just because Australia, Canada, and the UK have not gotten there yet does not mean they are not GETTING there. I happen to have been stationed in the UK when in the Air Force, I also have friends and family that live there, and maybe you should actually ask a Brit how they feel about not being allowed to have firearms. The ultimate problem with taking away people’s rights to own firearms is that they can not defend themselves from their own government if it becomes necessary. Every government throughout history has inevitably moved toward totalitarianism. Power begets hunger for more power, and though governments are a necessary evil, responsible citizens will never give up their means to defend themselves should revolution become necessary. It is naive of you to believe that we can not end up like N. Korea. What OONIGIL is saying is not that we will definitely end up this way, but that we COULD end up this way. And you do not know that Australia, Canada, and the UK won’t end up this way either.
Posted by: Steve | January 13, 2012, 10:48 am 10:48 am
You might be suprised to find out that we Canadians own a lot of guns. Long barrel rifles and shotguns of course. I do not believe that we would need to start with automatic weapons in order to defend ourselves from a totalitarian govornment. I also don’t think that our Gov is out to get us either, and if they were I am pretty sure that the troops are educated enough not to follow illegal orders….so I don’t know where the anti govornment fear comes from but it only seems to exist in corupt backwater countries…..and the USA (no I am not calling the USA one of those)
Here is one funny difference between The USA and Canada
USA-We dont want the people to have universal health care, and we live in fear of the gov trying to taking our assault rifles away.
CAN- We don’t want the people to have assualt rifles, and we live in fear of the gov trying to take our universal health care away.
Two very similar peoples, with only slightly different perspectives.
Posted by: Canuck | January 13, 2012, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
I think people from North Vietnam had to do the same when Ho Chi Minh died . Most of the Communist country apply this unwritten rule, I guess!
Posted by: Long Raleigh | January 13, 2012, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
God bless America? The world is not just comprised of America and N. Korea. Thus, God bless Australia…and Canada..and everyone who are not forced to mourn genuinely.
Posted by: bill | January 13, 2012, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
This report is some of the most ridiculously bad propaganda I have ever seen.
Posted by: pete | January 16, 2012, 10:40 am 10:40 am