Saturday, June 5, 2010

A Look At Life Behind The Bamboo Curtain

Image: North Korea's permanent blackout. Image from CNET

Behind North Korea Bluster Its People Fight For Survival -- The Age

NORTH Korea's recent history is written in the stunted bones of Wilson Im. The 29-year-old defector scraped together enough corn to stay alive during his adolescent years but not so much that he might reach the height of either of his parents. He stands out on the thriving streets of Seoul because he is barely 150 centimetres tall.

Mr Im's stature was an advantage in his homeland because it meant he could survive on fewer calories. His father died before he was born. His mother and three elder brothers probably all perished from starvation and malnutrition, although it is possible one brother remains alive inside the country's gulag.

Read more ....

My Comment: This story reminds me of the stories my father told me of what life was like in the Soviet Union when the Ukraine famine was occurring. The only difference between that time period and today is that in today's world some North Koreans have better technology to document this slaughter.

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