Seeing North Korea with North Korean Eyes

A refugee from the North, living in Korea, was in his living quarters overnight when below he heard loud noses that disturbed his sleep. He went out to the veranda and looked into the room below and saw a number of persons who were in a heated dispute. They were discussing the present government, the president's policies, capabilities, the directions of the government  and the like, and were bitterly critical of the present situation. He called the police and reported the reactionaries in the apartment below. The columnist in the Catholic Times, a representative of the Korean Bishops' Committee for Reconciliation mentions this incident in the Catholic Times, and had a good laugh in the process.

The refugee found the situation a serious one. Coming from North Korea, and hearing the criticism of the president was untenable. Hearing that kind of talk, after many years of living in a society quite different from our own, his actions are easily understood.

In the South with refugees from the North, if respect is not shown to Kim Il-sung, you are not giving a good impression to those from the North. These deserters from the North still have an idea of their leader that saw him as almighty and deserving of their respect. His diplomatic capabilities, the respect he received in every nation that he visited, his humility: he was always the first to extend his hand for a greeting, made a favorable impression on the  citizens.

During his time as their leader, the Communist stores were filled with clothes, and all kinds of fish they could buy cheaply. Their verandas had pollack always ready to be eaten. At the birthday celebration of the leader during the spring, all kinds of visitors from other countries would be present which showed how well respected he was to  the rest of the world.They were very happy.

In the 1960s when South Korean nurses and miners were going to Germany for work, North Koreans thought that if it wasn't for Kim Il Sung they would be doing the same thing, and were thanking heaven for such a leader.

From the time in the public nursery schools, before the portrait of Kim Il sung they would thank their  great leader for what he had done for the country. They all learned about his life in school and they all new the names of his parents and even a three old child would know his birthday-- April 15.

In all the provinces of the North there is a museum dedicated to the exploits of the great leader and where they learn about him. His whole life was devoted to making the life of the citizens better and died doing this. Almost all believed once he saw the  difficulties of the citizens he would act to alleviate the problems. We in the South, the columnist concludes,  have a long way to go before we  can understand the feelings of those in the North.