Human Rights in North Korea Seen by South Korea

Relations with North Korea have been a troubling issue for the last 70 years. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, and relations have remained pretty much what they were 70 years ago. The Catholic Peace Weekly reported on a seminar on the public perception of North Korean Human Rights and the South.

In a survey made on North Korea's universal human rights, 64.6 percent of South Koreans said we should make it our concern; 30 percent said, it is an internal matter in North Korea, so we should not interfere.

The North Korean Human Rights Information Center made the following remarks at a seminar on the results of the "2020 North Korean Human Rights Survey" held in December. The survey was conducted for four days from November 27 last year. They randomly selected 100 men and women aged 19 or older living across the country and conducted telephone interviews with a 95 percent level of confidence. This is the seventh time since 2014 that a survey on public awareness and policy evaluation of North Korean human rights has been conducted.

In the survey, 43% of respondents expressed a need for pressure through cooperation from the international community on North Korea;  second, improvement and support through steady dialogue (27.9%);  expanding and revitalizing support for North Korea (15.9%);  making known North Korean human rights infringements (9.3%).

Regarding human rights in North Korea, 58.9% of respondents said there is no possibility of further improvement, while 37.0% said there is a possibility of further improvement.

When asked about the awareness of the situation and improvement of human rights in North Korea, 21% of respondents answered that it is 'deteriorating'; 16.5% answered that it is 'improving'; and 53.2% answered that it is 'unchanged'. It turned out that more than half of the people perceived that human rights in North Korea were poor.

In the questionnaire on the possibility of improving human rights in North Korea, 58.9% answered that there is no possibility of further improvement; 37% said there is a possibility of further improvement. Regarding the need to prepare for a change and to punish the perpetrators of human rights violations in the North, 62.7% answered that it is necessary and 28.9% answered that it is not necessary.
 
Regarding the countermeasures that the South Korean government should take in the event of a large-scale North Korean refugee outbreak, 37.9% of respondents answered that they should be accepted because they are our compatriots, but 48.7% said, they should be selectively accepted in consideration of our economic capacity and diplomatic burden. 12.2% responded that they should not be accepted, and the way they looked upon the refugees was colder than expected.
 
Regarding the activities of North Korean human rights groups, 59.7% said they were helpful, while 38.4% said they were not helpful. Also, 60.3% of respondents answered the government and private organizations should cooperate investigating human rights infringements in North Korea, and 21.6% thought international organizations should do it alone. Only 3.4% desired private proceedings.
 
The director of the Center for Human Rights information on North Korea, said, allowing private research institutes to investigate and research the results of the Unification Ministry's North Korean Human Rights approach will be an institutional and civilian response to improve human rights in North Korea.

Can I go to Fortune Tellers and Church?

This year in the Lunar Calendar we begin the year of the Ox. A time for the exchange of greetings which this year is done mostly online because of the coronavirus. A priest writing in his column in the Catholic Peace Weekly gives us his thoughts on the way many Koreans look upon the New Year.

At this time of the year, many are looking for a bright future that is waiting for them in the 'Secret Art of Tojeong' and similar books used at this time of the year. They go to fortune-tellers, often called Philosophy Rooms.

Although we have entered the 4th industrial revolution with smart technology, those who frequent fortune tellers are looking for answers to the future by the four pillars—year, month, day, and hour of birth, reading the tarot cards, and other forms of divination have continued to increase. Very easy to find apps on hand-phones that will give you a reading for the future.

He quotes one site that said that over 130 thousand frequent these sites each day and what is spent is in the trillions. Those who work in the field of fortune-telling continue to increase. Two Associations that are in the field of divination have over 300 thousand members each and with the non-members counted you have over 500 thousand in each association. They appear often in the Broadcasting Media with the help of celebrities.

When the future is so much in the dark as these days of the virus, many try to clear away the darkness as quickly as possible and divination is one of the ways. Life is filled with aging, disease, death, economic problems, natural disasters, when some possibility arises that is supposed to solve the problems it is easy to grab onto them.

A professor in this field is quoted: There is the rebirth of 'shamanism' in the world today because of the uneasiness we have in politics and society with the easy availability of information bringing about the upheaval in society. In the Old Testament, it is very clear that all kinds of divination and sorcery are forbidden, also part of Catholic teaching.

In a questionnaire that was made by the Seoul Diocese in 2016, 76.4% of the respondents said that even though they knew about the Church's teaching they had experience in many of these means of divination. An indication that the unpredictable future has brought fear and uncertainty into their lives that their faith life was not able to alleviate.

Prophets are the spokespersons for God to the faith community on future events and to warn them and prepare them for the future to be closer to God while those in divination are there to avoid the future sufferings and distancing themselves from God.

Jesus said to his disciples: "This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44). Also, "I shall not call you servants anymore, because a servant does not know his master's business; I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I have learned from my Father" (John 15:15).

At the marriage ceremony the husband and wife promise each other: "I take you to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death does us part."  No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow, a month from now, a few years from now. We don't go into the future with a fortune teller but with the Lord. He will bring us to our proper destination.                                                                                                                                                                  

Eureka Moments in Life

A priest writing in a bulletin for priests mentions the message he received from a believer. He sends the priest a happy message every morning on a mobile phone. The priest wants to share the message he received from him— the secret of happiness.

Someone went to a Buddhist monk who he heard was a wonder-worker. "Life it's too hard for me, there is too much stress in my life. Please teach me the secret to being happy?” Hearing these words, the monk said: "I have to go to my garden now. In the meantime, please hold this bag." He didn't know what was in the bag but it wasn't heavy.

He was embarrassed at the request. The monk gave him the bag to hold without telling him the secret to happiness; he thought there must have been something urgent to do in the garden. But over time the bag became heavier and heavier. After about 30 minutes, his shoulder's hurt. But the monk was still working in the garden.

He went out to the garden and asked the monk how much longer does he have to hold the bag his shoulders are hurting. "If the bag is heavy why in the world don't you put it down?" The monk asked incredulously. It was at this moment he realized what the monk was trying to tell him and enlightenment came. To be happy, all he had to do was lay down what he continued to keep tightly in his mental grasp.

There is a famous Rockefeller story that shows what a strong desire and obsession for material things can do and how sharing solved the problem. More than 80 years ago he was a famous rich man in the United States. He became the richest man in the world with oil. But he was blamed for his greed. People who were close to him left, some made dolls in his image to play with, some charitable organizations refused to accept his money which they considered dirty. In his 50s he was given a death sentence. He had lost his health.

The doctors told him that he should not do anything and go to the countryside for rest. He couldn't even have three meals with all his money. His wealth was of no help. He couldn't sleep properly at night and began thinking about life and its meaning. He spent time in nature and had conversations with farmers. Peace was found and health began to improve.

Greed and obsession with wealth were replaced. His mother also recommended that he give his money to charity. Now he began to wonder how he should spend the money. He donated property to charity, gave money to research institutes, and made plans on how money was to be spent after his death. He was praised for being a rich man that gave most of his money away. He almost died in his 50s but lived to be 98. Later he recalled he lived his first 55 years hounded by his obsessions but the last 50 years were happy.

We hear these stories of Eureka moments that change a person's life. Life is too fast, we are too busy and don't appreciate the value of leisure and silence. We miss the insights that come with a contemplative outlook towards life. Instead, we are hounded by our thoughts and miss the insights that come with a long loving look at reality.

Progress and Ethics

 A human life ethicist scholar in the Diagnosis of Current Events' Column in the Catholic Peace Weekly gives us some thoughts to ponder.

 Progress means to improve or increase to some degree or level; always considered good thanks to the nuances that come from the word. Pope Benedict XVI once said in an interview that from the concept of progress we attain both knowledge and power.

Tremendous knowledge has been accumulated in many areas— the mystery of the human body and nature. Knowledge gives birth to power. Knowledge has brought power, and it has been used in the name of progress with great indulgence. We have used power in ways that can destroy nature and humans. The result is revealed by the current corona 19 and the climate crisis.

Pope Benedict XVI points out that the present concept of progress, which combines knowledge and power, is fundamentally missing one perspective. It is the aspect of the 'good'. What is good? Where should knowledge lead to power? Should it just be used, or should we question the internal standards to measure what is good for humans and the world? If the ethical aspect is omitted and only the power through knowledge is cultivated, such progress will inevitably be destructive. Also, one thing to consider along with the concept of progress is the concept of freedom. Freedom is often understood as being able to do what you want, but freedom has its limits, and with all freedom comes responsibility. So, progress and freedom must be balanced with ethical reflection.

On December 23, 2020, the Ministry of Science and the Information and Communication Policy Institute set human-centered ethical standards to be pursued in the development of artificial intelligence. The highest value was to be an aid to Humanity. In other words, all artificial intelligence should be developed and utilized not only to be useful to humans, but also to preserve and cultivate without damaging human nature, and not to harm the human mind and body. Artificial intelligence is for humanity. It should be developed in a direction that contributes to a flourishing life, happiness of individuals and leads to positive changes in society.

In addition, artificial intelligence should contribute to resolving social inequality, used for a given purpose,   should be ethical, developed and utilized to ultimately contribute to the quality of life, and social well-being.

"Artificial Intelligence Ethics Standard" presents three basic principles and ten core requirements. However, this ethical standard is not a binding law or guideline but a moral and autonomous norm. It respects corporate autonomy, encourages the development of artificial intelligence technology, and forms an ethical discourse that can flexibly respond to technological and social changes.

Some questions are raised with the above standards. In other words, a fundamental reflection on whether our society and business ethics have the capacity to comply with this ethical standard and whether it has the maturity to do so. In addition, a sufficient review of the alternatives to this is insufficient. Setting ethical standards does not strengthen ethical competencies. Rather, the ethical standards of artificial intelligence can be effective through strengthening ethical competencies. Consequently, the government should also actively seek ways to cultivate ethical reflection.

Smoking and Health in North Korea

 

Each year, at the New Year, many pledge to quit smoking and make plans to take care of their health. However, even when one quits smoking, many times the hands go to the forbidden item because of stress and other temptations. So begins an article in the Nation's Reconciliation Column of  the Catholic Weekly.

In North Korea, there is also a concern for smoking issues. A warning message was posted on the cigarette pack and a smoking cessation campaign was launched, but with little success. It seems that the recent 'Non-Smoking Act' was created to renew their efforts and conduct a major crackdown.
 
Smoking was banned in public places by enacting the "Non-Smoking Control Act" in 2005, and on December 4, 2020, a reinforced amendment was prepared at the plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly. Public places such as theaters, childcare institutions, educational institutions, medical and health facilities, restaurants, and public transport facilities were designated smoking prohibited places, and penalties were enacted for violations of the smoking order.
 
In fact, the North is a smoker's paradise. Even in public places, he could see men smoking frequently; there were many types of cigarettes. It is known that there are about 50 brands in the South, compared to 200 in the north.
 
The writer at one time collected cigarette butts that fell on the floor during the "Kaesong Industrial Complex Environmental Beautification Day" to see how many types of cigarettes in the North were available. He remembers the names: Mt. Geumgang, Cheonji, Red Star, Chollima, Dawn, Hometown, Bees, and Kraben.  
 
The smoking rate among North Korean men was 54.7% in 2015, which is very high compared to the world average of 48%. On the other hand, according to a 2018 survey, the smoking rate of men in the South was 36.7%, 20 years ago, it was 66.3%.
 
The topic that always comes to mind when it comes to smoking is 'The Vicious Cycle of Tobacco and Poverty'. In the case of low-income people, investment in health is low, which widens the gap with the health of high-income people.
 
Differences in health levels and mortality rates can also occur between countries. Smoking can be fatal for people in the North who are undernourished due to food shortages and the like. According to Eugene Bell Foundation, which has been conducting medical aid projects for North Korea, the rate of tuberculosis in the North ranks first in the world. You can feel that vulnerability enough just by looking at the firmness in responding to the recent coronavirus infection-19. He prays that the North, which is in a state of crisis, will amend the 'No Smoking Act' and enforce a strong crackdown.
 
The reason we should be interested in the health and sanitation efforts in the North is that although there is a human rights aspect, we hope the members in North Korea will become one with the South someday and remain healthy.

A New Year's Resolution

 

In the Eyes of the Believer's column of the Catholic Times the director of the Korean Theological Research Institute has some thoughts on New Year's Resolutions.

 

At the beginning of the year, she thinks of what she wants to achieve during the year. However, seeing the momentum of the Corona 19 virus throughout last year, impossible to predict anything, she finds it difficult to make plans for the New Year. She hopes the vaccine will work, so she can go back to her usual routine. Rather than thinking about what she will do, it will be rather how she will live. 

 

While looking for something that could be a guide for the New Year, she noticed the message that Pope Francis announced on January 1st for "World Peace Day." The theme: A Culture of Care As a Path to Peace.

 

God's plan in Genesis suggests that humans have a 

call to care for the world God created, and to guard and care for our brothers and sisters. Jesus showed love and care for us by giving Himself to others, and his disciples imitated this and practiced love for the poor. In this discourse, the Pope added a new dimension "protection of creation" to the main principles of social justice, "promoting the dignity of all humans, solidarity with the poor and the powerless, the pursuit of the common good", helping our Christians achieve a culture of social care. The Pope asks us to take the lead. 

 

This Peace Day message contains contents from the Encyclical "Fratelli Tutti" that came out last fall on brotherhood and social friendship. The Encyclical introduces the parable of the Good Samaritan who helped a stranger who was robbed. It does not reduce our lives to narrow relationships, my family or small group but goes beyond ourselves to relationships with others. The encyclical invites us to restore the virtue of “kindness,” the gift of the Holy Spirit. If we work every day to develop a kind habit of showing interest in others, smiling, listening, and speaking encouraging words, our relationships with our neighbors and our attitude toward the world will take a new path. 

 

The Encyclical says the story of the Good Samaritan is constantly repeated, and that we will sooner or later meet a suffering person, more so today. In fact, an incident that reminds the writer of this was reported in the news a while ago. A mother of a disabled man was found five months after her death. The son, who had a developmental disability, stayed homeless on the street after his mother died, not knowing what to do. He spent months begging in front of the subway station, the countless people who passed him paid no notice.

 

Several months later, a social worker stopped and talked with him. He took out a note which said: "My mother is dead, Help me." She contacted the police and found his mother who died 5 months before. Perhaps if the social worker hadn't stopped and didn't see the note, his mother wouldn't have been discovered and the homeless man would be wandering this cold winter on the streets. The social worker was a good Samaritan, what person are we in the parable of the Samaritan?

 

Her New Year's resolution in 2021 is to live 'kindly'. Respond to the pain of the Earth, where we give friendly smiles and greetings to those we meet, not only hope for the health and well-being of herself and family, but also pay attention to the realities of the world, listen to the voices of people in pain, share comfort, solidarity, and compassion. She wants daily, one step at a step, to practice the way of kindness.

Economic Jubilee Year for Korea

A Catholic university priest professor, with a doctorate in economics, acquaints the readers of the Kyeongyang magazine on some of the economic problems faced by Korean society in this New Year.

 

In Oct. of last year, the Bank of Korea reported that the Piketty index was 8.6 the highest it has been. In 2010 it was 7.6. The index for Germany 4.4, United States 4.8, France 5.9, England 6.0, Japan 6.1, Spain 6.6. According to Piketty, the index shows the economic inequality in society and consequently its dissatisfaction. 

Thomas Piketty is a French Economist who originated this index: the assets of a country compared to how many more times this exceeds the total income of the citizens. When the index increases the power of capital increases compared to the income from labor; according to Piketty, we have a situation for dissatisfaction. 

In Korea, a big reason for the increase of the index comes from the increase in the prices of real estate property. The income from labor in comparison to the income from capital decreases. Not a good sign for society. Simply expressed the value from capital is usually 4 to seven times greater than the total income from labor. This money increase will be going for the most part to the wealthy.

The writer seeing the situation in Korea reminds him of the Jubilee Year of the Old Testament. After the last of the seven sabbatical years on the 50th year, they celebrated the Jubilee Year. One was not to sell their land, God was the landowner and they were only pilgrims on God's land. All had 'equal land rights' so they could enjoy life. 

The distribution of land after entering Canaan was done with great care. Joshua selected three from each tribe to explore the area and make a map. They distributed the land according to this map. To be fair it was done by lot. The Jewish historian Josephus said it was not done by the amount of land but the quality of the land.

The Jubilee Year expressed simply was a reset of society—a new start, going back to the beginning. All debts remitted if the original land that had been allotted had been sold it would be returned to the owner.

 

The writer introduces to the readers, Henry George and his book: Progress and Poverty, published in 1879. George had the same idea that land was for the benefit of all and argued that taxes on land should replace all other taxation, ending unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

 

Since in our modern society the distribution of land is no longer a reasonable possibility the taxing is possible with the distribution to society. This would be a modern-day Jubilee Law benefiting all.

In Korea after liberation in 1950, the government abolished the land tenure system, transferring the land ownership from the absentee landlords to the tenant farmers. This enabled the farmers to care for their families and put aside money for the education of their children which helped the country to quickly develop. 

After 1970 the 'equal land rights' policy began to weaken because of industrialization and the growth of cities. And we had the city land prices increase, speculation, and the growth of unearned income. This became the vision of many, to make easy money without the toil and sweat of the past.

The continual increase of property prices is a problem and few are in the know on how to stop this kind of speculation. He ends the article with the thought that we are going in the opposite direction from the Jubilee Year way of thinking. In his eyes, the Jubilee is not a farfetched way of looking for the solution to our economic problems.