Kim Il-sung's Birthday Losing Significance in 2024?

A propaganda image for the occasion of the 112th birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung. (Yonhap)

As North Korea prepares to celebrate the 112th birthday of its founding leader, Kim Il-sung, orchestrated festivities can be felt across Pyongyang. It is a tradition that North Korean state media, which is often known for its artful manipulation of narratives, would paint a picture of unity, loyalty and unwavering devotion by its people to the Kim dynasty on the late Kim’s birthday, also referred to as the “Day of the Sun.” Ever since April 15th was designated a holiday in 1997, citizens have participated in mass parades, choreographed dancing and patriotic singing in “songs of loyalty” competitions. Considered as one of North Korea’s most important holidays, all surrounding events leading towards the senior Kim’s birthday are usually meticulously choreographed to pay homage to the man who laid the foundation of the country’s identity with the Juche ideology.

KIM’S BIRTHDAY PREPARATIONS 

North Korea is known for holding mass anti-U.S. rallies, pledging “merciless” revenge against “U.S. imperialists,” to reinforce its own legitimacy and to fuel anti-American sentiments, its long-term enemy state. Ahead of Kim Il-sung's birthday this year, the DPRK has ordered that its youth be further indoctrinated with an anti-American and anti-imperialist class consciousness as North Korea marks the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War. As the Day of the Sun approaches, the country’s efforts to garner more loyalty and prevent ideological laxity among the youth serve as a reminder of the complex war game dynamics among North Korea, the U.S. and South Korea.

In particular, the authorities blamed young people for being too money-driven and for only focusing on maintaining their own economic stability without considering the welfare of, and thereby showing loyalty to, the party and the state. Therefore, there is a need to require training sessions on ideology and class consciousness in every province so as not to let the country’s future disappoint the Workers’ Party. It is interesting to note that the trainings have been specifically designed to mention Ukraine’s loss in its war against Russia due to its dependence on the U.S., as well as to instill a strong hostility toward Japan and the “puppet state,” South Korea.

TONED DOWN FESTIVITY IN 2024

The Rodong Sinmun reported on the grand preparations for the 33rd April Spring Friendship Art Festival to be held on the occasion of Kim Il-sung's birth anniversary, which would include performances by around 20 art troupes from Russia, China and Mongolia in the event. However, it is “unusual” for North Korea’s state media to refer to the Day of the Sun as simply “the April holiday.” Surprisingly, the annual cooking festival held every April to mark Kim’s birthday has also been renamed without reflecting the term “Day of the Sun” this year. 

The dropping of the reference has led some, including Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korea Studies, to speculate that the current leader, Kim Jong-un, intends to diminish his grandfather’s feats while maintaining the legitimacy of the Paektu bloodline. When asked if North Korea view of the late Kim’s birthday appears to be losing its importance, an official from South Korea’s unification ministry commented that “it will be appropriate to assess (what that means) after comprehensively looking at media reports coming out until April 15.” Kim Jong-un’s more subdued approach to celebrating his grandfather’s birthday may also be explained by his own preference of low-key birthdays, as he reportedly turned 40 in January with no public celebrations.

Nevertheless, despite there being no grand plans of celebrations announced ahead of Kim Il-sung's birthday, the South Korean military remains vigilant to Pyongyang’s possible preparations for provocations during this period leading to Kim’s birthday and the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army on April 25, especially amidst rising tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

Kailey’s Refuge

In March, we welcomed a new resident at Elim House. Kailey suffered from domestic abuse, which left her in a fragile emotional state. She cried throughout her first Sunday service with us. Our staff held her hands and consoled her. To our great surprise, we learned that Kailey became a believer in North Korea. This was Crossing Borders’ first time encountering a refugee who came to faith in North Korea.

Crossing Borders has helped about 1,000 refugees since we began keeping records in 2008. We cannot remember a single refugee who recalled even hearing the name of Jesus in North Korea. The North Korean government has worked hard to eradicate Christianity within its borders since the communists took over in 1945. Before then, North Korea’s capital Pyongyang was a vibrant Christian community. It is said that the streets were empty in Pyongyang on Sundays because everyone was at church.

Kailey came to faith through her father’s trading partner from China who became close friends with him. A few years prior to her conversion, her family had betrayed this trader, and thus the business relationship was cut off. But time passed and the trader said he forgave them. This is how he introduced the gospel to Kailey’s family, through his act of forgiveness.

Helping others in North Korea is frowned upon and raises suspicion. With the little that North Koreans have to live on, it also comes at a great cost. Their family found it challenging to love their neighbor, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 22. North Korea wants to be the only source of support for all citizens, and helping someone of lower Songbun or social status can in turn lower one’s social status. Despite these risks, Kailey’s family loved their neighbors by secretly helping families in need. She told us a story about a family who gave birth to a child and did not have enough money to feed themselves. They left a bag of rice in front of the struggling family’s door. The mother and child both lived and the father even came and repaired Kailey’s house to repay their kindness.

A bigger challenge was to follow the greatest commandment to love the Lord. On Sundays, the family would gather in a safe house, hold their breath, whisper hymns, and listen to sermons via USB drives they obtained from their friend. According to Kailey, their family was part of a "gajung gyohwe" (가정교회) which is some form of a house church. The friend received support from a church in South Korea, who prayed for Kailey’s family and supplied them with Christian sermons and songs.

She sings songs at Elim House that she learned in North Korea. She sings through the tears and hardships of her life. Her boyfriend abused her. It became progressively worse as time went on. This is exactly why Elim House exists: to serve as a refuge for North Korean women in need. Through your support, we have been able to faithfully serve these women who are under significant distress.

We’ve had the privilege of seeing God heal Hayley’s battered body and comfort her broken heart during her time with us. She has built friendships with the other residents and trust for our staff who have faithfully prayed with and for her. Hayley is preparing to leave Elim House in April and we will continue to sing and cry with Kailey until she departs.

Chinese Wigs and False Lashes Might be Made in North Korea

North Korean wigs and false lashes are a hot commodity that China cannot get enough of. Nearly $170 million dollars worth of wigs, beards and eyelashes made up 60 percent of North Korea’s declared exports to China in 2023.

HAIR TRADE DOMINATES TOPS EXPORTS TO CHINA

Trade between China and North Korea is down, mainly due to United Nations sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear program. Interestingly, the hair trade is outside of these sanctions and North Korea can and does freely trade hair products with China. Processed hair topped the list of exported goods from China to North Korea for eight consecutive months. Even in China’s down economy, the allure of North Korean wigs and lashes persists, proving their unique position in the market and an irreplaceable appeal for Chinese customers. 

HIGH QUALITY LASHES

Known as the “eyelash capital of the world,” Pingdu, China, sources about 80 percent of its eyelashes from North Korea. Making false eyelashes and wigs is highly labor-intensive, with each lash individually sharpened to the millimeter and attached one by one, and North Korean-produced products are high in demand and considered to be of “high-quality craftsmanship.” The two main reasons China imports eyelash materials is due to North Korea’s high-quality eyelashes and low cost of labor (which is a tenth of what China’s cost to produce the same). 

Trading eyelashes and wigs generates millions in revenue each month for Kim Jong-un’s country, although it is difficult to know exact amounts. Popularity and increased demand in China is significant for the North Korean people, who desperately need more exports to put food on the table. 

IN SHORT SUPPLY

DailyNK reported that hair is in high demand in North Korea as it tries to increase wig exports. Ironically, the country deems long hair as a practice that goes against socialist sensibilities and is one that is punishable by law. Desperate for money, “there are women who avoid the crackdowns and secretly grow out their hair so they can sell it for as much money as possible.” The source added that “Women grow out their hair to as much as 25 centimeters (10 inches), and one bundle of hair can be sold for up to 20 to 25 kilograms (44 to 55 lbs) of corn. But it takes a long time for women to grow out their hair, so they wash their hair more frequently to try to get their hair to grow faster.” 

Wig-weaving is particularly popular amongst high school students in North Korea, as teenagers have better eyesight, which allows them to weave wigs under oil lamps in an electricity-scarce country*. Political prisoners have also been subject to wig and fake eyelash-making at labor camps, though performing the tasks without receiving any wages. 

* White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea 2022 released by the Korea Institute for National Unification in 2023

Top Headlines from North Korea - March 2024

NORTH KOREA SUED FOR “PARADISE ON EARTH” ATROCITIES

• Approximately 93,340 ethnic Korean residents in Japan moved to North Korea between 1959 and 1984 after they were promised to find abundant healthcare, education and job opportunities under what is known as the “Paradise on Earth” campaign.

• South Korean human rights organization filed the first civil lawsuit against Pyongyang for enticing ethnic Koreans to move to North Korea through false promises through the campaign.

• The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five ethnic Koreans who relocated from Japan to North Korea to seek “overdue compensation for atrocities suffered as part of the North Korean government's deceitful repatriation scheme” worth 100 million won (around $76,000 USD) per person.

• The reality was that the immigrants were given low socioeconomic status, lived in rural areas, performed labor work in factories, mines or farms, were denied the right to return to Japan and became targets of heightened state surveillance.

• Some 500 of these repatriated Koreans eventually escaped to South Korea and Japan, but many remained reluctant to disclose their experiences living in North Korea due to concerns about the safety of those they had to leave behind.

Source:
https://en.nkdb.org/announcements/?idx=18429216&bmode=view
https://www.nknews.org/2024/03/victims-of-north-korean-repatriation-campaign-sue-for-compensation-in-rok-court/ 

KIM JONG-UN MANS “THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL TANK”

• Kim Jong-un was seen operating a newly developed battle tank as South Korea and the U.S. ended their joint annual military drills.

• The North Korean leader expressed “great satisfaction” with “the world’s most powerful” tank, which successfully demonstrated its striking power for the first time during the training match.

• According to state media, the 105th Tank Division, the unit that occupied Seoul during the Korean War, was declared winner at the mock battle.

• The military demonstration involved units near the border that are in firing range of “the enemy’s capital,” referring to Seoul, which has nearly 10 million residents (about half the population of New York).

Source:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-guided-military-demonstration-involving-tanks-kcna-says-2024-03-13/
https://www.foxnews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-operating-worlds-most-powerful-tank-live-fire-exercises 

300 MILES OF NEW FENCING AND GUARD POSTS ALONG NORTHERN CHINA BORDER 

• According to a report titled "A Sense of Terror Stronger than a Bullet: The Closing of North Korea 2018-2023" published by Human Rights Watch, North Korea’s increasingly restrictive measures in sealing up its northern border with China has worsened the country’s already grave humanitarian and human rights situation.

• Satellite images showed authorities constructing 482km (about 299 miles) of new fencing, while enhancing another 260km (about 162 miles) of fencing which was already in place.

• New guard posts and buffer zones could also be seen covering about a quarter of the northern border. In particular, Human Rights Watch noted a 20-fold increase in the number of border security facilities, with guard posts rising from 38 to more than 6,500.

• Due to more intensified crackdowns at the border areas, defectors face greater challenges escaping the country and sending money back home to support their families, as “Not even an any can make it across the border now.”

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68499975
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240308050626
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/07/north-korea-sealing-china-border-worsens-crisis 

PYONGYANG FIRES MISSILES AS U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE VISITS SEOUL

• North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles for the first time in two months as U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, began his visit to South Korea for a conference on advancing democracy.

• According to South Korea’s military, the missiles flew about 300km (about 186 miles) from Pyongyang and landed off the east coast.

• South Korea and Japan condemned the launches as a “clear provocation” and actions that “threaten the peace and security of our region and the international community.”

• Analysts suggested that the launches were a calculated move in response to Blinken’s diplomatic trip.

Source:
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1745067-20240318.htm?spTabChangeable=0
https://www.reuters.com/world/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-south-korea-military-says-2024-03-17/

Chief Gynecologist Sees North Korean Refugee Women in China

For the first time in her life, 56-year-old “Bonnie” received a full physical exam. It was performed by a gynecologist in China. Here she recounts the story of how this opportunity came about through our field pastor:

Eighteen years have passed since I came to China. For a long time, I couldn’t find joy in this unfamiliar land. It was a place where parents, brothers, and children were abandoned, and my language did not work here. When I thought of my hometown, I would go to the fields and cry by myself. I really missed my hometown.

Years ago when I first heard about this pastor who cared for North Korean defectors in my village, I was scared to meet him because I feared he would betray us and have us sent back to North Korea. I could not understand why he helped North Korean defectors. But over time, I started attending his gatherings and through these meetings, I became a child of God.

This past summer, this pastor told us that we had the opportunity to go to the big city hospital to receive a full physical exam. I knew how expensive these visits could be so it was hard to believe someone would provide us with these medical services at no cost to us. Even through my doubts, the pastor encouraged us to come. I told the pastor I would go. I thought to myself that even though I wouldn’t be able to get the exam, it would still be a great achievement to see the streets of the big city for the first time.

When we arrived, there were so many things to see and I was overwhelmed by the city sights. I went to the hospital with a group of other North Korean women from my village, still not believing the checkup would happen. But I had come in faith to receive God’s grace that day so I made up my mind to stay and wait my turn.

The gynecologist who saw me was a Christian and the aunt of someone the pastor knew. She was actually the chief gynecologist at this big hospital, which is how she was able to see us without proper documents. During the exam, I had a lot of questions. Even though I asked about a particular issue 10 times, the doctor patiently explained things to me until I fully understood.

We often saw the pastor God sent to us working so faithfully and diligently. However, since he was a pastor and a servant for God, I didn’t think it was a big deal. After coming home, I looked back on my day and thought through everything that took place. Feeling how much God’s grace I received that day, I also looked back on my life and saw God’s grace in my past..

I give thanks to our pastor who works to help us know more about God and his grace. Only God would give us such happiness and grace. Thank God. Thank you to whoever it is that supports us. I pray that you will be greatly blessed. Amen.

China and Women’s Day

As China celebrated Women’s Day on March 8, our staff decided to hold a retreat for our North Korean refugee women where they gathered for a time to share their burdens with one another and encouraged each other in their faith. 

Despite the fact that China has not honored the rights of North Korean women and has committed a number of atrocities on its women, Women’s Day has been a widely celebrated event in the country. 

Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, China held major events to celebrate Chinese women around the country. According to Xinhua, the All-China Women’s Federation held a meeting in China’s capital city of Beijing to honor 310 female role models on March 3 this year. The female attendees were called on to embrace self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-empowerment, as well as to strive for fulfilling lives. The President of the federation also encouraged women to “contribute their wisdom and strength to the cause of building China into a stronger country and national rejuvenation through concrete actions and accomplishments.” Meanwhile, Beijing also launched a March campaign, “Inspire, Inclusion,” which offers female guests exclusive access to cocktail tutorials, spa treatments and a range of “unforgettable” experiences in three China World Trade Center hotels throughout the month.

As a highly patriarchal and conservative society that is not often associated with women empowerment, it may come as a surprise to the West how widely celebrated Women’s Day is in China.

The Meaning of “Three Eight” in China

Despite the widespread celebrations on March 8 nowadays, “three” and “eight” put together in Chinese ironically forms a word that was traditionally used to describe immodest and indecent women. It is said that this term can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty when the Manchu government only allowed foreigners to enter the port city of Hong Kong for trade on the 8th, 18th and 28th of each month. As the conservative Chinese neighborhood would only be exposed to foreigners, who they described were dressed more openly, on these three days that end with the number “eight,” the Chinese called these foreign women “Three Eight” as a sign of mockery and to criticize their “indecency.”

In fact, some people still mistakenly believe that Women’s Day, which is more commonly known as “Three Eight Festival,” shares its origin with the unpleasant word “three eight” in the Chinese language.

Celebration of Women Across Major Chinese Provinces

Driven by the festivity, flower market sales across the nation have thrived. It was reported that the Kunming International Flower Auction Center in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan saw a record high of 5.04 million flower purchases in a single day, with an average daily sale of 4.49 million flowers this March. Roses, carnations, lilies, tulips and baby’s breath, among other flowers, have become especially popular and high in demand due to their association with Women’s Day.

Meanwhile, many major Chinese provinces hosted public events to celebrate the contributions and successes of women from all walks of life. For instance, the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang held a commemorative activity called “A New Era of Zhejiang Women,” which aimed at displaying how women in Zhejiang strive for development and excellence. Female representatives at the event shared stories about their struggles as women in modern society, vowed to always serve the Party and to play their role as female leads in their families. 

Another coastal city in the south, Guangzhou, selected over 300 female representatives who have a mindset that “the country is great” and display a “correct view” of marriage, childbearing and raising a family to promote “familial civilization” to participate at a Women’s Day meeting. At the meeting, women working groups were encouraged to excel in leading and playing the role of a bridge between society and women. Other government departments were also ordered to protect the rights and interests of women and create favorable conditions for high-quality development of women’s causes in the province. The rights of North Korean women in China were not publicly discussed.

The Birth of Kim Jong-il

February 16, 2024, also known as the “Day of the Shining Star,” marked North Korea’s former leader, Kim Jong-il’s, birthday. State propaganda claims that the late Kim was born in a “secret camp” at Mount Paektu between 1941 to 1942 when his father was fighting Japanese colonialism. However, Soviet Union records show that he was born in the Russian Far East near Khabarovsk in 1941 as his father did not travel to North Korea until after the USSR took over North Korea following Japan’s defeat in World War II. 

Kim Jong-il succeeded his father to the throne in 1994 and ruled over the kingdom until his passing in 2011. Although Kim Jong-il is famous for causing the devastating famine in the late 1990s that took the lives of hundreds of thousands of North Koreans, North Korea’s founding leader, Kim Il-sung, is known to have shaped the country into the isolated kingdom that it stands today. For instance, Kim Il-sung created the songbun system, instituted a system of travel permits that prohibits its people from leaving the country and constructed a sophisticated network of labor camps to punish and re-educate political prisoners.

NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS FOR KIM’S BIRTHDAY

According to state media, Rodong Sinmun, the current Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, recently convened a “National Meeting” in the northern city of Samjiyon near the Chinese border to celebrate his late father’s birthday. The newspaper attributed the country’s success and growth in the military, economy and culture to the late Kim’s “miraculous” achievements. Kim Jong-un gave a speech commemorating Kim Jong-il as a “stepping stone” leader who left a “revolutionary legacy” for him to carry forward today. A top official, Ri Il-hwan, also praised Kim Jong-il for building up the military to challenge “U.S. Imperialists.” 

Kim Jong-il’s birthday anniversary is one of North Korea’s most important holidays. The Korean Central News Agency reported that overseas celebratory events were held in Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan and Switzerland earlier this month, while flower baskets were flown from abroad to be laid in front of the statues of the former leaders in Pyongyang. The celebration in Pyongyang alone was attended by hundreds of attendees, who stood in the cold at a maximum temperature of 5 F (-15 C), listening to state officials give praises to Kim Jong-il and his policies to safeguard the ruling party’s power during the great famine, which was described by Ri as a time the country fought off “the peak of anti-socialist madness in the 1990s” and when its people voluntarily undertook great suffering as a result. 

Later the same day, Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang hosted an “evening gala of youth and students” featuring a fireworks show that was even attended by foreign diplomats remaining in the city. Moreover, a source in North Pyongan Province told Daily NK that holiday gifts were distributed to cadres of party and government organizations across the country between February 11 and 14, while Central Committee officials received two kilograms of pork, a duck, a chicken, a box of eggs, 10 kilograms of pollock, fruits, dried seaweed, sweets, five kilograms of wheat, 4.5 kilograms of oil and 10 bottles of fine alcohol in addition to their monthly rations.

LITTLE HOLIDAY SPIRIT FOR ITS PEOPLE

Meanwhile, the North Korean people suffered from the celebrations. According to a source from Hyesan in Yanggang Province, citizens were ordered by the government to pay for firewood needed for special guard duty on the Day of the Shining Star. The source complained that families were demanded to provide “stacks of firewood costing KPW 3,000, which is enough to buy one kilogram of corn. This was very upsetting because it’s a serious burden for people who can’t afford to eat regularly, even during the holiday.”

Another source reported that a team from the Central Committee’s accounting department traveled to Hwangju County earlier this month to collect premium-quality apples typically sent as gifts to officials on special occasions and major holidays, known as category 8, in preparation for Kim Jong-il’s birthday. However, as locals were unable to meet the quota demanded by the team, the province’s party committee punished workers responsible for supplying the apples. In particular, workers faced criticisms for “inappropriate conduct” towards the country’s revolutionary leadership due to the insufficient supply of quality apples.

At Elim House: Weep with those who weep

Brenda (right) at an outing with other North Korean refugees.

One of the most mystifying things about the gospels is that God came to live among us and got involved in our affairs. In Matthew 1:23, the angel of the Lord said that we will call him Immanuel, which means “God with us.” We see this plainly at Elim House, as our staff cares for our residents.

Brenda came to us in late December as she faced continued housing insecurity. She had lived in South Korea since 2011 and was sixty years old. Brenda had been bouncing around between an acquaintance's house, a goshiwon (a dormitory style small room), a church shelter, and had most recently stayed at a church mission center. However, nearing the end of her allotted time there, she had to leave and find other means of housing. Brenda found herself at a studio apartment near a church, but due to the poor environment (bugs, fire, people around her), she inquired with our team and moved into Elim House.

Prior to her arrival, there had not been a resident who came to Elim House with strong faith. During her time spent in South Korea, Brenda had sought out a seminary education, and currently serves as an evangelist in the North Korean defector community at a local church. She pursued this position for the past seven years.

Just last week, as Brenda and Elim House manager Elsa sat down to eat lunch together, Brenda prayed for their meal. She started with “God, it’s raining lightly today,” and Elsa thought her prayer would be followed by something light-hearted or thanking God for the rain. Rather, tears welled up and Brenda cried “God, but my heart is sad.” Her housing situation and the lack of clarity on where or when she might have a place to call home weighed heavily on her heart. Brenda was usually having fun and full of energy, but that is also how she had masked her worries to the other women around her. Elsa’s heart broke for Brenda.

Later that day, Elsa drove the residents to a new line dance class at Elim Community where the women laughed together as they tried to follow the instructor’s dance moves. It hadn’t been more than a few hours when Brenda unexpectedly poured out her heavy heart as she prayed over lunch. But it was a relief to see her laughing and enjoying herself. Elsa shared with us that this verse came to mind in that moment:

‘Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep’ (Romans 12:15)

Elsa was convicted that even if a problem or situation for a North Korean refugee under our care can’t be solved right away, that God’s calling for her was to be present and to laugh and cry with them. The gospel proves that God was not some being who was uninterested in human affairs, that he stood at a distance and watched the chaos from afar. It’s the opposite. It says that he is here with us. Though we cannot solve all our refugees’ problems, we can sit with them and cry with them, as Jesus did with us.

Top Headlines from North Korea - February 2024

RARE PROTESTS AMONG NORTH KOREAN WORKERS IN CHINA

• According to South Korea’s intelligence agency, poor working conditions in China have led to “incidents and accidents” among North Koreans working overseas.

• As many as 3,000 North Korean workers reportedly staged a series of protests in China over the course of the past few months, resulting in at least one death and three injuries among North Korean government officials.

• A North Korean official who was dispatched to supervise workers at garment factories in China’s northeastern province of Jilin was killed during violent protests between January 11 and 15, as factory workers fought for their unpaid wages which were sent to the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang without their consent or knowledge for many years.

• Large-scale protests by North Koreans are almost unheard of, and since most workers sent overseas are from privileged families in Pyongyang, analysts believe that if this first known display of organized defiance against the regime is successful, it would present an unprecedented political challenge to Kim’s administration.

Source:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/signs-rare-unrest-among-north-korean-workers-china-researchers-say-2024-02-08/ 
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/01/103_367792.html 

RUSSIAN TOURISTS ARRIVE IN PYONGYANG

• A group of 100 Russian tourists became the first batch of foreign sightseers to visit North Korea since the pandemic.

• The exclusive tour highlights strengthened ties and cooperations between the two countries following a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last September.

• According to the Russian embassy, the group will spend four days taking in the sights and visiting a major ski resort.

• As many Russians face difficulties traveling to Europe and the U.S. due to sanctions on Russia following the Russia-Ukraine War, North Korea has been recommended as an alternative vacation destination by Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Source:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/9/russians-arrive-in-north-korea-as-first-foreign-tour-group-since-covid-19 
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/north-korea-welcomes-russian-tourists-visit-isolated-country-107091952

NORTH KOREAN TEENS SENTENCED TO HARD LABOR FOR WATCHING K-DRAMAS

• A South Korean research group recently released a rare footage showing North Korean teenagers punished for watching and distributing South Korean dramas.

• The narrated footage appeared to show two teenagers, flanked by two adults in military-style uniforms, standing on a stage in front of hundreds of students.

• The narrator claimed that the two 16-year-olds were caught “watching and distributing puppet regime’s recordings,” and since “they were seduced by foreign culture, ultimately ruining their future paths,” they were each sentenced to 12 years of hard labor.

• It is interesting to note that, even though consuming and sharing foreign media in North Korea can be punishable by death, 83 percent of defectors who escaped the country between 2016 and 2020 reportedly used increasingly sophisticated means to access foreign music, TV shows and films before they left, while illegal media consumption had increased by 15 percent compared with the previous five-year period.

Source:
https://theconversation.com/north-korea-steps-up-efforts-to-stamp-out-consumption-of-illegal-foreign-media-but-entertainment-hungry-citizens-continue-to-flout-the-ban-223129 
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/24/asia/north-korea-teens-punished-kdrama-intl-hnk/index.html 

SOUTH KOREA’S PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE EMAIL HACKED BY NORTH KOREA

• South Korea’s National Intelligence Service recently confirmed that a staff member of the presidential office’s personal email account was hacked by North Korea last November.

• The cyber-attack occurred ahead of President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit to France and the UK.

• According to a high-ranking government source, the hackers accessed President Yoon’s trip schedule and stole messages sent by Yoon. The source added that the office was “beyond shocked and appalled” to learn about the breach, as it could have caused problems for Yoon’s security abroad.

• In response to what is believed to be the first successful cyber-attack by the North on the South Korean president’s team, the office released a statement explaining that “The breach was caused by a careless violation of security regulations by an individual administrator who used a commercial email for work purposes.”

• The office further said that necessary measures have been taken to prevent a recurrence and that cyber intrusions by foreign entities are continuously being monitored.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68292004 
https://asianews.network/north-korea-hacked-president-yoon-officials-emails-last-year/

North Korea Resumes Lunar New Year Celebration with China, Reaffirming their “Unbreakable” Alliance with China

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, called on all provinces to “make preparations for people to enjoy a bountiful Lunar New Year” and urged organizations to schedule adequate rest for their workers. Meanwhile, the country has been strengthening diplomatic relations with China ahead of the festivity. Since the last ‘North Korea-China Friendship Lunar New Year’ event held in January 2020 shortly before the pandemic, the North had not celebrated the festivity with its closest neighboring ally for four years. 

North Korea’s profile on the global stage has increased due to its weapons proliferation in both the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Despite its rising profile, North Korea’s most important relationship is still with China. These festivities underscore this fact.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, “A Chinese cultural delegation from Liaoning Province, led by Comrade Lui Hui An, publicity manager, the executive committee member of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, arrived in Pyongyang on the 29th to participate in the 2024 North Korea-China Friendship Lunar New Year event.” The delegation reportedly laid flowers at the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang, which is a common ritual for North Korean devotees to pay respect to their late leaders.

REVIVAL IN FRIENDSHIP

Lunar New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival or Chunjie, is China’s grandest and most widely celebrated festival. Coincidentally, this year’s cultural event is also significant in marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and China on October 6 this year. The Korean Central News Agency revealed that a key element on the agenda for the meeting is to make this year the “year of DPRK-China friendship.”

In addition to artistic performances and lavish banquets mirroring previous visits that are designed to foster and consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries, discussions to strengthen cooperation between North Korea’s North Pyongan province and China’s Liaoning province form a major part of the exchange this year, as Liu Hui-yan, the director of the Propaganda Department of the Liaoning Provincial Committee highlighted, “Exchanges and cooperation in the cultural field are an important part of the relations between China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and a crucial element of the ‘Year of China-North Korea Friendship.’ Cultural exchanges between the two countries will gather public sentiment and promote development, providing new momentum for exchanges and cooperation in various fields.”

‘UNBREAKABLE’ TIES

Kim Jong-un vowed to “fully display” an “unbreakable” alliance with China in 2024 during an exchange of New Year’s greetings with China’s President, Xi Jin-ping.  In turn, Xi reciprocated in a statement claiming that Beijing is “ready to work” with Pyongyang to “ensure that bilateral ties move forward with the times for greater development so as to better benefit the two peoples, and continuously make new contributions to safeguarding regional peace and stability.”

According to North Korean state media, a delegate from the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports departed from Pyongyang in late January 2024 for a visit to China, though no further details were disclosed. The Chinese embassy further reported that they would prepare for major activities with the North this year. Accordingly, analysts suggest that this Lunar New Year visit represents Pyongyang and Beijing’s eagerness to elevate their relations to a new level, as it marks their third publicly disclosed, high-profile exchange in less than a week.

COOPERATION ON NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES

Perhaps the most consequential result of this relationship is the fact that China and North Korea continue to cooperate with one another on the policing and repatriation of refugees within China’s borders. The fact that China is willing to go against the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, of which it is a signatory to, speaks volumes to the importance of China’s relationship with North Korea. 

China continues to cooperate with North Korea in these arrests and deportations as they have resumed last year, despite the condemnation of these acts.

Expanding Community Classes to Seoul in 2024 - Elim Community

Growing in Size and Spirit

In November, two staff members, Jacob and Dan, went to visit our operations in South Korea. They participated in an English class at Elim Community. It was different from the class that Dan or Jacob taught earlier in the year. The atmosphere was lighter. People were having a great time and laughing with each other. When the instructor asked the group questions, they responded enthusiastically. They were having fun.

At dinner after the class, one of the refugees told us that, for refugees who work full time, leaving the stress of work and coming to the Elim Community class to share that time together and laugh was a great stress reliever. Furthermore, for those at home all day, not having anyone to talk to, coming to class to dialogue together, laugh together and then eat together is also a great way to be in a community that understands this great need.

Life for anyone living in South Korea can be lonely. It is common for an office worker to be at work 60 to 80 hours per week. Apartments are usually small, designed for sleeping and eating and not much else. North Koreans also feel a sense of disconnectedness in their new country. Though they have earned a hard-fought freedom, refugees say that there is little sense of community. One refugee who attends our English class said to us that strangers talk to each other in North Korea. He recalled frequently riding an overnight train and meeting people who eventually became lifelong friends. This simply doesn’t happen that often in the South.

North Koreans need a space where they can gather without judgment. Elim Community English classes have been designed to teach practical English skills in this safe community environment.

Later, in December, as the semester ended, we wanted to celebrate with an end-of-year party where we recognized our students for good attendance and scholarship. The attendees got dressed up, ate good food and played games. Most importantly, they became an even tighter-knit community. While dressing up and attending a Christmast party may not be uncommon to most folks, this event was a gift to most of the refugees. Our English teacher said the one thing she would change for next year’s party is to bring a megaphone. People were laughing so hard that it was hard to get their attention.

SEOUL

With the strength of this community built around Elim Community classes in Incheon, we felt confident in expanding our community classes for North Korean refugees into Seoul, South Korea’s capital and largest city, where most North Koreans in South Korea live. We are partnering with another regional Hana Center in Seoul, the South Korean government’s resettlement agency dedicated to helping North Koreans. Classes in Seoul launched this January and we look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.

“She smiled and said how great it was to be able to eat together with people like this that evening.”

At dinner with students after an English class in Seoul, one of the North Korean women shared that she had defected from North Korea alone, tried to get married and make friends in South Korea, but ultimately failed and ended up living alone. She smiled and said how great it was to be able to eat together with people like this that evening. One of our newer staff members expressed how she felt more deeply with each passing class how much joy this small event brings to the North Koreans in attendance.

Our prayer is that our Incheon and Seoul classes reach those who need community and the hope of Jesus the most!

Kim Ju-ae: North Korea’s Next Leader?

Kim Ju Ae attends a banquet in North Korea. (Source: Korean Central News Agency [KCNA])

Around 200 shells were fired into the maritime buffer zone near South Korea’s Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong islands from Pyongyang. South Korea’s military responded by carrying out a maritime shooting exercise the same day, further escalating tensions between the two Koreas. Yeonpyeong residents, who have sadly grown accustomed to hostilities between the two sides, were ordered to evacuate and “refrain from doing outdoor activities” ahead of the exercise. 

Analysts have interestingly pointed out that the North’s provocation came shortly after their leader, Kim Jong-un, and his daughter were seen in matching jackets while touring a transporter erector launcher (integrated vehicles designed to transport, erect and launch missiles) factory, where he called for a “dynamic drive for increased production” of the weapons. Since Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, made her first public appearance in November 2022, her recent attendance at the country’s major military event has sparked new speculations that she may rise to become her father’s successor.

NORTH KOREA’S LIKELY HEIR

According to South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, the 10-year-old Ju-ae is seen as her father’s likely heir apparent. In addition to being called Kim Jong-un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child, photos and footage showing her accompanying Kim at public activities prove her rising political standing and closeness with her father as analysts speculate that Ju-ae is receiving training to take the reins of the hermit kingdom.

Apart from taking his daughter to events that concern national interests, heartwarming photos showed an affectionate Kim, a dictator of the world’s most reclusive country, kissing Ju-ae on the cheek during a New Year’s Eve celebration at Pyongyang stadium. Kim was also seen touring Kwangchon Chicken Farm, the newly opened “model” chicken farm in DPRK, alongside Ju-ae during his 40th birthday celebrations. Although these moments are no novelty to any regular father-daughter relationships, these scenes are something that had been unimaginable in North Korea as their leader is treated like a God by the nation.

HOW MUCH LONGER WILL KIM JONG-UN CONTINUE TO REIN?

Ju-ae is believed to have an older brother and a younger sibling whose gender has not been made public, thus it would be premature to view Ju-ae as an apparent heir at this stage. Since the founding of the DPRK in 1948, the country has been successively and exclusively ruled by male-only members of the Kim family, which falls in line with North Korea’s Confucianism-influenced, patriarchal society. For instance, Kim Jong-un succeeded his father, Kim Jong-il, upon the latter’s death in late 2011, while Kim Jong-il inherited power upon his father, the state founder Kim Il-sung’s, death in 1994. Therefore, it has been suggested that the young girl’s repeated appearances were more likely a façade carefully designed by the regime to shore up public support for the ruling family and Kim’s plan to hand over his power to one of his children in the future.

Nevertheless, analyst Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute in South Korea opined that Kim’s health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol and other heavy smoking-related illnesses, appear so serious that “it won’t be surprising even if he collapses tomorrow.” Kim was also rumored to be suffering from insomnia and alcohol and nicotine dependency. In light of speculations that Kim would likely be receiving cortisone injections in his neck to relieve pressure for an unknown nerve or muscular condition, as well as treatments for a long list of other unreported health problems, Cheong commented that Kim likely believes his daughter has the capacity to succeed him as North Korea’s next leader, and added that, “By accompanying her father on major events, she’s like learning kingship and building a human network at a tender age.”

Top Headlines from North Korea - January 2024

NORTH KOREANS SUFFER IN FREEZING WINTER

• Due to firewood shortage, North Korean residents have difficulty heating their homes and staying warm this winter.

• North Koreans usually prepare kindling or charcoal briquettes in autumn, but a source in North Hamgyong Province said that most people were unable to purchase enough due to the high price of firewood.

• The price of firewood climbed from KPW 2,000 in mid-November to KPW 3,000 in December, a 50 percent increase.

• With temperatures dropping to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, many families live “hellish lives” in the cold while experiencing ongoing food shortages.

• A source told DailyNK that “Children inevitably come down with colds because they have weakened immunity from malnutrition, and [their parents] can’t even heat their homes in the cold. Parents feel terrible because they can’t buy a single tablet of medicine, even when their kids come down with serious colds.”

• According to another source from Hyesan, people began stealing anything that will burn, including the plywood gates of private homes, due to economic difficulties. There were several cases where thieves were caught and beaten to death.

Source:
https://www.dailynk.com/english/many-n-koreans-cant-heat-homes-due-to-firewood-shortage/
https://www.dailynk.com/english/people-facing-bitter-cold-hyesan-steal-anything-burns-keep-warm/ 

A North Korean missile launch. (Image: KCNA)

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHED HYPERSONIC MISSILE IN 2024

• According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into the waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula.

• The hypersonic missile flew about 1,000 kilometers (around 600 miles) at a maximum altitude of at least 50 kilometers (around 30 miles) before landing in the sea.

• If North Korea is able to successfully deploy a hypersonic weapon, analysts say it could change the military equation in the region.

• The North has ramped up its provocative missile tests after declaring its southern neighbor as the “principal enemy,” adding that the Koreas will never reunite while vowing to enhance its ability to deliver a nuclear strike on the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific.

• Following the launch, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan began working together to analyze further details of the missile, with the South Korean military maintaining “full readiness posture.”

Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/14/asia/north-korea-ballistic-missile-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-fires-missile-south-korea-says-2024-01-14/ 

LOW-KEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR KIM JONG-UN

• Unlike his predecessors, whose birthdays were marked by national celebrations during their time in power, the current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has never officially revealed his birth date.

• However, Kim’s birthday has been suggested to be January 8, ever since the U.S. basketball player, Dennis Rodman, sang happy birthday to him in front of a large crowd in Pyongyang on the same date six years ago.

• Kim is speculated to have turned 40 this year, but unlike previous years where large funds were raised to give away candies to children ahead of the leader’s birthday, North Korea has significantly lowered both the quantity and quality of candies this year.

• The government also limited confectionery gifts to children aged 6 or younger.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67920529
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/candy-01042024180758.html 

NORTH KOREA SENDS MISSILES TO RUSSIA TO ‘TEST’ ON UKRAINE

• According to the South Korean defense minister, North Korea is looking to send Russia new types of tactical guided missiles.

• This cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow is condemned by the U.S. and its allies, describing Ukraine as a test site for the North’s nuclear-capable missiles as the country gains “valuable technical and military insights” about its arms.

• South Korean envoy, Hwang Joon-kook, said that “the missiles fired into Ukraine are KN-23s, which the DPRK claims can deliver nuclear warheads.” Hwang added that one missile flew 460 kilometers (around 285 miles), which is the distance from a North Korean launch site to South Korea’s city of Busan. 

• Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un’s regime appears to be planning for a trial of atmospheric reentry of a warhead designed to be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile to the U.S. mainland. In other words, North Korea would be firing a long-range rocket over several thousand kilometers.

Source:
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3247996/ukraine-test-site-north-korean-missiles-seoul-tells-un 
https://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-set-send-class-011041749.html

South Koreans Told to Stay Out of North Korean Restaurants

As Korean food has become more popular around the world with the rise in popularity in K-pop and K-drama, Pyongyang has also taken advantage of the K-trend and actively opened state-run restaurants across Asia, the Middle East and Europe as a stable source of foreign income despite United Nations sanctions banning North Koreans from working overseas. Visiting a North Korean restaurant offers a rare glimpse into the reclusive nation’s culture, which is especially attractive to South Koreans who are typically not granted permission for regular tourism to the North.

However, in a recent statement issued by the South Korean embassy in Beijing, Republic of Korea (ROK) nationals were told to refrain from visiting North Korean (DPRK) run restaurants in China for “personal safety” reasons. The announcement warned South Korean visitors that the restaurants may “forcibly expel them from the premises upon identification,” resulting in “friction” between guests and the North Korean staff.

PAYING FOR FOOD OR FUNDING A NUCLEAR PROGRAM?

In the past, South Koreans had been warned against visiting North Korean restaurants for a very different reason. As a country that heavily relies on foreign income to fund its weapons programs, North Korea opened approximately 130 restaurants in 12 countries under the “Pyongyang” brand name to attract diners, who inadvertently supply hard currency to the regime. For instance, it was reported that the first North Korean restaurant opened in Beijing in 2003 made more than 7 million won (around $5,329 USD) a day in revenue, which is equivalent to $8,824 USD today.

North Korean restaurants are known for the range of entertainment offered by their staff beyond any regular dining experience. Diners enjoy nightly shows featuring singing, dancing and photo opportunities. Performers not only sing their country’s folk and pop songs, but also South Korean and American pop songs like the “Titanic” theme. In 2010, one of the North Korean waitresses in Cambodia even rose to fame for her beauty after a picture of her was posted on the internet. The attraction of North Korean restaurants has always been strong, as a South Korean Daewoo employee explained, “I’d say those restaurants have attracted South Koreans because they offer a window on the world’s most secretive state that I may not be able to visit before the two Koreas are united.” Our executive director, Dan Chung, shared his experiences at these restaurants in episode 1 of our podcast, “The Demystified Zone.” 

NORTH KOREAN RESTAURANTS IN CHINA REFUSE TO SERVE SOUTH KOREAN DINERS

According to the Chosun Ilbo, restrictions on South Koreans visiting North Korean restaurants were introduced by the North Korean embassy in China in 2023. There had been reports back in March and October 2023 indicating that ROK nationals were turned away from DPRK restaurants in Beijing and Dandong respectively. Other forms of hostility were also seen in other parts of China, with a North Korean worker in Shenyang saying, “We hate them!” and adding that “If you bring a South Korean friend, we will not accept them… and won’t serve them.” However, rules regarding this restriction appeared to be applied inconsistently, as no such issue was reported at eateries in Shanghai and Changchun.

Outside China, Yonhap News Agency reported that South Korean diners were politely, but affirmatively, denied service at a North Korean restaurant in Moscow. When asked why the staff were rejecting Koreans, the waitress simply told the South Korean group that there were “new regulations” in place. The incident came days before the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Far East, thus many believed it was a move to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries, especially since the timing of the restriction coincided with a defection earlier in June, where a North Korean restaurant manager was caught escaping from the North Korean consulate in the Russian city of Vladivostok.

In any case, South Korea’s recent statement reflects the current deteriorating diplomatic state between the two Koreas, and at a time of strained relations, even “minor incidents may escalate into major problems,” as described by Choi Eun-joo, a research fellow at the Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy at the Sejong Institute. It has also been suggested that the statement might encourage other ROK embassies in countries that run North Korean restaurants, including Russia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, to follow suit, thereby further escalating the increasing inter-Korean tension.

North Korea No Longer Interested in Reunification with South Korea

Kim Jong-un at the December 2023 plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. (Image: KCNA))

During a year-end party meeting, North Korea’s leader warned the nation to prepare for further economic hardships in 2024 and gave orders to accelerate war preparations against the U.S. Kim Jong-un encouraged his people to wage a “more courageous and resolute struggle despite the ever-increasing challenges and difficulties” in the new year. In light of upcoming general elections in the U.S. and South Korea, it is speculated that the North will likely carry out “military provocations or cyber attacks” as the two countries channel their time and energy into fighting internal political battles. 

According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Pyongyang has historically carried out a series of provocations ahead of important political events, including conducting a fourth nuclear test and launching a long-range missile mere months before the South Korean parliamentary election in April 2016.

KIM JONG-UN'S NEW ORDERS

Addressing 2023 as “a year of great turning point” for North Korea that “has left a great trace in the glorious path of development to improve national power and increase the prestige of the country,” Kim praised the nation’s progress in the development of new strategic weapons. Kim highlighted his kingdom’s possession of “space reconnaissance means” after the first military spy satellite was launched and also declared that Pyongyang has institutionalized the path to developing a nuclear arsenal following its constitutional amendment passed in September 2023. Despite receiving criticisms from the U.S. and its allies, the North reiterated that its military reconnaissance satellite launch is a sovereign right that should not be restrained by outside forces.

Kim further pledged to expand strategic cooperation with “anti-imperialist independent’ countries, such as Russia, as Washington has been accusing Pyongyang of supplying military equipment to Moscow in support of its war with Ukraine and in exchange of Russia providing technical support to advance the North’s military capabilities. The revival of their partnership was sparked by the summit between Kim and Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on September 13, 2023. Considering North Korea’s social isolation and economic hardship caused by international sanctions imposed by the U.S. and United Nations, Moscow’s support in what is believed to include cash, energy and weapons technologies transfers would be vital to Pyongyang’s survival. North Korea has suffered serious food shortages in recent decades as a result of natural disasters. Experts have also warned that border closures during the pandemic worsened food security.

SOUTH KOREA RECIPROCATES WAR PREPARATIONS

Recently, military drills were carried out in South Korea shortly after Seoul imposed new sanctions on eight North Koreans linked to nuclear and missile programs through arms trade, cyberattacks and other illicit activities. More than 1,000 South Korean military personnel took part in rare defense drills that simulated an attack by North Korea on Seoul, which is situated in striking distance of Pyongyang’s weapons and covert attack of just 38 km (24 miles). The drills mimicked attacks on the South’s major water supply facility, telephone network stations and an underground communications and power cable corridor.

The exercise is believed to be a response to the heightened tension between the Koreas after the North tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. The drills also came at a time when more than 1,200 people were killed in a recent attack in Israel, as Seoul’s mayor, Oh Se-hoon, described that “There was a big lesson for us when Israel’s world-class advanced defense system helplessly buckled under a surprise attack by Hamas armed with conventional artillery and primitive means.” Although there has been no direct attack on the South by the North since the end of the Korean War in 1953, Oh has openly voiced out his opinion that South Korea should possess its own nuclear weapons in order to neutralize the threat from its northern neighbor. Nevertheless, South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol, ruled out the possibility of owning nuclear weapons, and instead emphasized on fostering a military alliance with the U.S. and restoring security ties with Japan.

Kim Jong-un went as far as declaring that reunification between the two Koreas was “impossible” as he closed out 2023 during the annual end-of-year meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are expected to escalate in 2024 as the two countries are no longer bound by the 2018 military agreement that halted military activities near the inter-Korean borders.

Top Headlines from North Korea - December 2023

KIM JONG-UN IN TEARS AS HE CALLED ON WOMEN TO HAVE MORE CHILDREN

• North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, urged women to have more children to strengthen national power at the National Mothers Meeting.  The leader was moved to tears as he expressed gratitude to mothers in North Korea to boost national morale, “I too always think about mothers when I have a hard time dealing with the party and the state’s work.”

• South Korea’s government estimates that the North’s fertility rate has declined steadily for the past 10 years, following its first decline after the mid-1990s famine.

• According to the United Nations Population Fund, North Korea’s fertility rate stands at 1.8 births per woman as of 2023, which is below the 2.1 replacement rate benchmark in developed countries.

• “Many families in North Korea also don’t intend to have more than one child these days as they know they need lots of money to raise their kids, send them to school and help them get jobs,” observed Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea.

• As a country that is heavily dependent on physical labor to keep its heavily sanctioned economy afloat, the decrease in fertility is a concerning development for the nation.

Source:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-urges-women-to-have-more-children/ar-AA1kYqLC
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3243808/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-says-it-duty-women-have-more-children-halt-falling-birth-rate

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS ‘VANISHED’ AFTER REPATRIATION FROM CHINA

• It was reported that up to 600 North Korean defectors, believed to be mostly women, deported by China in October 2023 during the mass repatriation have disappeared.

• Transitional Justice Working Group, a Seoul-based human rights group, said that the group may face imprisonment in concentration camps, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced abortions and execution after returning to the North as they are labelled as “criminals” and “traitors” by the state.

• Although North Korean state media has not reported on this issue, its leader, Kim Jong-un, has maintained his stance that defectors are “human scum.”

• Kim Kyu, whose sister was one of the repatriated defectors, told reporters that “My sister’s only crime was being born in North Korea… All I want is for her to live in safety.”

• The rights group identified the deportees as prisoners held at Shenyang Prison and Chanchun Tiebei Prison, and noted that over 300 had crossed at the Onsong crossing point on October 9, while 180 crossed at Dandong around the same time.

Source:
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/concern-for-north-koreans-deported-from-china/ar-AA1lbcbk
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/other/up-to-600-north-korean-defectors-deported-by-china-vanish-says-rights-group/ar-AA1l83vq 
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/24948673/north-korean-defectors-vanish-china-secret-border-crossings/ 

NORTH KOREAN HACKERS STOLE INFORMATION ON SOUTH KOREAN DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY

• The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency accused a North Korean hacker group, Andariel, of stealing 1.2TB worth of sensitive defense data from 14 South Korean entities, including information on advanced anti-aircraft weapons.

• According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Andariel is listed as a state-sponsored hacking group that focuses on conducting malicious cyber operations on foreign businesses, government agencies and the defense industry.

• The police revealed that a proxy server set up by the group was accessed in a Pyongyang district 83 times between December 2022 and March 2023.

• The North Korean hackers also extorted a total of 470 million won (around $357,000 USD) in bitcoin from three domestic and foreign companies as ransom.

Source:
https://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-hackers-may-stolen-085644637.html?
https://www.healthcareinfosecurity.com/north-korean-hackers-steal-south-korean-anti-aircraft-data-a-23779 

NORTH KOREA CALLS U.S. SUPPORT FOR SOUTH KOREA’S SATELLITE LAUNCH ‘DOUBLE STANDARD’

• Pyongyang’s space agency, National Aerospace Technology Administration (“NATA”), accused the U.S. of perpetuating “illegal double standards” by supporting South Korea’s satellite launch on December 1.

• South Korea launched its first spy satellite via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

• Seoul blamed Pyongyang for escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the latter announced that it had successfully launched its first reconnaissance satellite into space to spy on the South and the U.S. on November 21.

• NATA issued a statement claiming it is “as clear as noonday” that South Korea plans to use its satellite for military purposes.

Source:
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/274058303/south-korea-launches-first-spy-satellite-after-rival-north-korea
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korea-decries-uss-double-standards-as-south-launches-spy-satellite/ar-AA1l9v7i
https://www.yahoo.com/news/north-korea-decries-us-support-161810266.html

Bed Bug Infestation Hits South Korea, North Korea Calls It A Norm

Bed bugs are the last guests one wishes to bring home from vacation. Following a surge in bed bug infestations in South Korea, the government set in motion a four-week campaign to rid the nation of the pest. With reported cases traced to tourist hotels and public saunas in Incheon, the Seoul metropolitan government launched a new “bed bug Reporting and Management System” and a “Zero bed bug City, Seoul'' initiative to conduct widespread inspections of more than 3,000 public baths, saunas and hotels. In light of the upcoming holiday travel season, ongoing efforts to eradicate bed bugs in popular travel destinations like Seoul are fueling fresh anxieties among the public.

In stark contrast, and though unwelcomed, bed bugs are common problems in ordinary homes and detention facilities in North Korea. Local residents suggest that they are used to co-existing with bed bugs, as “Even if you apply bed bug pesticide in every corner of the house, it’s only a temporary fix, and they’ll reappear after a few days. It’s hard to wipe them out completely,” a source told DailyNK. This simple call to action by the South Korean government highlights the contrast in living conditions between the North and the South.

NORTH KOREANS CO-EXIST WITH BED BUGS

Since bed bugs are known to infest larch trees, which North Korean households often use to make blanket closets and cupboards, they can be found in nearly every home in rural communities. According to DailyNK’s source, bed bugs can easily be spotted climbing walls in rural homes. The source added that in many parts of North Korea, including Hoeryong and other areas in North Hamgyong province, “bed bugs have become chronic,” though “Still, some people can’t sleep at night because of the bed bugs, and they suffer from redness and itchiness where they’ve been bitten.”

Apart from residential homes, detention centers in Hoeryong are also reportedly infested with bed bugs. “In forced labor camps, inmates must work from when they open their eyes in the morning to night, and even when they can shut their eyes at night, they suffer from bed bugs. The inmates have no choice but to put up with it until the end of their sentences because if they ask for measures to be taken, the only thing they’ll get in return is a beating.” Considering how the North Korean authorities would not implement any quarantine or extermination measures to address the bed bug problem affecting ordinary people, “nobody is going to listen to people who’ve been sent to forced labor camps for crimes. Even if the camps are swarming with bed bugs, the authorities don’t care or do anything to help.”

INHUMANE TREATMENT OF NORTH KOREAN PRISONERS

As torturous as routinely living with bed bugs may seem, prisoners in North Korea face far harsher challenges. According to former detainees, North Korean detention centers are commonplace for human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions, rape, forced abortions, jail without trial, torture and starvation rations that leave prisoners so hungry some turn to eating insects.

Korea Future, a non-profit organization documenting human rights violations in the DPRK penal system, found that “even 10 years after the UN established a Commission of Inquiry there still is systematic and widespread human rights violations.” According to a report published by the human rights group, the purpose of North Korea’s penal system is neither to detain and rehabilitate criminals, nor to decrease recidivism and increase public safety, but to “isolate persons from society whose behavior conflicts with upholding the singular authority of the Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un.” The report also described witness testimonies concerning abuses that were personally carried out by North Korean officials, including abortions performed on seven or eight month-pregnant detainees, starvation diets imposed on malnourished detainees that consist of as little as 80 grams of corn a day and forcing detainees to hold stress positions for up to 17 hours a day for 30 days.

Moreover, Korea Future investigators and the United Nations claim that many inmates in North Korea become so dehumanized by the constant abuse that they begin to feel they deserve the cruel treatments. One former inmate told CNN that “When we raise rabbits, we keep them in dens with fences and give them food. (In jail), it was like we were the rabbits, kept in a cell and given food from behind bars … we were not treated as humans, but as some kind of animal … We should not move in the cell and we had to sit with our hands on our sides and as we were not supposed to look up we had to look down. We were not supposed to talk, so all you hear is people’s breathing sound.” Korea Future’s report further commented that detainees were reshaped and re-educated through “forced labour, ideological instruction and punitive brutality with the purpose of compelling unquestioning obedience and loyalty to the Supreme Leader,” and as a result, many did not realize they were being subjected to torture as they did not even have the concept of torture.

Many North Korean refugees we’ve helped can personally attest to this inhumanity. Yet, there have been very few mentions of the irritation of bed bugs, which appear to be commonplace in North Korea and speaks to the severity of suffering most refugees have seen in their lives.

North Koreans Seeking Freedom Killed by Landmines

New Landmines Killing North Korean Defectors

Five North Koreans from North Hamgyong Province were injured or killed by landmines while recently attempting to cross the Tumen River into China. The group of would-be-defectors reportedly divided into two groups since defecting as a large group would be more dangerous. This tragic accident happened only a month after three people were similarly killed by a landmine during a defection attempt near Musan, reflecting how “people tried to cross despite being aware of the land mines in the area. That’s how desperate they were to get across the river.” As economic conditions worsen in the North, a source told DailyNK that some people were not defecting, but trying to “make some money in China. But as they were crossing the river in the hope of making a living, they were blown to bits, and now they won’t even get a funeral.”

The China-North Korea border is known to be home to many landmines. Narrow sections of the river where defection attempts are more common often have higher concentrations of landmines, including old landmines that have been buried for some time and often fail to explode even when stepped on. The recent casualties, therefore, indicate that North Korean authorities have been placing new landmines near the crossing with China since August to keep people from defecting.

LANDMINES AND RELATIONS WITH THE SOUTH

More than a million landmines were buried in North Korea’s border areas since the Korean War, and it is a known fact that civilians and soldiers have been killed or injured by them. Landmine attacks have been a longstanding trigger that caused strain to inter-Korean relations. For instance, in 2015, South Korea’s Defense Ministry accused the North of crossing the demilitarized zone and planting landmines that maimed two South Korean soldiers. The South condemned the North for escalating pre-existing tensions and even resumed some anti-Pyongyang broadcasts over loudspeakers near the border for the first time in more than 10 years.

The two Koreas’ relations significantly improved, however, during President Moon Jae-in’s tenure, which was interestingly reflected by the removal of landmines in the Joint Security Area (“JSA”) in Panmunjom in 2018. This move was in response to a pact made at a summit in Pyongyang, where Kim Jong-un and President Moon agreed to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula. The deal also provided for the removal of guard posts and weapons following the removal of landmines, with stationed troops remaining at the JSA to be left unarmed.

NEW OBSTACLES IN JOURNEY TO FREEDOM

During the pandemic, North Korean soldiers were seen meticulously laying landmines near the 800-mile-long Sino-Korean border to stop defection, trade, and North Koreans from seeking work in China. Dozens of soldiers were reportedly injured while performing their duties. As a military source told Radio Free Asia, some soldiers were injured in their eyes, legs or back while deploying the “latest type” of mines with a kill radius of 10 feet (3 to 3.5 meters) a mere 65 yards from the border. The explosions reportedly stemmed from a lack of training provided to the soldiers, as the authorities were “simply telling them to begin work immediately.” This move shocked many Chinese residents as well as North Koreans in the border regions, as “This is the first time in the history of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that landmines are being placed at the border with China instead of in the front-line area where we must confront our enemies,” described a North Hamgyong resident.

In addition to the increased number of landmines tactically placed along the main defection routes, tens of thousands of security cameras were also installed in the border areas to monitor potential defectors in recent years. North Korean authorities further planned to demolish all structures within 200 meters along the border with China, specifically targeting Ryanggang Province which has served as a major defection route, which analysts believe is aimed at intensifying border crackdowns to prevent defections, smuggling and a growing influx of information from the outside world.

The Chinese authorities have also tightened their border security since September this year. However, the dire economy in North Korea is expected to force its hungry citizens to continue defecting at all costs. As a source described to DailyNK, “Why else would people in good health risk their lives to leave North Korea? If they had the cash to start a business, they could make some kind of living. But they don’t have anything, so they try to cross the border while knowing they’re taking lives in their hands.”

Top Headlines from North Korea - November 2023

NORTH KOREA CLOSES EMBASSIES AROUND THE WORLD

• North Korea is shutting down more than a dozen embassies around the world, about a quarter of Pyongyang’s missions worldwide.

• Kim Jong-un has approved withdrawal from Nepal, Spain, Angola, Uganda and Hong Kong in recent months.

• Defectors who were former diplomats claimed that North Korean embassies are largely funded by illegal activity and illicit money-making projects. 

• Analysts explained that the North’s recent closing of its diplomatic missions is a sign that the hermit kingdom is struggling to make money overseas due to international sanctions.

• Meanwhile, the regime appears to be shifting its efforts into building relations with its allies, Russia and China.

Source:
https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/11/09/north-korea-is-shutting-embassies
https://www.foxnews.com/world/north-korea-closing-embassies-world-suspected-financial-crisis

NORTH KOREA CREATES NEW HOLIDAY

• North Korea has recently established a new holiday, marking November 18 as the “Missile Industry Day” to commemorate its successful test launch of its Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile in 2022.

• The Hwasong-17 is one of the North’s most powerful weapons to date (estimated to deliver a nuclear bomb and potentially multiple warheads for more than 15,000 kilometers).

• Some experts speculate that the regime may have an ulterior motive for designating November 18 as their new holiday – to boost the image of Kim Ju-ae, the potential successor of Kim Jong-un.

• According to Cheong Seong-chang of a think tank, Sejong Institute, “given that the Hwasong-17 is neither the first nor the latest ICBM of North Korea, the decision makes little sense,” but “On that day, Kim Ju-ae made her first public appearance with her father at the test site for the Hwasong-17 ICBM,” so “North Korea chose that particular date mainly because its real aim is to boost her presence and build up her image as the next leader.”

Source:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/19/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-missile-holiday-kim-jong-un-absence/
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/11/103_362666.html 

DMZ TOURS TO RESUME AFTER U.S. SOLDIER CROSSING

• South Korea announced that some special tours to the Joint Security Area at the inter-Korean border will restart for selected guests after they have been suspended for four months.

• Tours to the Demilitarized Zone (“DMZ”), which have been popular among foreign tourists, were halted after a U.S. soldier’s attempted defection in July.  He was later returned by the North to the U.S. where he faced charges.

• From November 22, tours for people with ties to South Korea’s Unification Ministry will take place three times a day, four times a week, though tours for the general public remain suspended.

• In the past, DMZ tours were offered six times a day, four times a week.

• Officials commented that the Panmunjom Tourist Support Center receives around 20 daily calls inquiring when the tours will resume.

Source:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-says-some-dmz-tours-resume-after-us-soldier-crossing-2023-11-21/
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-11-21/national/northKorea/Special-tours-to-iconic-JSA-set-to-resume-after-fourmonth-suspension/1917923 

NORTH KOREA TELLS JAPAN ITS PLANS TO LAUNCH SPY SATELLITE

• North Korea notified Japan about its plan to launch a third spy satellite as early as midnight on November 22, 2023, despite warnings from South Korea and multiple United Nations resolutions banning the use of ballistic missiles technology.

• This announcement came after President Vladmir Putin promised to help Pyongyang build satellites at a meeting with North Korea leader Kim Jong-un in September.

• Pyongyang failed to launch its spy satellites twice earlier this year.

• If carried out, debris from the rocket is likely to fall into the west of the Korean Peninsula and the east of the Philippines’ island of Luzon. 

• Japan will work with South Korea to “strongly urge” North Korea not to go ahead with the launch.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67482405
https://gbcode.rthk.hk/TuniS/news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1728677-20231121.htm?

God Continues to Surprise us in China #GivingTuesday2023

Crossing Borders started operations in 2003 in China. This mission field was our sole focus for many years and continues to be an area of increasing importance. We consider it a great miracle that we are able to continue our work there despite the fact that, in recent years, it seemed as if we would have to cease our operations altogether. China has given us opportunities to help hundreds of North Korean refugees in dire need. We have introduced the gospel to North Koreans who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ, fostered their growth in God, and, for some, witnessed them pass into glory.

This year, North Korean refugee Miriam passed away quietly in China. She had no official identification. She left no assets for her children. She had no rights, no one to call if she was being abused or taken advantage of. To China, it was as if she didn’t exist. And though the world around her did not acknowledge her, we know that she held immense value as a person created in the image of God.

Crossing Borders has been ministering to Miriam and the North Koreans who live near her for almost 10 years. It was God’s providence that our pastor was riding a bus, heard some women speaking in Korean with a North Korean accent, and offered to bring help to them in their village. Through this initial, God-ordained meeting, hundreds have come to know the Lord. The ministry God seeded with one simple conversation on a bus continues to this day with regular church gatherings, retreats for refugee women and their families, providing much needed medical treatments,  and, at times, financial assistance to support those in dire need.

Though our work is illegal in China, Crossing Borders has been able to safely and effectively operate in China for over 20 years. To this day, China does not acknowledge North Korean refugees within their borders. The only time that they do is when North Koreans are  arrested and repatriated back to North Korea. China recently  repatriated a large number of North Koreans who were either captured or stuck in China during the pandemic. Under Xi Jinping’s reign, China has become more and more hostile to the work of outsiders like Crossing Borders.

Every Christian aid worker that we know has been forced to leave the country and never allowed to return. The same is true for our own missionaries who lived and served in China for over 10 years. Though they were never caught by the Chinese government, the current laws and their tracking abilities have made it impossible for them to return to China.

Our future in China seemed bleak. It appeared that we were out of options but God provided a way for us to continue. God continues to surprise us and remind us that he loves North Korean refugees more than we ever will.

We are so thankful for our opportunity to continue our work in China and to bring hope to North Korean refugees like Miriam.

Will you consider a generous gift this Giving Tuesday to help provide refuge to North Korean refugees in China who desperately need it?