This is an absolutely heart-breaking account of life inside North Korea. I was struck by how much of it dovetails with The Aquariums of North Korea. Beyond the sufferings of the North Korean people the story also details some of the absurdities found in the country:
"Eight boys and nine girls are singing anthems in praise of Kim Il Sung. How many children are singing in total?" is one question from Primary School Grade 1 Mathematics, published in 2001 — or Juche 91 under the North Korean calendar, which begins with the year of Kim Il Sung's birth.
Also be sure to check out the accompanying video clips, which are far more informative than anything put up by Nicholas Kristof.
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Update: Don't forget to check out part two of the series. One excerpt:
In 1998, Kim's 26-year-old son, who had been a wrestler and gymnast, grew weak from hunger and contracted pneumonia. A shot of penicillin from the market would have cost 40 won, the same price as enough corn powder to feed herself and her three daughters for a week. She opted for the corn and watched her son succumb to the infection.
This needs no comment.
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