RN 8

While the comic book story and testimony from the North Korean Refugees website use different styles of writing, they both grasp the political and social events that are occurring in North Korea. North Korea’s government is keeping their citizens isolated and providing them with a poor standard of living. Suzanne Scholte, writer of the testimony, represents the voice of the United States. She speaks for our country in hopes to help the North Korean refugees in North Korea and those who leave to China. While she informs the reader of the details of North Korean refugees in China, her words call for action to help them. Guy Delisle’s comic strip, on the other hand, provides us with a more satirical commentary on the N. Korean government. He gives us the scenario of how it would be like to spend a day there. His words and pictures call for action in a different way, by showing us the injustices N. Korean leaders get away with.

North Koreans’ are powerless when it comes to surviving. They depend on their government for everything and with the famine occurring, they cannot even feed themselves. Delisle demonstrates this malnutrition and poverty in his comic strip when the U.S. reporter observes a citizen picking fruit. The translator becomes nervous and he brushes the topic away. North Koreans are struggling to survive that they take advantage of all their available resources. Another theme that arises from the comic book story is the containment of information and secrecy. The U.S. reporter says, “You find out more about the country from the outside than inside. People here don’t even know their dear leader has children” (Delisle). The reporter realizes this when he converses with Richard, the only one with cable in his hotel.

I took a course on Indigenous Cultures last year and in class we studied NGOs and the help they provide indigenous people. While many are helpful, some only do so by changing their culture and teaching them “Western ways” among other things. In the testimony, Suzanne Scholte mentions the NGOs involvement with North Korean refugees. While their participation is important, the many things I have learned about NGOs in Central and South America have changed my views about these organizations. I am biased and feel they do not take into consideration the cultures and traditions of the communities they help.

Will the refugee camps be successful for North Korean refugees? Do you think other countries should do more and help these refugees? How can you relate this to Elie Wiesel’s topic of indifference?

I would research more problems that have occurred because of North Korea’s government and what their standard of living is like. I would also study South Korea’s government and how it differs to North Korea. It would he helpful to refresh the history of the Korean War.

Repatriate-to restore or return to the country of birth, citizenship or origin.
Subjugation-to bring under control; conquer