China increases bounty for North Korean refugees by 1600%

Posted on April 10, 2008 
Filed Under North Korea | Leave a Comment

Been awhile since I last wrote a post, and I apologize to those people (all three of you) who occasionally pop in here to see what’s happening. I’ve had a bunch of projects on the go, but I promise there will be more posts in the future.

Right! To the matter at hand:

Alot has been said and done on the matter of human rights in Tibet during the recent torch protests we’ve heard so much about, and there have even been a few world leaders willing to criticise the CCP (in Mandarin, in some cases), but as many have pointed out, China’s treatment of North Korean refugees and the CCP’s unwillingness to act in any meaningful way on the prison camps of the DPRK has generally been ignored. It’s an issue that seems to be forever on the sidelines, for reasons I can’t really fathom.

In any case, today I received an interesting letter from LFNKR and it bears reading in full.

~~§§§~~

Stories of a shocking new development are just beginning to leak out of China.

The government there has just raised the stakes in the human rights issue now coming to a boil. While the world’s attention is focused on the uproar in Tibet, other important developments are quietly taking place in the shadows.

China’s claim that Tibetan protestors are being agitated by foreign religious elements, has led it to suspicion that foreign connections behind any activities of which it disapproves.

Government officials have reportedly ordered the Department of Religion in each province to start thorough investigations into any involvement with foreign influences.

LFNKR has received a report from our local staff in Jilin Province that any Christian church in Yanbien found to be involved with foreigners, including South Koreans, are being forced to shut down.

In addition, the punishment has been made more severe for extending help to North Korean defectors. Until recently, violators were fined, but now they face imprisonment. This has further discouraged our local staff and others who had been helping protect North Korean defectors.

And there is more - The Yanbien Autonomous Korean Prefecture in Jilin Province recently issued oral instructions to the Dept. of Security, Dept. of Public Safety, and Dept. of Religion on attracting more informants to report NK defectors.

According to sources familiar with the Dept. of Religion in the Yanbien Autonomous Korean Prefecture, “The bounty has been raised from 500 RMB to at least 8000 RMB for one NK defector.”

This amount is equivalent to the average annual income in China.

China is encouraging its citizens to hunt down North Korean refugees by increasing the bounty 1,600 percent. This inhumane behavior should not be tolerated. The North Korean refugees in China should be protected as refugees under the international refugees convention.

LFNKR suggests that you send a letter urging the Chinese government to listen to the voice of the world and demonstrate to international society that they respect human rights by halting this inhumane behavior.

You can find the PRC embassy in your country at this URL:
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/default.htm

This is a crucial situation that affects lives. Please send your letter now.

NK refugees

North Korean refugees in a Laos detention center       

and their letter asking for release.       

(From left) Choi Hyang, Choi Hyang-mi and Choi Hyuk.       

Courtesy of Life Funds for North Korean Refugees.

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North Korean Fun Parks: Part 2, Taesongsan

Posted on November 24, 2007 
Filed Under North Korea | Leave a Comment

Comprising an area of 8 ha, Taesongsan was opened in 1977. It’s located north-east of downtown Pyongyang, at the feet of Taesong Mountain. It has many recreational attractions and the capacity for 30.000 visitors a day. Early reports from foreign visitors to the fair were gushing:

“What simple pleasures! None of the noisy fairground rides you see in the west, with music blaring and flashing lights and electronics everywhere. Here we had swings, tug-of-war, a very sedate ferris wheel and a rollercoaster without loops. I thought it was lovely! Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly and we were free to wander around and take pictures as we pleased.”

On the other hand, there were also some disturbing oddities, such as this stall:


And sinister officals who followed the visitors with notepads.

Few foreigners have visited the grounds in recent years; it may well be that the fair has been ill-maintained and the rides have fallen into disrepair.

Here’s a map I nicked from a website with very catchy background music:

Official DPRK records have Kim Jong Il visiting the fair after receiving a report of its completion. From The Korea Solidaritae Kommittee:

First “Visitor” to the Funfair

Toward dusk on October 2, 1977, the dear leader Comrade Kim Jong Il, receiving a report of its completion, appeared at the fashionably built funfair in a corner of Taesongsan Pleasure Ground.

The workers showed him around, happy and excited to test the funfair facilities in his presence.

After taking in a general view of the funfair, which occupied much of the valley, he walked toward the Roller Coaster. Explanations were given about the Coaster. Turning to his aides, he suggested riding it. An official was apprehensive, but the dear leader laughed it off and went up the stairs to the landing. The workers followed him hesitatingly. Indeed, the Coaster gave a real thrill when it shot down the track at flying speeds, climbing a sharp incline as high as 30 metres, then nose-diving breathlessly. By force of inertia it zipped along the circular track, now rising, now falling, until it finally slowed to a halt.

Alighting from the Coaster, the dear leader said gravely, “Strict rules should be applied to riders of the Coaster, just like passengers in a plane. A plane cannot take off if the pilot says no, no matter how earnestly the passengers wish to.

“Keen attention should be paid to running the Coaster; otherwise a terrible misfortune may occur.”

After a short silence he told the officials concerned in an apprehensive tone, “Sharp curves in the track are dangerous spots.” Pointing to a curve on the right, he said, “It squeaks there”. The engineers were greatly touched; he had spotted a dangerous place that had escaped their notice the instant he rode past it and told them to take full measures for safety.

His instructions, brief as they were, were brimming with boundless love for the holidaymakers who would enjoy the Roller Coaster.

That day he rode or operated in person every merrymaking facility, learning how to run them and seeing for himself whether they were safe or not. He advised running high-speed revolving rides a little more slowly and for a short time so that old people and children would not get dizzy. His advice went into detail, urging caution in the running of every facility. Time flew and dusk was beginning to settle in. After the sun set, autumnal wind turned chilly. Thinking he was staying too long, the officials proposed inspecting only selected facilities, but he said that unless he made the rounds of them all, he could not feel easy about letting children play on them. It would be hard for him to find the time to visit again, he said, so he should stop at every device, though it would take him hours. Then he strode ahead of the officials as if forgetting his fatigue.

“Mad Mouse darts, circles and flies high and low at a mad speed.”

He was about to get on Mad Mouse when an official stood in front of him, urging him not to ride it. It was getting dark and it was dangerous. Mad Mouse darts, circles and flies high and low at a mad speed. He took a seat, saying this was a ride to be placed at the disposal of all people. Gazing up at their embarrassed faces, he laughed heartily and remarked that in the darkness he wouldn’t feel dizzy. Mad Mouse started. The officials followed it, shooting along its winding course, with keen interest. Getting off, the dear leader remarked that though it rocked it would suit young people, and he once again urged strict observance of the rules to prevent every possible accident.

After dark it got chilly, yet the dear leader had a monorail car trip with the accompanying workers before concluding his inspection of the funfair. He ensured a wonderful funfair for the people visiting it before others to make sure every device was faultless. Even insignificant spots were mended the instant they were discovered. Looking at his noble image, the officials were overwhelmed with emotion.

~~~

Next stop, Mangyongdae Funfair!

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