[imText1]For the first time, voice files exposing “life education”, regular mandatory gatherings for all North Koreans, were publicized.
On the 22nd, a total of 9 voice files (116 minutes), exclusively acquired by the DailyNK, discussing “life education” at North Korean ○○ Giupso (State Owned Enterprises), were released.
It was the first time “life education” locations were revealed.
The voice files included life education information created by the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, and the front-line workers league, as well as instructions given by the Central Party leaders in May, and meeting minutes that group leaders and department secretaries delivered to workers.
The recording was done by North Korean, Lee June, and was initially obtained by the Asia Press.
These voice files include not only life education information, but also instructions the North Korean government gave to women and to the elderly. These voice files will provide valuable information to outsiders as to what ideologies and instructions the North Korean government has used in educating North Koreans.
“Life education” is an event in which a group gathers at a household to reflect on their public and private lives and constructively criticize each other.
All North Koreans belong to the Party and Worker’s League. Members of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, the Women’s League of Democracy, the Workers’ League, and the Farmers’ League all meet within their groups for “life education” gatherings.
The gatherings can be anywhere from two day-life education periods, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. The voice files were an example of weekly meetings.
“Top 10 Principles”
After DailyNK analysis of the voice files,it is evident that the North Korea government still strongly controls people through life education meetings, although some have stated that control has loosened.
The voice files show that the person in charge of the Worker’s League life education meeting emphasized following “organization regulations”.
He urged that, “Keeping in mind the top 10 principles (the 10 principles necessary for the continuation of North Korean ideology), you should reflect on yourselves, your attitudes and your perspective on the league and the government during last week. Life education begins at 7:30. You should never be absent from life education meetings. Do not be late again. Regulations will not loosen”.
Subsequently, he pointed out that, “People are afraid of individuals rather than organizations. So there are not enough critical comments”, complaining that the atmosphere of life education meetings is not aggressive enough.
Additionally, he emphasized the “reverence for the Leader” and following the top 10 principles of the Party.
Youth League life education meeting emphasized, “First of all, we should have the strong desire to defend our only Leader. We should follow the revolutionary creed that the Great Leader (Kim Jong Il), is our nation and we should be a strong guardian of him”.
When a person at the meeting began a comment with the words, “according to the 10 principles” (refering to the 10 principles of NK ideology), the person in charge of the meeting corrected him, instructing him to say instead, “Regarding the top 10 principles necessary for the one and only ideology system of the Party to be established, Great Leader Kim Jong Il pointed out as follows”.
Video tapes have spread throughout the country
Furthermore, the North Korean government still emphasizes that “our own socialism is the absolute belief of the Great Leader”, illustrating that the North Korean government has no desire to give up on ‘our own socialism’, contrary to international expectations that North Korea will open its economy and pursue reformation and liberalization.
In the Youth League, the meeting mediator said that, “We should have a deeper belief in socialism. We should confront enemies ideologically as well as physically. If we possess a strong ideology and creed, enemies will never succeed in conspiring against us. Our socialism is that of the Great Leader”.
He also said that, “(The outside world) is attempting to overthrow our nation by producing a mass of impure claims and spreading them throughout the country. Today, we should overcome political, ideological interventions, schemes, and conspiracies with great hostility”. This illustrates the degree to which the North Korean government is afraid of the external influence, and is struggling to prevent the influx of information.
Meanwhile, in a meeting held for group leaders and their families, a village secretary reiterated the instrctions given on May 1st by Kim Jong-Il, declaring an extensive ideological fight against enemies.
The instructions commanded people to “support the legal struggles against illegal defectors, the unemployed, vagrant beggars, illegal traders, smugglers of metals and cash, and against violent criminals such as murderers and burglars”.
The following are the important parts extracted from the voice files (provided by Asia Press)
