[imText1]40 days after the death of Lee In Mo, a man known for his “faith and conviction” having returned to North Korea on his free will, his daughter Lee Hyun Ok wrote a letter of gratitude to Kim Jong Il that was published in the Rodong Shinmun (North Korean state newspaper) on the 6th.
In her letter, Ms. Lee wrote “It is astonishing that my father returned to our homeland alive, having battled 34 years in prison. The last 14 years of my father’s life are a series of miracles after miracles after crossing the Panmunjom as a ‘dead man’ and living to the great age of 90.”
She wrote, “He lived as a ‘breathing fossil’ crippled in the prisons of South Chosun (Korea), and crossed the Panmunjom in a ‘body unlike a man.’ The fact that he was able to live an additional 14 years is thanks to General Kim Jong Il’s exclusive love” expressing great praise and more love for Kim Jong Il than her own father.
In North Korea Kim Jong Il is commonly worshipped through letters, above deceased family members. Even on your deathbed, the mistake of a single word can lead to a whole family being separated. Hence, writing letters is nothing but a simple act of gratitude.
“Lee In Mo Effect” exaggerated background for propaganda
Lee Il Mo repatriated back to North Korea in March 1993. Rather than responding with “faith and conviction,” North Koreans were more interested in South Korea questioning, “What are South Chosun prisons like that a person can remain alive after 34 years of imprisonment?”
Many say that it is difficult to survive in North Korean prisons for more than 10 years, even at average prisons for economic crimes or misdemeanor. It is difficult for prisoners to survive these dire conditions as they are merely fed corn every day and forced to participate in hard labor.
Following the 2000 Inter-Korea Summit, political prisoners detained for more than 40 years were slowly released and returned to North Korea. In response, North Koreans began to think, “South Chosun prisons must be places decent enough to live.”
At the time, North Korea exaggerated the return of Lee In Mo. Hundreds and thousands of people were stationed along the highway from Kaesung to Pyongyang and a campaign was led throughout the nation, ‘Learn and follow from Lee In Mo’s faith and conviction.”
It was the time of the first nuclear threat to strengthen ideologies and spread the scare of the U.S. troops bombing North Korea’s Yongbyun nuclear reactor.
It was during this time that the “Lee In Mo Effect” was highlighted. After 34 years in prison, Lee did not betray his country and returned to North Korea. This “symbol of loyalty” was perfect propaganda against the people which even led to the production of a movie.
Even today, there are people who are silently dragged away for investigations or sent to the complete control zone, locked away or executed without trial, simply for cursing Kim Jong Il on a night out for drinks.
People are oblivious to know whether these people caught by authorities are alive or dead. It will be interesting to know whether Lee In Mo’s daughter, Lee Hyun Ok is aware of such tragic atrocities that are occurring against mankind in the 21st century.
