The time left in 2014 is ticking down,
prompting most to look back on another year and plan ahead for the next. This
concept even inspires an expression in Korean, wherein December is dubbed the “knot of the year,” propelling people to tie up their loose
ends.
What does December mean for people in North
Korea? Most defectors will tell you it is the most burdensome month because
people are evaluated for all the tasks falling under their remit for the year by the
groups and organizations with which they are affiliated.
Evaluations from one’s affiliated groups and organizations is of the utmost importance:
North Koreans who have grown up under the “Suryeong-only” leadership must invariably place “groups
and organizations’ ahead of notions of “myself and my family,” while prioritizing
practices of “implementation with no question” and “absolute loyalty.” Thinking of anything else is considered a luxury. Instead of making
plans for prolonged celebrations during the New Year holiday, as is common
practice in the South, they hope for the month to pass by relatively
smoothly–or at least with no insurmountable issues.
Elections for the head of Party cells, the
smallest units of the Chosun Workers’ Party, are also held
during this period as part of a year-end meeting, and because all members from every work unit and group in the area required to attend, even those travelers with special visas permitting them to travel to China are obliged to return for the event.
During the rest of the meeting, after ample self-reflection on each article of the revised “Ten Principles for the Establishment of the One-Ideology System” [North Korea’s primary ideological tool for enforcing the primacy of the Kim dynasty], people are required to engage in critical counsel of one other. Before the meeting, each member must prepare a script for debate and their notes of self-reflection for inspection by the head of the group.
Those who fail to show up at the affair are derided for lacking loyalty toward the group, and more often than not, receive a large dose of “ideological training,” and an additional deluge of criticism from an overly attentive audience. It’s self-evident why most do most everything in their power to attend and hope for the day to pass as soon as possible.
In the case of members from the Chosun
Democratic Women’s Union, to evade punishment they must
reflect on each and every task that they have yet to carry out–from donating
rice to the state to compost procurement. Predictably, tasks not properly
fulfilled are paid off with money instead. Those who traveled to China on
special visas fare better than most, using the money they earned during their
stint there to pay off whatever shared labor they were unable to complete.
Things progress much the same for those in
the military. Once December rolls around, soldiers head into New Year political
and combat training. At the end of the month, just as civilian groups, they
also hold a ‘Party and Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth
League annual self-criticism session.’ It is a time of self-reflection and yet another opportunity to point out the faults of others–in this case,
soldiers stationed at different military bases.
Amid all these year-end meetings, a number of
state events take place in December, subjecting residents to widespread mobilization.
Failure to appear at any of these happenings earns one another inundation of “ideological criticism.” Commemorative events for Kim Jong Il’s death on December 17th, followed by Kim Jong Suk’s birthday [Kim Jong
Eun’s grandmother] on December 26th, and December 30th,
the day Kim Jong Eun was appointed to Supreme Commander, are just some of the month’s events keeping residents on their toes: one mistake or misunderstanding
could potentially ruin the prospects for starting a New Year on the right foot.
After these December occurrences, people
are to watch Kim Jong Eun’s New Year’s Address on January 1st, followed by professions of loyalty and
determination to carry out the objectives for the coming year underscored in the speech. For collective farms, this consistently means
carrying out compost transportation projects. Prior to this in December,
enterprises and inminban [people’s unit] are assigned
to 1 ton compost production projects. To complete this, people go out and
collect feces, using money to compensate for any shortages.
Going through so many of these sessions
every year, North Koreans believe it is only natural that they receive
criticism if they are unable to complete tasks assigned to them. There is no
room for objection or rebuttal, and most would prefer simply facing the session
rather than being placed on an “ideological combat stage” to remain there all day– or all week– until
they admit to their alleged wrongdoings.
The month of December for North Koreans
begins and ends with year-end assemblies and self-criticism sessions, leaving them scant room to gear up
for the winter and plan for the New Year. For most, it’s
a month rife with struggles they would prefer not to face, rendering the “frozen land” of the North even colder and
less tolerable during December.
