[imText1]The issue of North Korea is not simple, as it is a mixture of domestic and international factors. The more complicated the problem is, the more adherence to simple basics becomes necessary.
The standard to be applied is the principles of democracy; to filter the positive from the negative, the truth from the falsity and the reality from the fantasy.
(1) The essential characteristic of the Kim Jong Il dictatorship is the combination of Stalinist class dictatorship and feudalistic-patriarchal absolutist dictatorship
Stalinism presented the logic that the communist party and proletarian class necessarily precedes any excellent leader which represent them, while Kim Jong Il’s logic claims that the existence of an excellent leader precedes the communist party and the proletarian class. Kim Jong Il has created the theory of Absolutism centered on the Leader, which supports that all things start from the Leader. It is no different from the feudalistic-patriarchic logic which supports that children belong to their parents, because children can only exist after their parents do.
Kim Jong Il actively participated in Kim Il Song’s dictatorship since his teens, and finally became a leader that believes in almighty dictatorship. He claimed that the fundamental reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union was the weakened dictatorship. For him, dictatorship was a panacea.
By strictly executing the feudalistic-patriarchic absolutist dictatorship, Kim Jong Il has transformed the whole country into a large-scale prison and paralyzed the creativity of individuals. As a result, every sector of the economy has collapsed, and mass starvation wreaked havoc on the North Korean people from late 1995 to 1998.
In 1995, 500,000 workers starved to death, including 50,000 party members by the half year mark. In 1996, 1 million starved to death by mid-November. An officer at the Organization Department of the Central Party predicted that 2 million would die of starvation in 1997. Statistical data on the exact number of people who died of starvation does not exist, but there is no doubt that over 3 million people lost their lives in 1997 and 1998.
Kim Jong Il became confident as a dictator and was of the opinion that nothing was impossible for him. He started believing that his desire was law, and looked down on international laws and treaties.
For him, violations of human rights, printing of counterfeit money, drug trafficking and abduction of foreigners are the prerogatives of a dictator, and violation of the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons was taken lightly. Committing international crimes was also considered to be the privilege of a dictator.
Kim Jong Il was so deep in his narcissism that he did not realize that someone in South Korea was far cleverer than himself, Mr. Kim Dae Jung.
(2) The Excellent Strategy of Mr. Kim Dae Jung; Claiming Cooperation with Kim Jong Il Dictatorship Based on Nationalism
Kim Dae Jung did not hesitate to call himself a faithful nationalist, pacifist and democrat as he took a nationalist-based approach in attempting to cooperate with the Kim Jong Il dictatorship.
① Mr. Kim Dae Jung claims that it is right to cooperate with Kim Jong Il because he is of the same people.
Weren’t Kim Il Sung, who invaded South Korea at the start of the Korean War, and the military which invaded the South, and the South Korean military who fought back, of the same people? Communists believe that the wealthy class and the proletarian class, within one people, are enemies and cannot live under the same heaven, which is the reason for expelling and killing the wealthy mercilessly.
Russian landowners, capitalists and wealthy farmers were killed as class-enemies by the Russian proletarian class, and the wealthy class in China was purged by the proletarian class led by the Communist party.
There is no doubt that Kim Jong Il has betrayed the people, and has led to millions of North Korean deaths due to starvation, made the whole country into a prison, and caused suffering and misfortune of the people. Does it make sense to cooperate with a betrayer of the people, simply because he is of the same people?
As one who cooperates with a robber or murderer cannot avoid being held responsible as an accomplice, then those who cooperate with the Kim Jong Il dictatorship, for the reason of being of the same people, could not be exempt in the crime of betrayal against the people.
② Kim Dae Jung Commends Himself for Bringing Peace to the Korean Peninsula through Cooperation with Kim Jong Il
According to communism, which includes war in the category of class struggle, if the class can win, war should be carried out without hesitation.
Kim Jong Il does not even blink an eye after allowing millions of people to die of starvation. Why wouldn’t he wage a war if he can win? Kim Jong Il is not waging a war by choice, because he doesn’t have the military power.
The U.S., who destroyed the invading communist army during the Korean War, would not allow Kim Jong Il to wage a war by invading south Korea. At the same time, China, an ally of North Korea, absolutely opposes Kim Jong Il’s reckless invasion of South Korea, as they continue the peaceful development of their own economy.
Kim Jong Il, though not able to start a war, presents himself as supporting peace, in order to gain the peaceful support of South Koreans so that they can help establish a leftist, pro- North Korean regime in South Korea.
As the two “brothers” from the North and South cooperated, their achievement reached beyond expectation. They have not only destroyed the democratic philosophy in South Korea during the 5 years since the 6.15 North-South Joint Declaration, but have also fostered the increasing dominance of pro-North Korean, anti-American sentiments.
Kim Dae Jung, overwhelmed by his victory and confident as ever, shouts to the people.
“People were scared when a small shotgun was heard from the military demarcation line, but now, even a declaration of nuclear weapons does not scare them. How big of a change is that?”
Can we say that an analgesic that leads us to consider enemies as friends, feel comforted, forgetful of pain and leading to sleep is good medicine?
③ Kim Dae Joong Claims That Sending Aid To Kim Jong Il Is The Best Way to Change North Korea into A Capitalistic Country.
Mr. Kim Dae Jung says, “There is no precedent where communists were overcome by power. The only way is to cause them to open their doors through conversation and cooperation”. This must be the essence of his magical policy which is to cause them to take off their own clothes.
Communists believe in almighty-violence and consider violent revolution sacred. How can we deny that the powerful military and economic power which deterred the Soviet Union from starting a war was the determinative factor which guaranteed the victory of liberalism in the Cold War?
North Korean communists invaded South Korea with their doors wide open during the Korean War. Can Mr. Kim Dae Jung stop the military attack simply with conversation and cooperation?
Mr. Kim Dae Jung, as a respected president of South Korea, boldly deceived the people and handed over enormous amounts of foreign currency to the North.
Many ordinary South Koreans and foreigners conclude that the money has financed the development of nuclear weapons, thus increasing the military threat for South Koreans. However, Kim Dae Jung and his followers claim that they can see liberal democratic changes in North Korea, supported by the aid.
China has appealed to Kim Jong Il to reform and open for the last 25 years, not with words, but with actions. However, Kim Jong Il has consistently refused the suggestions and adheres to his absolutist dictatorship. When Kim Jong Il opposes reform even through the Chinese method, how can we expect that he would accept the American way of liberal democracy?
Kim Dae Jung and his followers need to take into consideration that China also opposes North Korea accepting the American way of liberal democracy.
The reason why China maintains its alliance with North Korea, when Kim Jong Il is so out of control is because China thinks that North Korea could be useful in helping to avoid the spread of American liberal democracy.
China has developed into a powerful country with regard to its military and economy. China does not have to be afraid of the U.S. However, the penetration of American liberal democracy could have an irreversible affect on the political unity of its multi-ethnic, 130 million population, and China is cautious as it could threaten the establishment of the Chinese socialist state.
The absolute dictatorship of Kim Jong Il could serve as a reminder to the people of China of the suffering of the old China, and help the people to believe in the superiority of the present system. China and North Korea, despite the disparity in their systems, do share interests in opposing American liberal democracy, which is the basic factor that connects them. China feels threatened by penetration of liberal democracy, with which Kim Jong Il has experience. Therefore, it is unthinkable that Kim Jong Il would accept liberal democracy.
Mr. Kim Dae Jung plans to visit North Korea to meet Kim Jong Il despite his illness. He might have a strategic interest which the ordinary crown cannot even imagine. However, we do not need to be concerned over such thing.
We do not need to fight with those masters of deception. These masters of deception think that the honest ones who stick to democratic principles without listening to sugar-coated comments are the hardest one to deceive.
Facing the struggle with imposters, we only need to adhere to simple, obvious and common truths. These are to firmly stick to liberal democracy which is the life line for South Korea, to reinforce the democratic alliance with the U.S., and to strengthen cooperation with the U.S. and Japan. This is the unwavering democratic strategy, proven by the history of establishment of this country.
Mr. Kim Dae Jung is no doubt a talented individual, as he took hold of the honor of the world, using notorious Kim Jong Il.
However, some might be concerned that he is overly disdainful, out of his confidence in his success.
Unprecedented masters of deception might be able to create something from nothing, but they cannot deceive history. The truth proven in history that wanting something out of one’s reach results in a loss of what one already has, shouldn’t be forgotten.
