Greatest Failure of the Kim Jong Il Regime: Its Inability to Provide Enough Food

On May 25, Amnesty International (AI) criticized North Korean regime for depriving its people of their basic rights, and that its biggest failure is its “inability” to provide 22 million people with the right to “eat.”

In its “annual report” on global human rights record concerning North Korea, AI stated, “The North Korean regime continues to deteriorate its prolonged food crisis, thereby continuously failing to provide its people with the right to eat,” adding, “As a result, children and adult are increasingly suffering from chronic malnutrition.”

The report also argued that again in 2004, North Korea imprisoned people charged with political crimes, and continued torturing and executing people. It also pointed out that the freedoms of expression, assembly, and movement are forbidden by the regime.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that the freedom of press in North Korea does not exist; all North Korean media is controlled by the Communist Party and journalists are forced to follow the party’s guidelines.

AI added that since the mid-1990s, at least 40 journalists reportedly underwent additional training after having made typos when writing the names of high officials. Moreover, AI also expressed concerns over the human rights of North Korean refugees who were sent back to North Korea after fleeing to China. AI pointed out that they were arrested, interrogated and imprisoned in poor conditions.

AI’s criticism on the North Korean human rights issue is increasing annually.

Young-A Soh sya@donga.com