n recent weeks, North Korea has upped its already-high levels of rhetoric and propaganda, calling United States President George Bush a “tyrant” and expressing reluctance to take part in the next round of six-way talks with the United States, Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea, scheduled for September in New York City. According to the BBC, an August 23rd statement by Kim Jong Il’s government called President Bush “a tyrant that puts Hitler in the shade” whose “group of such tyrants is a typical gang of political gangsters.” Experts theorize that the statement was issued to delay talks until after the U.S. election in November, Reuters reported. North Korea’s propaganda machine is well-documented, and Kim Jong Il’s government is famous for its secrecy. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea’s official name, has a state news site, which often decries world leaders and promotes Kim’s regime. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) propaganda headlines read like satire and contain little, if any, useful information. Despite the strong condemnation of President Bush, the North Korean government did not deny that it would take part in the upcoming talks, though. According to Reuters, an unnamed South Korean official, North Korea has never categorically said it will not be attending the fourth round of six-party talks." In North Korean terms, strong condemnations and language are not indicative of policy, and do not necessarily mean the North will not participate in the talks.On August 27th, the KCNA’s lead story was titled, “Peaceful Reunification of Korea Favored.” Often, the accompanying text for such a headline will be verbose and will contain little valuable information, as was the case for the “Peaceful Unification” headline. The accompanying press release said:
“The meeting of the Executive Council of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace held in Russia from August 12 to 14 reportedly supported the cause of independent and peaceful reunification of the Korean Buddhists and people. A resolution adopted at the meeting noted that the conference calls for forcing the U.S. forces in south Korea to pull back from there and eliminating all factors of threatening this process.” Clearly, no reunification process is in the works for the two Koreas. Additionally, Buddhism, along with all other religions, is outlawed in the DPRK. The statement is non-sensical, and the mention of the United States at the end has no relevance. Sadly, it passes for news, and citizens rarely, if ever, are exposed to honest, true, news and information. Those close to Kim Jong Il are protected, as secrecy and propaganda surround he and his associates. On August 26th, reports out of Tokyo indicated that Ko Young Hee, “respected mother” of the DPRK, and one of Kim Jong Il’s wives, had died after a long battle with cancer. As is typical with DPRK news, no mention of Ko’s passing appeared on the KCNA website. According to the Washington Post, diplomatic sources in Beijing reported the news to South Korean officials, whose media outlets reported her passing on August 25th. As mother to two of Kim’s sons, Ko’s death “could have bearing on the selection of an eventual successor to the Kim dynasy,” the Washington Post explained. A prominent member of the Kim family, any insult directed towards Ko is considered a crime in the DPRK, a sign many experts interpret as meaning one of her sons will succeed Kim as leader. As of August 27th, the KCNA had not made an official announcement regarding Ko’s death. If history is any indication, there is a possibility Ko’s death will never be formally announced. Two years ago, Sung Hae Rim, mother of one of Kim’s sons, reportedly passed away in Moscow, but neither the DPRK nor the KCNA ever formally announced her passing, Voice of America News reported. The secrecy surrounding news in the DPRK is not surprising for a Communist country. However, the KCNA’s flagrant disregard for truth and accuracy is almost unparalleled in the 21st century. Kim Jong Il and his cronies make no attempt to deal with the world in a candid manner, preferring to manipulate and mislead in order to protect their fragile system. The KCNA is a mouthpiece for the “dear leader” and his associates, and is used to manipulate and indoctrinate the masses, as well as keep its human rights violations under wraps. Recent events involving the six way talks and the death of Kim Jong Il’s wife serve to remind the rest of the world that the DPRK is concerned only with protecting its power and retaining control over North Korean society, while its people suffer.
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