Reference
Shannon Crombie
12th Grade Social Studies: Contemporary American Democracy
Canon-McMillan High School
Inside North Korea, a National Geographic documentary, provides a rare although tightly controlled portrait of life above the 38th Parallel. Traveling with a surgical team from Nepal, American journalist Lisa Ling reveals the extent to which Kim Jong-Il influences the daily life of the citizens of North Korea.
The film begins with an explanation of how an eye surgeon received permission from the North Korean government to enter the country and perform cataract surgery on several hundred patients over a ten day period. Cataracts rarely cause blindness when properly treated, but the lack of properly trained doctors and medical resources in North Korea allow the condition to persist in a large segment of the population. The coverage of this health care issue leads to a broader discussion of the political and economic reality of North Korea today, influenced by the Japanese colonization as well as division of Korea following World War II. One of the most intriguing elements of the documentary includes footage of the American, South Korean and North Korean military personnel at the 38th parallel.
Another striking feature of the video is the extent to which North Koreans appear to worship their leaders. Clips of the funeral procession of Kim Il-Sung shows dramatic displays of grief, and on the streets of cities as well as in the homes of North Korean citizens hang multiple images of Kim Jong-Il. No family photos are seen, but “Dear Leader” is everywhere. Later, as patients emerge from follow-up visits with the surgical team, they thank Dear Leader for their restored vision by chanting, bowing, crying and swearing to attack the American enemy in the name of Dear Leader. The film concludes with the interview of a former boarder guard who escaped from North Korea. His personal account of life as a guard and the intimidation tactics used by the North Korean government to keep citizens in line makes quite an impression on students.
This video provides a stark contrast to the American citizen experience. It demonstrates to students that people around the world do not live with the rights and freedoms enjoyed by citizens in the United States. Mocking political leaders in the United States is a regular occurrence, for example, but such behavior leads to prison in North Korea and perhaps persecution of one’s family.
This video would be appropriate for students in grades 9-12. The film came out in 2006, but the material remains relevant today.
