We tend to separate Korea into two simple parts- North and South Korea (or sometimes as the bad and good Korea). But do you know the official country name of North Korea? Surprisingly, it is called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This makes most of us snort in disapproval. We all know North Korea as the die-hard communist country. So who are they trying to fool?

The country name was actually proclaimed under the rule of the deceased Kim Ill Sung. The DPRK argue that they are not a communist country because they technically hold elections. But in reality, those votes mean nothing. The Kim family of DPRK has full control of the elections and can alter the results. And even so, there is no way the citizens would find out or have the authority to challenge the outcome. It’s just putting a show on for the North Korean people- an effort to mask away the dictatorship with Juche ideology.

At this point, I hope you are wondering if this actually fools the North Koreans. And the answer to that is yes and no. What I mean by that is, most people have been brainwashed to believe that the Kim family is God-like. However, the North Korean people are humans in the end. They hate the hunger, the pains, the unfairness. And the bravest of the victims choose the last resort- an escape to China.

The escapees are living proof that not everyone is happy with the Kims of North Korea. But the tragedy doesn’t even end there for escapees. Once they hit China, they are literally trapped in a land of haters. The Chinese government still does not recognize North Korean escapees as refugees. They are considered “illegal immigrants”. So if the Chinese officials find a North Korean in hiding, the officials capture and send the refugees back to North Korea, where horrifying fate awaits them.

When will justice find these poor souls? China needs to recognize the North Koreans as refugees. The Chinese government just fears the escapees taking over job opportunities. Why the UNHCR is not interfering with this arrangement is a big mystery to me.

But I personally have hope deep down in my heart. I strongly believe in the theory of third generation. In history, we see that revolutions occur at the third generation under dictatorship. That was true for Germany, Romania, France, and many more. For North Korea, this generation is the third generation… Soon, if something happens that angers the whole of North Korea, an uprising might be on the horizon. Even the military of North Korea may turn their backs on the Kims.