Workers Party of Korea worried about ideological laxity

From the Korea Herald:

A rare piece of North Korean internal educational material reveals how much troubled the North’s party and state authorities are these days by what seems to be social laxity turning worse following the 2002 economic reform measures. It also helps find answers to questions about Pyongyang’s recent moves to shun contact with the South.

“On Waging Uncompromising Struggle against the Enemies of the Class” is the title of the document, known to be prepared for the education of Workers’ Party cadre members. The material obtained and released by the Free North Korea Radio operated by refugees from the North complains that the “enemies of the class opposing our present system are intensifying their vile activities, which will result in serious consequences if we delay or neglect our alertness against them.”

The material admits there are people who “sell out the secrets of the party and the state, running mad about money, who propagate antisocial religious and superstitious acts, and those who are engaged in delinquencies refusing to work.” One has the impression that social problems are deepening in the North despite severe regimentation of the people.

We know well that North Korea is in a dire situation as a result of continued economic constriction. Its extensive economic reform measures put into force on July 1, 2002, are now believed to be causing new problems due to the people’s stronger pursuit for money which leads to “ideological corruption.” So the party educational material calls for the elimination of impure and incongruous elements in the northern society which are now accused of “even engaging in political sabotage.”

In addition to the unwanted side effects of economic openness, broader contacts with the South could be shaking even the rock-hard social order based on rigid resident control and surveillance. The entry of over 30,000 South Koreans into North Korea each year on various business purposes, the hundreds of thousands of visitors to Mount Geumgang, and the shipment of large amounts of rice, fertilizer and other aid materials including clothes and medical supplies cannot but leave significant impact on North Korean society.

While suspending and limiting inter-Korean contacts, Pyongyang authorities are now compelled to intensify the indoctrination of their people. Yet they are attempting to do something impossible. Arduous educational programs will not have much effect in keeping North Korea’s 20 million people within the state ideology as they pursue the basic human desires to get out of hunger and live in freedom.

From the dailk NK:
7/26/2006

The First On Location Record of N. Koreans ‘Life Education’ Revealed

On the 22nd, a total of 9 voice files (116 minutes), exclusively acquired by the DailyNK, discussing “life education” at North Korean a Giupso (State Owned Enterprise), were released.

It was the first time “life education” locations were revealed.

The voice files included life education information created by the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, and the front-line workers league, as well as instructions given by the Central Party leaders in May, and meeting minutes that group leaders and department secretaries delivered to workers.

These voice files include not only life education information, but also instructions the North Korean government gave to women and to the elderly. These voice files will provide valuable information to outsiders as to what ideologies and instructions the North Korean government has used in educating North Koreans.

“Life education” is an event in which a group gathers at a household to reflect on their public and private lives and constructively criticize each other.

All North Koreans belong to the Party and Worker’s League. Members of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, the Women’s League of Democracy, the Workers’ League, and the Farmers’ League all meet within their groups for “life education” gatherings.

The gatherings can be anywhere from two day-life education periods, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. The voice files were an example of weekly meetings.

“Top 10 Principles”

After DailyNK analysis of the voice files, it is evident that the North Korea government still strongly controls people through life education meetings, although some have stated that control has loosened.

The voice files show that the person in charge of the Worker’s League life education meeting emphasized following “organization regulations”.

He urged that, “Keeping in mind the top 10 principles (the 10 principles necessary for the continuation of North Korean ideology), you should reflect on yourselves, your attitudes and your perspective on the league and the government during last week. Life education begins at 7:30. You should never be absent from life education meetings. Do not be late again. Regulations will not loosen”.

Subsequently, he pointed out that, “People are afraid of individuals rather than organizations. So there are not enough critical comments”, complaining that the atmosphere of life education meetings is not aggressive enough.

Youth League life education meeting emphasized, “First of all, we should have the strong desire to defend our only Leader. We should follow the revolutionary creed that the Great Leader (Kim Jong Il), is our nation and we should be a strong guardian of him”.

When a person at the meeting began a comment with the words, “according to the 10 principles” (refering to the 10 principles of NK ideology), the person in charge of the meeting corrected him, instructing him to say instead, “Regarding the top 10 principles necessary for the one and only ideology system of the Party to be established, Great Leader Kim Jong Il pointed out as follows”.

Furthermore, the North Korean government still emphasizes that “our own socialism is the absolute belief of the Great Leader”, illustrating that the North Korean government has no desire to give up on ‘our own socialism’, contrary to international expectations that North Korea will open its economy and pursue reformation and liberalization.

In the Youth League, the meeting mediator said that, “We should have a deeper belief in socialism. We should confront enemies ideologically as well as physically. If we possess a strong ideology and creed, enemies will never succeed in conspiring against us. Our socialism is that of the Great Leader”.

He also said that, “(The outside world) is attempting to overthrow our nation by producing a mass of impure claims and spreading them throughout the country. Today, we should overcome political, ideological interventions, schemes, and conspiracies with great hostility”. This illustrates the degree to which the North Korean government is afraid of the external influence, and is struggling to prevent the influx of information.

Meanwhile, in a meeting held for group leaders and their families, a village secretary reiterated the instrctions given on May 1st by Kim Jong-Il, declaring an extensive ideological fight against enemies.

The instructions commanded people to “support the legal struggles against illegal defectors, the unemployed, vagrant beggars, illegal traders, smugglers of metals and cash, and against violent criminals such as murderers and burglars”.

1. Enemies have attempted to overthrow our nation by spreading false claims throughout our nation. They have attempted to employ psychological warfare against our republic. They have conspired to distribute 200,000 pieces of impure information a month into our nation, via third nations and spies. Today, enemies are openly trying to overthrow our nation. We should confront this ideological intervention by our enemies with strong hostility.

However, some people who forget their duties, and have impure ideological attitudes, have strayed from our socialist beliefs by distributing socially and culturally impure information such as lecherous video tapes provided by our enemies. The impure information creates an illusion of capitalism as an oasis, but betrayes our nations beliefs. Our young people should rightly acknowledge how dangerous the conspiracy against our republic is, and actively participate in the fight to protect our nation.

How shall we do that? First of all, we embrace the Great Leader and guard him. As our enemies aim to destroy our firm ties to the Great Leader, our young people should vow to guard the Great Leader against the ideological and cultural intrusion of our enemies. With the revolutionary ideal that the Great Leader is our nation, we must be strong enough to risk our lives for the Great Leader. Next, we must have a deeper belief in socialism. The fight against our enemies is not only physical but also ideological. If the ideology is strong enough, our enemies will not be able to destroy us. Belief in socialism is the absolute reverence towards the Great Leader.

File 2.

“What is your name?”
“○○○”
“Why are you late? I told you not to be late before. Do you have your life education note? Why are you late? Don’t you belong to the Workers’ League?”
“Today I was not late for life education”
“Do you say that you were not late? Hey! When does the education start? When does the education start?”
“At 7:30”

“Were you here by 7:30? Why are you late? XXX, you are always so sloppy”
“Life education started at 7:30. You sneaked in here right before the class ended. Don’t you think you should be here before the class starts?”
“The next life education also starts at 7:30. Youth League and Workers’ leagues do, as well.
“Do you think that life education starts at 8:00? XXX”
“Do not be late again. Why do you think you are criticized for that? Every Giupso knows that life education starts at 7:30. You must have known it. Then why are late? At 8:00 Giupso has a morning meeting. You should attend the meeting”
“Sit down. Anybody want to reflect on themselves?

“Don’t lie. Just say ‘yes, I was a little bit late’. Never tell a lie. Telling a lie means deceiving others. Yes, the Great Leader said that ‘a lie is the first step of betrayal. The first step of betrayal’. The first thing betrayers do is tell a lie. This is not the first time. You are always late. Betrayers are far from here. Betrayers are not on the distant hill. Betrayers are right within this fence, and right in this room. Right next to you. Betrayal starts from telling a lie. Why do you keep telling lies? I saw you standing outside the room. When I sat down you hid yourself. Why do you do that? Why do you hide behind the window? Just say ‘I was late, because of something. I will not be late again’ That is what you should have said. Liars also have problems at home. Workers’ League, train your members better from now on”.

“I have something to tell you. When you quote what the Great Leader said and the top 10 principles, say it this way: Great Leader Kim Jong Il pointed out through the top 10 principles for the only and one ideological system to be established as follows. Do not just say ‘according to the top 10 principles’. This should be corrected. Next, being late is a serious problem. Some people are late for morning meeting, as well. Organization regulations seem to have loosened! People should be afraid of the organization, not each other. That’s why no one makes any critical comments of each other. Turn in your life education notes here.

File 3.

The Party instructed to employ moral characteristics and verbal decorum. The Party strongly urged people not to use vulgar words.

Do not use vulgar words such as XXX, stupid, use our traditional words and correct the vulgar words. Do not use vulgar, insulting words with your spouse. Workers and young people also should try to enhance their language and show devotion to organizations and groups by loving them more than themselves.

Love and take care of revolutionaries’ families, the war dead, families of victims and honorable soldiers, and take interest in their lives and business. Be polite to the old, seniors and pregnant women by offering your seats to them and comply with public rules in public places such as on trains, buses and in theaters.

Do not have alcohol at gatherings, or go dancing. Respect our traditional customs. Confront anti-socialism and establish a sound social lifestyle. Leagues will review people again on June 20 after they carry out the instructions of each League. The ideological fight will start on June 25, going through mid-July. This were the instructions of the Great Leader Kim Jong Il. A high-level meeting will first take place, after which lower-level meetings will be held in which problem-solving methods will be discussed. We must thoroughly prepare for them.  Obey like children. First men should act as roll models. Group leaders and secretaries should do so as well.

May 20, instructions of the Party
Some people have paid to learn Chinese from Chinese-N. Koreans. Others have sold possessions in order to pay. We must fight against this. Children must keep their parents’ medals safe, but instead they often bring them outside for play. Fathers will know how important the medals are. Yet children do not know. So fathers should educate their children about it. Next, I would like to talk about raising rabbits. First of all, group leaders and secretaries should act as good role models. Write a report about regarding the rabbits each weekend. Discuss how many rabbits are there, and other details. All Giupsos should discuss the matter of raising rabbits. If the Party gave instructions, all should follow them. Do not overlook anything.

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