In the oppressive realm of Kim Jong Un’s leadership, the plight of North Korean citizens has reached a horrifying level. Entire families are succumbing to starvation, while their ruler directs resources towards nuclear weapons instead of nourishing his nation. Survivors trapped within North Korea reveal the grim reality of mothers dying from hunger, leaving their children to endure the same fate. Sadly, this desperation is exacerbated by Kim’s manipulation of the Covid-19 pandemic to assert further control over his people. The regime cracks down mercilessly on those caught smuggling food or approaching the border, resorting to state executions, where victims are lined up and showered with bullets.
Witnessing their neighbors and children perish from starvation, North Koreans find themselves driven to a point of despair where they see invasion as the only path to alleviate their agony. Chan Ho, a construction worker residing in a North Korean border village, speaks of the desperation he has witnessed, recounting the heart-wrenching deaths of individuals, including a mother with her two young children. In his village, another mother fell severely ill, rendering her unable to work, while her children tried futilely to collect enough money for food by braving the city streets as beggars. Tragically, all three family members met their demise due to starvation within a matter of weeks. Such is the dire state of affairs that even a soldier, discharged from the military for malnourishment, died of hunger within a week of leaving the ranks.
Ji Yeon, a mother residing in the capital Pyongyang, provides a glimpse into the constant battle against hunger ravaging her city. Previously, she and her husband would secretly acquire fruits and vegetables from the food shop where she worked, selling them at the market to supplement their income. However, the pandemic brought a wave of change, with the government now conducting thorough bag searches for any traces of food, effectively eliminating a crucial source of sustenance. Furthermore, the border closures enacted in response to the pandemic prevented any food imports, exacerbating the already dire situation and resulting in countless deaths by starvation. Ji Yeon describes the magnitude of the catastrophe, expressing her personal fear of perishing overnight, as the absence of supplies leaves people without means to sustain themselves.
As Ji Yeon walks the streets of Pyongyang, she often encounters beggars lying motionless on the ground, having succumbed to starvation. Horrifyingly, she recounts an incident where authorities entered her neighbor’s home after three days of silence, only to find the entire family perished. The situation has become so desperate that some individuals choose to end their lives, seeking to escape the slow death brought on by starvation.
Intensified by the pandemic, the government’s crackdown on smuggling and attempted escapes has further trapped North Koreans within their suffocating circumstances. Chan Ho remarks on the current predicament, labeling it even more difficult than the famine that devastated the nation in the 1990s. The key difference lies in the severity of consequences, as the government now routinely executes anyone taking even the slightest misstep. Chan Ho shares an acquaintance’s account of witnessing multiple state-sanctioned executions targeting those seeking to flee. Caught between the grim choices of adhering to oppressive rules and risking arrest, branding as a traitor, and subsequent execution, North Koreans find themselves despairingly waiting for death.
During the peak of the pandemic, civilians across towns and cities were confined to the confines of their homes for weeks, barred from stepping foot outside. Survival in these dire circumstances often depended on venturing out clandestinely under the cover of darkness to procure food. Experts estimate that the death toll from Covid-19 in North Korea could reach approximately 45,000, a stark contrast to the official count of 74.
Trapped within a nation ravaged by starvation, North Koreans express their resentment towards Kim Jong Un, who prioritizes his nuclear weapons arsenal over the well-being of his people. They feel deceived by the government’s actions, as border closures regress the country by two decades, resulting in increased hardship and despair. Ji Yeon articulates the sentiment of betrayal, emphasizing that the people never desired endless weapons development, which only perpetuates suffering throughout generations.
In their desperation, North Koreans see the intervention of the United States through invasion as their only hope to escape their predicament. They believe that such an act would lead people to turn their backs on Kim and his collaborators. Experts warn that the situation in North Korea has become alarmingly grave, surpassing the horrors witnessed during the famine of the late 1990s. The markets, vital sources of sustenance for most North Koreans, stand nearly empty, while the prices of rice and corn remain exorbitantly high. The closure of borders, through which North Korea relies on imports, continues to sever crucial lifelines for the starving populace.
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