How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Panel)
Quote #1
During the Korean War [1950-1953], bombs rained on the city for 3 years, flattening it. Afterward, the party obliterated anything resembling an opposition. And sealed off the country to all sides. The city was entirely rebuilt according to the Great Leader’s plans. (2.47-2.50)
Pyongyang seems to have been constructed out of fear. Being shut off from the world only increases that fear of the outside world—and the outside world’s fear of what’s going on inside.
Quote #2
After taking the fly from the net, [the waitress] ruthlessly wedges it between the mirrored surface of the gray marble floor and her rubber-heeled shoe, then crushes it with great care, grinding her heel for what seems like an inordinately long time. (3.57)
Yes, this is a mini war between a waitress and a fly, but it really does feel like a big ol’ allegory for North Korea, doesn’t it? After the war, they took a few people (oh, say, 6 million or so) and put them under their heel. They’re still grinding them into the ground over half a century later.
Quote #3
According to [Sin], without America’s presence in South Korea, the country would have been unified long ago, letting the socialists in the south embrace their brothers in the north and help them achieve the people’s paradise they’ve bravely held onto since 1998. (5.91)
Sin seems to be regurgitating the party line to Guy. Guy has a good rebuttal (which he doesn’t share), but we have to wonder how informed his opinion is, too. When these two countries consider themselves enemies, it’s hard to come to any sort of compromise.
Quote #4
[Two Americans are] here to dig up the remains of Korean War Soldiers. For every corpse found intact and identified, the U.S. pays a pretty $100,000. Incredibly, a few missing soldiers may still be alive. A refugee claims to have seen some in a re-education camp... but recovering those would be a whole different story. (7.89-7.91)
It’s frightening to think that the Korean War might still be going on for some people. How can we ever get them out?
Quote #5
In 1968, North Korean soldiers captured an American spy ship in the Republic’s territorial waters. Since then, their great catch has been on display as proof of the superiority of the People’s Army and the belligerence of the “Nation’s sworn enemies.” (8.53-8.54)
This is something we get shown over and over again: North Korea takes its minor war victories and spins them into major propaganda. Since the government runs all the media, there’s no one around to tell anybody otherwise.
Quote #6
They’re more discreet about a less glorious event that occurred a few days earlier, in the same month of 1968. (8.55)
Guy follows up the anecdote about a North Korean victory with a story about a North Korean failure. It’s not surprising that the North Koreans downplay this. You’ve heard that winners write history. Losers have to find a way to write themselves as winners.
Quote #7
“Oh that. It’s a shooting gallery. They practice on silhouettes of American and Japanese soldiers.” (8.66)
Yeesh. So much for the armistice. It looks like North Korea has a pretty long memory, huh?
Quote #8
“We’d better wait [to visit the demilitarized zone]. The atmosphere has been tense since W. Bush’s election. If southern soldiers see a foreigner on our side, they might feel provoked and shoot, and that could spark conflict.” (9.60)
Sometimes it’s hard to tell how much of this talk is genuine fear of another war breaking out and how much of it is based on someone swallowing the propaganda hook, line, and sinker.
Quote #9
“[The movie] was about a resistance fighter who leaves his very poor family to risk his life in the struggle against the capitalist enemy...” (10.62)
Even movies that people see for fun in North Korea are propaganda flicks that serve as a call to warfare. We never thought we’d actually be wishing for a J.Lo rom-com as an alternative.
Quote #10
The [Museum of Imperialist Occupation] documents all atrocities committed by Americans against the Korean people during the war. (11.38)
This is still a touchy subject, made even touchier by the fact that this museum sensationalizes the atrocities beyond belief. They show images of American soldiers forcing Korean children to drink motor oil and nailing propaganda to a Korean person’s forehead. We can only hope these things didn’t happen on either side—though if the past is any indicator, things probably got pretty atrocious.