Isolation

North Korea, one of the worlds most secluded and secretive countries, isolates itself
from the outside world inflicting their citizens with a remote and tortuous lifestyle. Using murder,
suffering, slavery, sexual violence, mass starvation, and many other abuses to keep their
people under their rule, North Korea disregards multiple act of humanity and basic human
rights. As their ruling limits the nations freedom and especially every humans right of the liberty
to belief and religion, North Korea acts against Article 18 from the Universal Declaration of
Human rights stating, Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Currently, North Korea's strict leader Kim Jong-un directs his citizens to follow a religion
or philosophy known as Juche. The Juche religion is the only religion in North Korea and is the
worship of the Kim Dynasty, preaching self-reliance and justifying the current political structure
of totalitarianism. While the government in North Korea says it openly accepts religious
freedom, the government doesnt actually permit religious freedom. The North Korean
Government persecutes religious individuals practicing other religions, but makes it look to
outsiders like religious expression is free.
Every North Korean is forced to hang a picture of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong II in their
homes and suffer severe consequences if not properly taken care of or worst not hung at all.
Everyday North Koreans are beat and humiliated if caught speaking or believing again Kim
Jong-un. International bodies and humanitarian aid groups should be allowed to carry out
detailed investigations in the country. Currently North Korea claims to the U.N. commission that
human right violations do not exist in their country although refuse to let people enter to
investigate. In order to arouse change in this enclosed country the U.N. Security Council needs
to refer the situation in North Korea to the International Criminal Court so that those who are
responsible for human right abuses are held accountable.
The worst thing people can do is ignore the problem in North Korea and hope one day it
eventually goes away. We as a world must take this information and put into our own hands.
There are many ways we can help the North Koreans through organizations like Crossing
Borders and Liberty in North Korea. Ask yourself, would if this was me? Help the North
Korean people today by donating, volunteering, tweeting, and hosting events, for we
might be North Koreas only hope. Coming together as a union and using our resources to
go against North Korea, changes can be made in this inaccessible country that can bring a
bright future to all North Koreans.





Works Cited:
Korea, North. (2014, April 11). Retrieved May 11, 2014, from https://www.cia.gov/library/
publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html
Pearson, M., Hanna, J., Jiang, S., & Hancocks, P. (2014, February 18). 'Abundant
evidence' of crimes against humanity in North Korea, panel says. Retrieved May
11, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/17/world/asia/north-korea-un-report/