Daily NK President Talks to TKL about the New Right and North Korea

Recently, Newsweek’s BJ Lee reported on the emergence of South Korea’s New Right. One of the persons prominently featured in the article was Han Ki-Hong, President of the Daily NK, an online newspaper focusing on conditions in North Korea (DO NOT MISS their latest report on North Korea’s growing border control problems). The Daily NK differs from the South Korean papers in that it primarily focuses on events in the North. More remarkably, its reporters are often North Koreans reporting clandestinely from China or North Korea. The South Koreans on the Daily NK staff, like Mr. Han, have helped make the Daily NK the flagship publication of the New Right, as well as one of the only true pan-Korean projects in existence (as opposed to other organizations that claim that characterization, but which are more accurately characterized as North Korean front groups). According to Young Howard, the Daily NK has a rapidly growing readership in South Korea.

But what of the New Right? What are the movement’s views, organization, or political strength? According to Lee’s piece in Newsweek, “75 percent of the [South Korean] population [polled] had a positive view of the movement,” although I question how much the respondents really know about the New Right. Some may know of its support for the application of classically liberal politics in both Koreas, and its roots in the liberal oppostion to the old military dictatorships.

Many thanks to Han Ki-Hong for responding to my questions.

======================

Q. Some of the things I’ve seen the New Right say aren’t much different from things I’ve seen the Old Right say. Can you help us define what “New Right” means? Setting aside personal histories from Park Chung-Hee’s time, what is different about the New Right’s ideas, compared to the Old Right’s ideas?

A: The Old Right pursued anti-communism in terms of ideology and mercantilism led by the government in terms of economic development. On the other hand, the New Right pursues liberalism in terms of ideology and economic development led by civil society and small government.

It is accurate that the New Right evaluates Korean modern history and economic development positively, but the New Right is critical of the corruption and human rights abuse in the past. The central figures of the New Right are those who changed their directions from socialism to liberalism.

Q. Most of us know about Kim Moon Soo and see him as the New Right’s best-known elected leader. What other politicians, both well-known and not-so-well known, do you think can be described as New Right politicians?

A. I have personal relationship with him because I was involved in labor movement with him. His life history is similar to the figures in the New Right, as he has been working for North Korean human rights for the past 2~3 years since he became a congressman after being involved in socialist labor movement.

However, it would be more accurate to say that the New Right movement started outside of the National Assembly, rather than Kim Moon Soo himself started the movement. As the New Right was well-received by the people and the media, Congressman Kim said that he agreed with the New Right. He benefited the most as the New Right movement developed.

Q. Approximately what percentage of GNP members of the National Assembly do you consider to be New Righters?

A. I think that most of the members of GNP are just politicians without any clear ideological direction.

Q. What organizations truly represent the values of the New Right?

A. I think that Liberty Union and New-Right Foundation which started recently represent the values of the New Right.

Q. Of course, there isn’t really a New Right party; there are three Left parties, some regional factions, and an Old Right party with a New Right faction. We all know that we’re entering a political season, and that Korean parties have a tendency to split, merge, appear, disappear, and relabel themselves during political seasons. When South Korea elects its next president in 2007, do you believe there will be a political party that represents the New Right?

A. Democratic Labor Party is clearly left party. However, in case of Uri Party, the members have various directions and the party has similar policies and ideology to GNP. Therefore, it would be hard to say that the whole party is left party. It’s reflected to be a left party because the leadership in the party is not free from the influence of the leftist former activists. It is hard to say that the Democratic Party is left, either.

It seems that it would be hard to have a political party that represents the New Right before the election.

Q. Do you have an opinion about either (GNP leader) Park Geun Hye or (Seoul Mayor) Lee Myung-Bak that you’d be willing to share with us?

A. No Comment.

Q. Is there a New Right candidate running in this election? Will there be?

A. It would be hard to have a New Right candidate.

Q. Is the New Right predominantly a Christian movement?

A. Compared to the U.S, Korean society is less religious. There are individuals who have Christian faith, but the New Right movement has nothing to do with Christianity.

Q. What is the New Right view on the proper role of religion in a democratic society?

A. The New Right does not have a consensus on the issue of religious.

Q. Many New Right members have a history of serving jail time for their dissident views. Most recently, prosecutors indicted Professor Kang Jeong-Koo, who called General MacArthur a war criminal and the North Korean Army unification workers. Park Geun-Hye, the daughter of the dictator who imprisoned many New Righters, called for Kang to be detained pending trial. Now, I think Kang is a lying commie media whore, but I also think that the prosecution was both unconstitutional and counterproductive to the more important goal of discrediting his ideas. Is there a consensus view within the New Right on what kinds of speech should and should not be tolerated?

A. Most of the New Right members have a similar opinion with you. It is clear that the comment of Professor Kang is wrong, but he needs to be criticized through ideological struggle, rather than being sent to jail.

Q. Isn’t there too much violence in Korean political expression?

A. Although the tendency still exists in some parts, it is hard to say that the whole society tends to be violent. There are some who appeal through violence, and because the media magnifies them, which causes the whole society to seem violent from outside.

Q. What should the Korean government and society do to make sure that people fight with words instead of sticks?

A. I think it is important for the government to strictly enforce public power. Illegal violence needs to be brought before legal execution no matter what.

Q. Has the government ever tried to censor what you or your reporters write or print?

A. No, it has not happened. Because Korean government was elected through democratic election, they do not censor media officially even if they do not like the opinions critical of the government.

Q. How about intimidation, threats, or violence? Have you ever been on the receiving end of those?

A. I have received a dead rat and blackmail five years ago, and a terrorism threat through e mail.

Q. Who did it?

A. I suspect someone pro-North Korea in South Korea might have been ordered to do so from North Korea. However, the person was never arrested.

Q. Increasingly in America, we get the impression that South Korea’s dependence on U.S. military protection has created an unhealthy mutual animosity, with both countries feeling used by the other. Don’t you think that some of the short-sighted thinking of some Koreans — especially about North Korea — results from the feeling that America will always be there to save Korea from the consequences of its own decision?

A. It is clear that Anti-American sentiment exists, but the majority is positive about having the U.S military in Korea. However, the voice of minority is more extreme, which makes it seem like there is stronger Anti-American sentiment than it really is.

Q. For those same reasons, I actually believe that Korea would become a stronger, more mature democracy if the US Army would leave Korea, and if Korea would then build up its own forces and enter an updated military alliance with the United States. Countries like Great Britain, Turkey, Israel, and yes, Japan don’t rely directly on US ground forces for protection, but do get varying degrees of US assistance, and also have alliances with the US that they count on in times of need. Since Korea has the world’s 12th-largest economy, why shouldn’t Korea establish a similar security policy? Wouldn’t a policy of “friendly withdrawal” also be popular with Korean voters and burnish the New Right’s nationalist credentials? Indeed, wouldn’t it have appeal for North Koreans, too?

A. I think having US ground forces in Korea is still important for the security for both countries. However, if the Kim Jong Il regime collapses and a democratic government takes over North Korea, a different discussion on the US ground forces in Korea would be necessary.

Q. Does it make sense to have a regional security alliance with the US and other Asian democracies, something on the order of an Asian NATO?

A. I think it is too early to create a regional security alliance in East Asia.

Q. Every election season, foreign Korea-watchers wince as the government and opposition compete to be seen as the most nationalist. America was the main target in the past, although I note that this dropped off when America started announcing plans to withdraw troops. Now it’s Tokdo. Politicans have been threatening hostilities, and people have been chopping off fingers, stabbing themselves, and covering themselves with bees and leaping onto Japanese flags. Most foreigners sympathize with Korea’s historical grievances against Japan, but fail to understand this intensity of anger over uninhabited islands with little economic value. Why not talk about something that affects peoples’ lives, which brings us of course to North Korea?

A. Nationalism is the most important issue which Korea, Japan and China need to overcome. The New Right in Korea thinks it is very important to overcome nationalism and is utilizing a great capacity to criticize nationalism. However, many politicians use the issue in times of election, which makes it hard to overcome nationalism.

Q. We’re also puzzled about why China always gets a break. Chinese are enslaving North Korean comfort women today. China just acquired a 50-year lease over Najin port and the railroad from there to the Chinese border. China keeps Korea divided by propping up a failed state in North Korea. China runs cables through the wrists and noses of North Korean refugees, zaps them with cattle prods, and drags them back to prison and death in North Korea. The country that treats Korea with the most arrogance, greed, and abuse is clearly China, but Koreans always pass up the chance to put a stop to those abuses by protesting them. Does the New Right intend to talk about these things during the next political season?

A. North Korean human rights issue is one of the issues of top priority in the agenda of the New Right. The issue will be brought up consistently and the short term goal is to have China abandon its support for North Korea.

Q. Do you think it is possible for North Korea to reform gradually as long as Kim Jong Il is in charge?

A. I think North Korean way of reform, which means small scale reform which would not dismantle the structure in North Korea, would be possible. However, fundamental reform and opening up would be difficult.

Q. What should South Korea’s policy toward the North be? Take time to explain and elaborate; I’ll print your response in full.’

A. Fundamental reciprocity needs to be applied to North Korea. In other words, South Korea needs to choose carrot for the good deed and stick for the bad. If North Korea chooses to reform and open up or expand sincere interaction, the aid could be expanded as well. However, strict chastisement for violent provocation and clear criticism for slandering South Korea for interfering with sovereignty and for avoiding humanitarian issues such as interaction between dispersed families are necessary.

I support minimum humanitarian aid, but humanitarian aid such as cash and strategic commodities which is only helpful for the sustenance of Kim Jong Il regime and reinforcement of the military, and is not helpful for the North Korean people should never be provided.

South Korean government needs to start the negotiation to repatriate the abducted and prisoners of war.

Principles are needed for the issue of North Korean human rights. South Korean government needs to vote to agree with the improvement of North Korean human rights in international community such as in UN Human Rights Commission. It is true that the government cannot corner the counterpart as they need to negotiate with them on the other hand. However, it is necessary for the South Korean government to urge North Korea to realize that it would be hard for them to participate in the international community as a responsible entity without the improvement of human rights, and support the improvement of human rights in the level of civil society. The National Human Rights Commission needs to put financial and practical efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

Q. What is the United States doing right and wrong in its North Korea policy?

A. Although nuclear weapons issue is important, the opinion that Kim Jong Il regime can be sustained if they abandon nuclear weapon in the U.S is incorrect. North Korean regime is chosen by the North Koreans. I do not think that any outsider can decide to sustain the regime or not.

I want to point out that it is very important that the U.S government is paying more attention to the North Korean human rights issue. I think that the US government should have priority in attacking the morality of Kim Jong Il regime with the human rights issue.

And it would be important to have the people of other countries recognize that such policy is to realize the universal value of human being rather than the national interest of the US.

Q. Most observers agree that North Korea can’t go on like it is forever. When change comes to North Korea, what are the most likely ways that this change will happen?

A. Although it is hard to estimate how long, I would think it will only last for 3~5 years. The most important factor in the regime change in North Korea is the Chinese abandonment of North Korea.

It is almost impossible to expect peaceful regime change. It could happen when the situation with Kim Jong Il changes because of death of illness or assassination, or a coup from the military. Because North Koreans were so strictly controlled for a long time, a big scale rebellion led by anti-government force would be impossible.

Q. Recently, the Daily NK has had some strikingly detailed reports about prices in North Korea. Approximately how many correspondents does the Daily NK have inside North Korea at any given time? How about inside China?

A. It is hard to release the specific number.

Q. Approximately what percentage of North Koreans outside Chongjin and the border regions actually know that people outside North Korea have it better than they do?

A. More than three hundred thousand people have been to China because of food shortage in the past, and more outside information is available in North Korea recently. For that reason, quite a number of people in many areas are aware that the outside is better off than North Korea. It is hard to estimate how much, but I would say at least more than 50% are aware.

Q. Do people inside North Korea read the Daily NK?

A. It is not possible for North Koreans to get on the internet in North Korea. However, it is assumed that officials involved in operation to South Korea must read the Daily NK.

Q. Has it become easier for information to get in and out of North Korea recently?

A. It has become easier compared to the past. However, high profile information costs a lot.

Q. Do you have any plans to smuggle the Daily NK into North Korea?

A. It is hard for people in North Korea to read the Daily NK, but we are trying to have North Korean defectors in China to be able to read the Daily NK. We will be opening a Chinese version around August this year. We want to have the Chinese intellectuals to learn about North Korea, which can lead to the abandonment of support to North Korea by the Chinese government.

NK net will be expanding the project to deliver radio into North Korea. We plan to broadcast Free Chosun, which is separate from Free NK.

Q. Any plans to equip some of your correspondents or informants inside North Korea with camera phones, or train them as journalists?

A. Such projects have been going on for a number of years, and they will be continued. Through those means, clips from North Korea were obtained and released.

Q. Are you planning on expanding the number of your correspondents inside the North?

A. It is hard because of financial difficulties.

Q. Where does the Daily NK get most of its funding?

A. We are supported by NED for 30%, and the rest of the funding comes from the membership fee, publishing company and language institute which I manage. I have a lot of personal loan.

Q. What could your paper do with more funding?

A. We could have more advertisements on banners. Right now, we have advertisement for the city of Seoul. We plan to have advertisements for the Gyeonggi Province where there is a great possibility of GNP winning in the regional election. As a mid-term goal, we plan to have advertisements for companies.

Q. Do you accept contributions from readers? Where should readers send them?

A. They do, but it is not a big amount.

Q. The Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday called North Korea the world’s most closed society. If an event takes place inside, say, Chongjin, how much time does it take for the DailyNK to publish a report about that event? How long would it take to report an event in Pyongyang?

A. It is hard to produce a general length of time, because the time that takes varies.

Q. My experience is that people who read newspapers are often most interested in local news. Are you trying to expand coverage of local events, including the exposure of corrupt North Korean officials at the local level, food supplies, etc.?

A. The Daily NK has published an incident of corruption of Mr. Kang Young Se who was a president of a trading company in Shinuiju, North Pyongan Province in August 2005. Such incidents will be reported in the future as well. Below is the article.

[Because I can’t find a link, I reprint the article in full below.]

Q. What is your sense of the food supply in North Korea, in the wake of the World Food Program’s departure? Are ordinary people starting to feel the effects of that? Do you foresee the possibility of another famine?

A. I think North Korea has some amount of food in storage.

It seems like North Korea thinks that the activity of WFP could instigate the disturbance among the North Koreans.

The food distribution system in North Korea has already collapsed and market economy (centered on black markets) has settled in. Food shortage could happen for the country, but mass starvation will not occur again.

======= ( End Interview ) ========

I think it’s difficult to underestimate the Daily NK’s potentially revolutionary impact on Korean politics. First, its underground correspondents, formal and otherwise, are some of the first nascent seeds of dissent and resistance. Second, the Daily NK is a truly pan-Korean effort, unlike other groups that claim that description but which are in fact puppets of the North Korean regime. Finally, like Commentary, The Nation, National Review, and The Weekly Standard, the Daily NK has the potential to be an intellectual vanguard of Korean political thought.

Full disclosure: I submit pieces to the Daily NK, which indulges me by publishing them. As with this blog and all my other activities on North Korea, I receive no compensation for this, although Mr. Han did give me a very nice box of delicious Korean tea as a gesture of thanks.

=================

Daily NK article to which Mr. Han referred follows:

Have You Heard of Shinuiju “Kang Young Se Incidents”

Grieving voices resonate high in Shinuiju area of North Pyongan province in North Korea about Kang Young Se (age47), the president of Kangsung Trade Company.

Kangsung Trade Company is known as a branch under the 131 Management Agency of the Central Party of the Worker’s Party, and makes $600,000 annual profit. Kang gives $200,000 to the party and takes the rest for himself. He is heavily criticized for inhumane treatment of the workers who he pays very little wage and for having several wives. However, because his deep friendship with the Central Party, it is no good even if people file complaints about Kang’s inappropriate acts.

Sentenced to 13 Years of Imprisonment for Breaking Glass

One of the biggest recent incident Kang has caused is imprisonment of Mr.P, a resident of Gwaksan-gun.

As the company expanded in its size, Kang built a new storage in Gwaksan, a port city located in North Pyongan province, and Mr. P worked as construction manager. In the construction several tens of people were involved, but even after the construction was completed, Kang did not pay the workers. For this reason, Mr. P sold his house and all his belongings to pay the workers and requested a bill to Kang.

However, Kang gave Mr. P only $1,000 and told him, “I will make you supervisor of the storage. Mr. P ran off angry and broke a window with an ax, but Kang reported him for having “dared to destroy state owned building. In the trial, Mr. P was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment and he is presently under confinement.

Due to this incident, criticizing voices of the residents of Gwaksan-gun are increasing high, and everyone pities Mr. P who is innocent. Mr. Kim who resides in Shinuiju reported the incident to The DailyNK on August 26.

Liang Yinhua(pseudonym, age 51), a Chinese whom we met in Namsuhdong, Shinuiju where Chinese People’s School is located, said, “Kang Young Se has four wives officially known, and has one child for each wife. Even the Chinese people wonder about his behavior and whether it is really a Korean culture. Kang has a house for each wife.

Inhumane Treatment of the President of the Company

Cho Chul Yong, a resident of Shinuiju, said, “There are many unmarried women from Security Department as guards of the Kangsung Trade Company, and there is no woman Kang Young Se did not touch. Once a year he gives a color TV to the staff, but he gives two TVs to the women who he played with.

“Such a behavior is not even considered as a crime in North Korea, that even if I filed a complaint, it will only kill me,” added Cho.

He also said, “Kang is only in his late 40s but curses even to old people over 60s like “son of x” and beating is also natural. His mother lives alone, and when he goes to visit his mother, there is a rumor that every time he visit her he gives $10,000 to $15,000 US dollars as her allowance. He must be better off than most of many rich people in South Korea.

Even the young people criticize Kang. One student who attends Keunha Middle School, a renowned school in Shinuiu, said, “Kang Young Se’s son goes to my school and he smokes Cabin (a cigarette brand). Teachers do not say anything to him. Cabin is one of the most expensive cigarette brands in North Korea, which costs about 1,500Won($0.75) in the farmer’s market. That is over a monthly wage of an average North Korean worker, and enough money to buy 2kg of rice. Some people testify that Kang’s son buys those cigarettes in boxes and sometimes shares them with teaches and students.

Nobody Dares to Report in Fear of Revenge

Kim Eun Chul, the president of Backju-Halla Association, a North Korean defector from Shinuiju says, “In Shinuiju, presidents of the trade companies have so much power that even the party cadres cannot control them, and thus their noses touches the sky. It is nothing new that they beat up the workers and practice polygamy.

The reason why the Central Party does control them when they are aware of such situations is “because they pay the government a lot of money and have wide connections and also because they have hired gangs that if you report, you can disappear without a sound.

Kim, who reported the news said, “I even throughout about filing a complaint in Korean embassy in China. These days, people of Shinuiju say Kang Young Se is worse than an American.

“Who would have thought that those (like) cruel Japanese owners who enslaved us would come alive in front of us?” sighed Kim.

Kangsung Trade Company is officially known as “Geumunsan Trade Company,” and it is direct branch under the Central Party 131 Management Agency with its official name known as “Nuclear Power Management Agency. It is known that profit made by Kangsung company is known to be used for nuclear development thus Kang Young Se has much more power than others.