Clandestine Broadcasters Want Access to Medium Wave Frequencies
Until now, I did not realize that the South Korean government’s practice of bogarting all the good radio frequencies was imposing such a high cost on dissident broadcasting to North Korea. This week, some of those broadcasters have joined to rally for access to medium-wave frequencies. In the current times, I can’t see why the South Korean government wouldn’t agree to this:
Four radio stations broadcasting programs to North Korea joined hands in a live event at Cheonggye Plaza in downtown Seoul on Wednesday afternoon.
Radio Free North Korea, North Korea Reform Radio, Open Radio for North Korea, and Radio Free Chosun denounced the North for shelling Yeonpyeong Island in November and called for the resumption of propaganda broadcasts to the North. [….]
Ha Tae-keung, the head of Open Radio, called for the South Korean government to support the stations. “Currently, broadcasters specializing in programs for the North are transmitting on shortwave, which costs tens of thousands of dollars in royalties to foreign countries. We could broadcast better sound quality to more North Koreans if we’re given medium-wave or AM frequencies which the government isn’t using.” [Chosun Ilbo]
A lot of people in Washington are fond of advocating “engagement” to change attitudes in North Korea. This is the kind of engagement that will actually work, because it reaches through the state’s filter to the very people who are the most ready to listen to it. More honest advocates of engagement, such as my friend Andrei Lankov, support engaging the North Korean people, as well as the regime. In many other cases, however, ardent advocates of the kind of engagement that funds the regime and reaches very few ordinary North Koreans have no words of support for broadcasts that have the potential to actually keep the Sunshine Policy’s broken promises.
Hi,
I know that you’ve posted (in the not-so-recent-past) about the South’s plans for reunification with regards to the economic integration, and of course the possible cost. Can you direct me to a site/post that explains any plan in more detail?
It is said that the West/East German reunification was very costly and inefficient simply because of the relative speed at which it happened. Surely the South has thought about the possibility (indeed, count on it happening) of reunificaiton and thus have a massive and detailed economic plan to integrate?
jimmy, Forbes had something. So did the WSJ.
Good point about engagement. One good route to engagement that could help bring about fundamental change in NK, help limit the possibility of a violent strike outward as it collapses, and speed up solidification of a new government and eventual rebuilding after collapse — would be to give significant support to the Christian groups infiltrating North Korea in a variety of ways.
One reason I’m not fond of the idea of heading North to see what I could possibly do after collapse is the decades of gross indoctrination against the US and Americans, but also the world at large in general, that all living Koreans have had offered as the only world view allowed in the society. It has gone on for so long now, it will take more than South Korean soap operas to help freed North Koreans enter the real world.
South Korean soap operas and the startaling revelation that most of the rest of the world is light years ahead of North Korea in terms of standard of living is great for spreading disallusionment wide and far in the society, which will help bring down the regime, but it will not help the transition after collapse much and could harm in small ways.
North Korean society will need something else to believe in, something that connects them with the world at large, and I don’t have the feeling that The Federalist Papers and Voltaire are going to have a quick enough and deep enough impact.
You hear some that the Christian groups working clandestinely in Manchuria and North Korea have had some success — that North Koreans are hungry for religion and non-juche belief systems that offer more than pragmaticism and the same-sounding ideas of “freedom” and “prosperity” that Kim Il-Sung coopted into Juche.
Along with flooding North Korea with information transporting electronic devices, I’d fund the Christian missionary groups much…
usinkorea, it would be inappropriate for the US treasury to fund missionaries. But it would be perfectly appropriate for Christians to support them with voluntary contributions.
Glans, For the majority of United States history, Christianity has been the major American Theology. It is not new. It is only new that we suggest it be destroyed. America was founded by Free Mason Christians of the Scottish order. It is not by accident that the Capitol city of the United States (Washington D.C.) is purposely laid out by the streets as an ‘inverted’ Pentagram. As a Free Mason descendant I say to all Athiests, if you care about Western Civilization, lay off the Christians, Jews and Muslims for a while…
just kidding. Happy Chanukah to all, and to all a good Christmas Yule to you.
No really, Atheists, lay off them.
Thanks to the brilliant general Charles Martel and his brave soldiers, Western Civilization is rooted in only two of the three major monotheistic religions.
And I thought Western Civilization (whatever that might mean) was derived from pagan Rome. Silly me.
It is clear that Christians in both Koreas are performing extraordinary tasks in trying to enlighten the benighted denizens of the DPRK. And there definitely is something atavistic in the Christianity in which I was brought up that encourages such self-sacrifice. But there are also Buddhists doing likewise — and others for whom freedom, democracy, a full bowl of rice and the right to speak without fear are simply commonsensical matters of normal conduct, and who are not themselves motivated by the wrath of God.
As a small point of order, for the majority of the history of the land which we choose to call the united states, the primary religions herein worshipped many gods, and most of them required live human sacrifices in propitiation. They also had thriving slave trades — as did democratic Athens, christian Rome of East and West, and even our own Founding Fathers. Religion is a two edged sword, with the ability to be used for ill as well as for good.
One can only applaud the Christian activists who are trying to improve the lot of those in the North — while one may be forgiven for believing they are motivated by common humanity rather than just the words of the Gospel.
That’s an unfair characterization. The vast majority of Christians that are helping people around the world do so out of the LOVE of God not our of fear of His wrath. That’s just typical atheistic gibberish you’ve espoused. Furthermore, the Gospels do motivate Christians to help others out of common humanity as a show of love for all mankind.
I can’t speak for the vast majority of anyone, let alone a faith that encompasses over a billion people. You apparently can. I envy your self-assurance.
Nonetheless, 2 Corinthians 7v1 and Luke 14v27 suggest that fear of the Lord and other very peculiar emotions are integral to Christianity, and they are not what one would call today, love. I could provide many other instances because, in the words of the Psalmist, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
I am neither atheist nor agnostic and, as I said, I applaud the extraordinary work that coveys of Christians — and Buddhists, and plain ordinary democrats — are doing in Korea.
I think it is most unwise to attribute their actions just to love of the Lord because one of the most odious and widespread of Christian practices, the burning alive of heretics, was justified in the name of “love of the Lord”. The rationale was — we love you so much that we are going to kill you just after you have converted to our version of Christianity so that you can ascend into Heaven pure in heart — and to ensure that you are worthy, we shall shrive your soul in the process by immolating your living body. Not nice, but very Christian.
Just do the good works, and let God ascribe the motives.
The works have merit in themselves and they do contribute to the betterment of the North Korean people.
But you did imply you were speaking about the vast majority of Christians since you didn’t qualify your statement in any way. Look, I’m not going to debate you on your understanding of Christianity vis-a-vis mine. I was just pointing out that you were making an unfairly broad statement.
Any harm done is not of Christ. Period. Therefore, I would question anybody that does any harm in His name as it is clearly stated that Love does not harm to its neighbor. (Romans 13:10).
You’re right in the fact that only the Lord knows their true motivations and He will be their judge. But at the same time, as long as they’re doing no harm, I won’t question their motivations and will pray their intentions are to do all they can to bring Glory to God as stated in 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Western civilization has many roots. This Wikipedia article is very good:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture
Without the west, when would Koreans ever have thought of medium wave frequencies?
usinkorea, I agree with your post 101%. I believe our viewpoint is rapidly emerging as people are finally seeing that religion matters in armed conflict, as the GWoT has proven.
Christians (and Buddhists) in the ROK have mature plans and abundant resources to surge into NK and aid it’s impoverished minions at the slightest opening. The fact that they have succeeded in linking with and clandestinely supporting NK’s 500,000 underground believers is an astonishing achievment that points to their devotion, courage and commitment to evangelizing their brethren in the north. One can only imagine how ROK NGOs working openly in NK will attract the starving NK people, at least in the short run.
I’m a Christian on the fundamentalist side but my suggestion came from the higher education-indoctrinated realist side: Concerning North Korea, religion offers the means to an end that is definitely worth the price (in money or compromising of our “national values”.)
With it’s conventional forces and ability to strike at Seoul and parts of Japan, not to mention its WMDs, plus the nature of the horrors that continue to go on inside the North, doing something effective that will likely bring the regime down and speed up integration of the North with the South and the real world is worthwhile.
The vast majority of North Koreans alive today have been fed Juche, Juche, Juche and more their entire lives. That has to be factored in by the people analyzing possible North Korean collapse scenarios. North Korea is a demoralized (moral being a key part of that word) place, and it is so disconnected from the rest of the world, it will take much more than money and the fall of the regime to stabilize East Asia when the regime falls. And it is important we try to minimize the chance the regime will lash out at South Korea and possibly Japan.
Religion offers a way to work on uniting the North Korean people, uniting them against the regime, and connecting them with the world the rest of the world knows.
Since I have no problem with the US government using covert means to bring down Pyongyang, the most horrific, long lasting regime in our life times, a on-going Stalnist hellhole whose power and instability threaten tens of millions of lives and has already taken the lives of millions of its own people, it is not hard for me to agree with using religion as part of the covert operation.
That might sound all sinister. What does it basically sound like in other words?
Covertly funding groups that are already working in China and North Korea (and South Korea) to undermine the regime and help the North Korean people — makes sense. Excluding groups whose primary motivation and purpose is connected to religion — is ludicrous.
usinkorea, you left off the second sentence of my comment, “But it would be perfectly appropriate for Christians to support them with voluntary contributions.” You believe in the right of individuals to make voluntary contributions, I know you do! And you want the Christian church forever free of gevernment control, I’m certain. And you don’t want legislators or judges to settle theological questions, I presume.
Preserve the separation of church and state. Don’t let religion become a political football.
usinkorea… I would have to agree with Glans on this one. I don’t want the government involved as they would try to control once they’re involved and that would mean it would put Christian organization in the position of being “unequally yoked”. Not good. The Lord will provide the $$ necessary for those that are truly doing their deeds as a means to Glorify the Lord. That’s what I believe anyway from my personal studies.
My primary concern is doing what is possible to lower the chance North Korea will kill tens of thousands of people or more in a violent burst when it begins to collapse – and – to end the killing of hundreds of thousands and more of its own people year to year before it collapses.
The US government should be highly concerned about finding and exploiting potentially effective ways to do it. Covert operations should be part of the total North Korea policy package. I am saying – significant funding of, or even setting up, Christian NGOs working within the North Korean underground and in Manchuria and South Korea makes much sense.
I’m far more concerned about the reality of North Korea and the potential for significant loss of life if we don’t try to prep the collapse —– than I am about a slippery slope involving the government’s connection to religion or one religion in particular.
I’m sure there will be enough outrage and opposition to future government projects seeking to control religion or use it in an inappropriate way against American society or some other nation. — We are talking about North Korea: a horrific aberration. A unique nation. A unique, highly deadly threat.
…Something requiring we use all our resources in an effort to avoid massive bloodshed.
Again as a follower of Chirst, but not a “Christian” by Roman Christendom terms, Happy Yule to Sonagi, I hope a Merry Christmas for me.
Again as a follower of Chirst, but not a “Christian” by Roman Christendom terms, Happy Yule to Sonagi, I hope a Merry Christmas for me.
usinkorea, a huge signifacant amount American Citizens’ taxes have been diverted to the Korean peninsula for nearly 60 years. The DPRK has had more time than any other foe of the New Roman Republic to get it’s act together. Even Russia is fed up with China propping up the DPRK. The last thing China wants is for the former Soviets to be as pissed off as the Americans regarding them. Beijing’s greatest fear is of a Russian-U.S. alliance. Mainly because Japan and South Korea will be included in it.
usinkorea said
Not only ludicrous, but impossible. What most people seem to overlook is that Juche is a religion – and is practiced as such under a form of coercion that is far more dangerous than dissent against Islam. Many also overlook the fact that the ROK exports more missionaries per capita than any other country in the world. Couple those two facts and you have a nascent religious war already underway.
It is religiophobia and the effects of radical secularism that prevents most people from seeing that the thing the DPRK fears most virulently is the encroachment of Christianity. Chriist is seen as a rival to Kim Il-sung and Christianity to Jucheism. Christianity also threatens to link the nK cult
membersvictims with the rest of the world as Christianity is an international, interracial religion – which spells the end of the Juche religion and the cult of the Kims.Anyone seriously interested in bringing down Pyongyang in order to liberate 23 million slaves must take this into account. It might not be the war you prefer, but it is the war that is already enjoined. Nothing terrifies Kim Jong-il more than the presence of Christians in the DPRK. That is why he could not possibly kill Robert Park; that would make Park a martyr for the Christian cause. Instead he sought to humiliate him as a tool of Juche propaganda.
usinkorea has it right. Forget the drivel about the separation of church and state. Invite the Buddhists in as well. Fund them, equip them, give them security. The only long lasting solution for the horrors of North Korea is for the people to dismantle Jucheism themselves, the same way Romanians dismantled Ceaucescuism and Iraqis destroyed Baathism.
Buddhism can also be linked to North Korea’s historical past. Even Christianity has some links since Kim Il-Sung, if I remember correctly, was educated by the Catholics, but Buddhism goes back centuries, with a historically conscious society (though their version of history has been warped beyond any reasonable sense under the regime), and Buddhism can link it to large sections of the outside world – China, India, and other eastern societies.
Christianity, as a positive religion, and (once) rooted in the primary societies that will be pouring in billions of dollars to stabilize and hopefully rebuild the North post-collapse, is a better choice for covert support than Buddhism (or Hinduism or Taoism).
It will also be primarily Christian NGOs that will be willing and able to put people into the North post-collapse to work in many fields beyond straight missionary work — like the Christians who came into South Korea and set up hospitals and schools and other “modern” institutions once The Hermit Kingdom decided to open up to the (Western) world.
And as KCJ pointed out, South Korean Christian activists are already highly motivated to help with the North Korea situation — at a time when most Koreans want to ignore the North or pray (pun intended) for unification to come far, far into the distant future.
It would be morally reprehensible if the US government avoided working with Christian (and Buddhist) groups post-collapse, and I think it would be a moral good to do much to help those groups right now…..and this is putting my own religious beliefs aside, truly.
I know many readers would be forced to dismiss what I’m saying out of hand if I talked about saving North Korean souls and meant it literally. I’m speaking here as a cold hearted pragmatist and realist: The North Korea people need to be brought together with the outside world. The level of mental, emotional and spiritual devastation they have suffered for over half a century at the hands of a demented Walt Disney-like regime is impossible for us to understand.
This means North Korea will need FAR MORE than gobs and gobs for money to help them make the transition from their hellish Disney World to our contemporary world.
Religion can help them greatly. Christianity in particular. Pumping it in now is already helping to undermine the regime and give many North Koreans hope — even in such an abysmal environment. Stepping up the effort in a major way can do more and might help us avoid massive causalities outside the North when collapse comes.
usinkorea – Kim Il-sung’s parents were protestant pentecostals. Jucheism borrows heavily from pentecostal constructs.
Perhaps I wasn’t clear on my position or perhaps there’s a misunderstanding between what it sounds like what you (usinkorea and KCJ) would like to see happen compared to what it sounds like you’re saying is needed.
I see no issue with cooperation between the US government and Christian or other religious NGO’s that are working to help north Korea. Especially in matters of planning and coordination. Nor do I really have or see any problem with getting limited (very limited) financial support from the US government. But I, as a Christian, would not want to see the government funding Christian operations. Once the US government becomes the financier of the Christian outreach programs, those programs are no longer NGO’s. Furthermore, and not meant as a slight as all, but I believe those organizations (speaking for the Christian organizations here) that are doing their works with the right motives in their hearts will be provided for as is promised in Luke 6:38 & Philippians 4:19. But that’s just my humble opinion.
I don’t know that “derive” is the best word choice. Western civilization did not grow linearly from Pagan Rome.
I hear you usinkorea and you’re slowly bringing me over to your side of thinking.
Money from the US treasury, the taxes and debt of the American people, to support Christian preaching? No!
Money and other support donated by Christians (and anybody else)? Yes!
Glans, what about if that money ONLY goes towards things such as the purchase of foods, medicines, equipment, and other logistical needs, but not toward anything that is directly involved in evangelizing (i.e. literature, etc.)?
Just curious, besides the “Christian Church”, what other major religious institutions are financially supporting the same NGO’s and what is the ratio of support versus the former said organiztion?
Funny you should mention that Sonagi, whenever I see the interior of a Cathloic cathedral I am reminded of a Roman temple, dieties adorned in gold and all. Even down to the vestal virgins, (nuns).
Theresa, you’re right and that’s why my initial reaction was “heck no”, then I wavered and now I’m back to thinking “heck no” again. A matter-of-fact, your post prompted me to go look up the verse I first referenced about not being “unequally yoked” and after reading it all, I cannot accept the “Church” combing forces with the government. It’s just not right. And as I’ve said previously on this topic, why do we need the government funding? If we’re truly doing the Lord’s will, He will provide and He won’t do it in a way contrary to His word. I’m still not sure about what influence small levels of assistance would be, but it could in no way be a partnership. That would be against God’s will.
To clarify, since the government is a totally secular organization, I would view them as an “unbeliever” and therefore, not a group Christian organizations should partner with on anything.
The US government shouldn’t fund faith-based organizations. Presidents shouldn’t add “so help me God” to the oath of office. The congress and the armed forces shouldn’t have chaplains. Franklin Roosevelt, whose memory I cherish, shouldn’t have led the nation in prayer for the success of Operation Overlord. And Dwight Eisenhower, who had commanded that historic operation, shouldn’t have added “under God” to the pledge of allegiance. But the powers that be never ask me for advice.
An official religion is a contemptible religion.
“Covert” is a key term in what I’ve been saying. And “funding”. It would not entail the government setting up bureaucratic offices to coordinate with NGOs and sending liaisons and other workers to work alongside members of the NGOs.
It would involve funneling cash to organizations that could greatly use it to carry out work they are already doing. (Which would include spreading religion.)
The potential benefits greatly outweigh potential drawbacks.
The NGOs decide what happens. The connection to the government is money they would not even know came from the government.
After the collapse, in fact, I would bet the massive amounts of money that are going to be poured into North Korea and South Korea will result in money filtering down to many of these organizations.
Look at it this way — we know that the large sums of money and material aid we have been sending to North Korea through the UN and other official, secular organizations have been used by the North Korean government to maintain its power —- which absolutely includes maintaining the cult of personality that has been vital to the regime’s long term survival:
Which means — US government money has already been going to support religion inside North Korea — Juche.
We have lived with those facts, because we wanted to engage with the North with the hope of convincing it to open up with the hope of avoiding collapse and possible war.
Why is it too much a stretch for us to accept the government funding religious groups whose targeted audience is not the regime elites but the starving, oppressed masses – if we have gotten used to seeing our money funneled to the North Korean elites, military, and the state use of Juche?
Christianity, at least as practiced in the modern era, is more of a positive religion than Buddhism and Hinduism – whose ideas on reincarnation and many multiple lives involving slow progress up the chain of inner evolution – are more likely to encourage reticence to their current plight instead of boosting the will to resist and hope for a better immediate future.
Buddhism also involves the rejection of current circumstances – and all circumstances – connected to the material world. That means circumstances that are horrible or good. Life in the material world is an illusion and unacceptably miserable and needs to be rejected.
Glans, agreed on faith-based organizations… ok…
but, how is recognizing a “God” sanctioning an “Official Religion”. That’s a stretch. It doesn’t say, “so help me Jesus Christ” or “so help me Krishna” or “so help me Mohamed”, etc.,
Christianity is a better choice for covert support than Buddhism (or Hinduism or Taoism).
I too am curious about why you think this. To people who’ve had a lifetime of anti-Western propaganda and Korean racial superiority doctrine, Jesus seems like a tough sell.
Gary,
The only reason I can think of is the similarity between Juche and Christianity. Under Juche, Kim Il Sung is the “holy” Father and Kim Jong Il is his “holy” son. They stole from Christianity when developing their own “religion” and therefore, it might be easier for them grasp the concept. Just a thought.
Whether anyone here posts that the United States should never acknowledge the existence of a god. I say to them, destroying your history leads to your destruction. In terms of Reiligion, there is a valid reaosn why Eastern Europe turned Athiest first.
I’ve got a response caught in the Spam filter awaiting moderation on this subject. The short version is – Christianity as a thought system offers hope in the immediate existence whereas Buddhism teaches complete rejection of the here-and-now (material existence), and along with other systems that teach multiple reincarnations, it generates more acceptance or pacifism toward social systems (governments) than Christianity would – especially if Christianity is tied to Western ideals of democracy.
The fact North Korean society is taught to despise the West is not a disqualifies here, because of the counter influence of the general, massive disillusionment with Pyongyang. South Korea offers a possible example here if you look at how South Korean society post-1970s gained greater distrust of the South Korean government than North Korea’s due to the nature of the South Korean authoritarian government’s propaganda campaigns…
Also, Christianity is not just a Western religion now and hasn’t been. South Korea’s connections to Christianity, and the Christian activists on NK issues already well established in the South is one of the key items in recommending covert monetary support.
A revival in Neo-Confucianism would also be good to encourage within the North – especially from China’s perspective:
The central idea of the Mandate of Heaven, particularly how a regime can lose the mandate, is attractive here. If you also look at how Neo-Confucianism was practiced in Korean traditional society, you can see how the Censorate and highly ideological Neo-Confucianists in the government had official mechanisms to put significant pressure on the King and other ruling elites (both in the central government and provinces).
China could seek to help foment a revival of Confucianism in the North, because both Korea and China used tenets of the thought system to define the geopolitical relationship in East Asia — with China accepted as the influencial Middle Kingdom.
You can wed Western ideas of democracy and freedom to Confucianism, but it is not likely to be as inspiring and quick to show results as what we have already seen accomplished by the underground Christian groups in Manchuria and inside North Korea…
First of all, I think I left a tag open in my last post. Let me see if I can fix that. Hopefully that worked.
usinkorea, let me just get to the crux of the problem I have with what you are suggesting:
It would involve funneling cash to organizations that could greatly use it to carry out work they are already doing. (Which would include spreading religion.)
Well, that sounds reasonable enough. But I’ve noticed that “spreading religion” tends to be a lot higher on these organizations’ list of priorities than it ought to be.
North Koreans don’t need Bibles. They need food, water, housing, medicine, sanitation, electricity, safety, counseling, infrastructure, and basic information about the outside world. “Spreading religion” ought to be so low on the list of things to do in North Korea that you wouldn’t even mention it. But you do. And you want the world to just write you a check?
Especially if you’re going to make declarations about which religions should (and by implication, shouldn’t) be introduced into North Korea after the fall. That is not your decision. And it calls your motives into question.
It would be morally reprehensible if the US government avoided working with Christian (and Buddhist) groups post-collapse
And it would be just as morally reprehensible to give money to organizations who are going to use it to promote their own agenda.
I don’t have a problem with faith-based organizations being involved in a hypothetical North Korea rebuilding. Especially if they have existing connections within North Korea, as you suggest they do. But it’s only fair that they undergo a little scrutiny first.