Alternative Asian News TV Blog: north korea

Showing posts with label north korea. Show all posts

8/19/12

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

This horrifying documentary film is based on the life of Shin Dong-Huyk who was born in the North Korean re-education Camp 14 located in Kaechon, South Pyongan Province. Shin had no concept of the world outside the camp until he escaped at the age of 23. To date he is the only known person to have been born within and then successfully escaped from a maximum security camp in the DPRK. He tells a terrifying tale of extremely dangerous labor, daily beatings, inhumane torture, forced abortions, infanticide, public executions and cold-blooded murder committed by the prison guards. This film also includes the testimonies of Oh Yang-nam an ex-secret policeman and Hyuk Kwon a former guard at Camp 14. Below is the official movie trailer:

"Camp 14 - Total Control Zone" will premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival with the schedule of its showing to be announced on August 21st.

UPDATE: This film can now be seen on Netflix.

See also:

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings

North Korean Poet's Rhymes of Murder, Despair

Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"

Rimjin-gang's Underground North Korea News Update

8/16/12

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings

The above drawings were done by North Korean refugees who were helped to escape from the DPRK by the Life Funds For North Korean Refugees non-government organization. These NSFW illustrations depict torture, human rights violations and the daily despair of living in Camp 12 Chongo-ri Kyo Hwa So. The Chongori reeducation center is located in the North Hamgyong Province and has a very high death rate. The following description of this camp is from the Chosunilbo:

One defector who had a hair's breadth escape from Chongori, has said, "Chongori is a living hell. Yoduk (the notorious prison camp) is a much better place."

At Chongori, inmates are doomed to die of malnutrition. Forced to work for 14 hours a day, they are given only two whole potatoes and a handful of cornmeal a day. Few inmates stick it out for more than three months, no matter how healthy they are, because beatings are a daily routine there, he said.

Located in Tokyo, Japan Life Funds For North Korean Refugees helps North Korean refugees escape to Japan and other countries and start new lives. Among other things, this NGO also provides food shipments via balloon deliveries and through its own local networks from South Korea to North Korea. Find out more information at their official Japanese website and please donate to help this organization.

See also:

North Korean Poet's Rhymes of Murder, Despair

Rimjin-gang's Underground North Korea News Update

Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"

8/10/12

Superstar Olympic Wrestler Kim Jong Un

Competing today in every wrestling weight class here is superstar Olympic wrestler Kim Jong Un!

XXX Large Size

Related:

Kim Jong Il & Om Yun Chol Win Olympic Gold!

North Korea Wins World Champion Title!

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

7/30/12

Kim Jong Il & Om Yun Chol Win Olympic Gold!

"How can any man possibly lift 168kg? I believe the great Kim Jong Il looked over me," Om told the Olympic News Service.

Via Yahoo Sports July 29, 2012

Yesterday North Korea celebrated a very special athletic achievement when weightlifter Om Yun Chol lifted over three times his bodyweight in winning an Olympic Gold medal. At 5-feet tall and weighing 123 pounds, Om stunned the world by breaking the Olympic record with his clean and jerk of 168 kilograms (370.4 pounds).

"I am very happy and give thanks to our Great Leader for giving me the strength to lift this weight," Om said. "I believe Kim Jong Il gave me the record and all my achievements. It is all because of him." O.O

Here is a short clip of Om's superhuman lift:

See also:

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

NMA TV On Kim Jong Un's 'New' Wife

7/27/12

NMA TV On Kim Jong Un's 'New' Wife

The past few weeks or so have been filled with speculation and theories about Kim Jong Un's "mystery woman" and his "new" wife. She was previously misidentified as Hyon Song Wol of the electronic music group Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble which is known for some popular hits including "Excellent Horse-like Lady" and "I Love Pyongyang". However, that rumor was not true as Kim Jong Un Didn't Marry the North Korean Pop Star Behind 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady'.

North Korea's state media announced on July 25th that The Great Eater's wife is actually Comrade Ri Sol-ju who is another popular singer of the DPRK. Apparently, they have been married for three years or so and may have one child. So the mystery of it all continues to be slowly revealed.

Earlier today Next Media Animation TV released this hilarious 3D animation news reel on this puzzle:

See also:

New DPRK Theme Song for Kim Jong Un

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

NMA TV's 3D North Korea Update

7/19/12

North Korean Gun Battle Kills General?

Via The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition) July 20, 2012

According to some unconfirmed intelligence reports some 20-30 North Korean soldiers and General Ri Yong-ho were killed in a gun battle in Pyongyang, North Korea. Earlier this week it was reported that the general had been fired by Kim Jong Un. Other reports claimed that Ri resigned because of an "illness." It is believed that the Supreme Leader had ordered Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae to physically remove him from office and that is what triggered the fire fight earlier today. It was also reported that there were many previous clashes between Choe and Ri:

A gunbattle broke out when the North Korean regime removed army chief Ri Yong-ho from office, leaving 20 to 30 soldiers dead, according to unconfirmed intelligence reports. Some intelligence analysts believe Ri, who has not been seen since his abrupt sacking earlier this week, was injured or killed in the confrontation.

According to government officials here, the gunbattle erupted when Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae, the director of the People's Army General Political Bureau, tried to detain Ri in the process of carrying out leader Kim Jong-un's order to sack him. Guards protecting Ri, who is a vice marshal, apparently opened fire. "We cannot rule out the possibility that Ri was injured or even killed in the firefight," said one source.
Continued...

UPDATE: Source: Kim to reform North Korean economy after purge
By Benjamin Kang Lim Reuters 7/20/2012

BEIJING — Impoverished North Korea is gearing up to experiment with agricultural and economic reforms after young leader Kim Jong-un and his powerful uncle purged the country's top general for opposing change, a source with ties to both Pyongyang and Beijing said.

The source added that the cabinet had created a special bureau to take control of the decaying economy from the military -- one of the world's largest -- which under Kim's father was given pride of place in running the country.

The downfall of Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho and his allies gives the untested new leader and his uncle Jang Song-thaek, who married into the Kim family dynasty and is widely seen as the real power behind the throne, the mandate to try to save the battered economy and prevent the secretive regime's collapse.
Continued...

7/6/12

New DPRK Theme Song for Kim Jong Un

Via Buzzfeed Jul 6, 2012

In an seemingly ongoing effort to create a new image, North Korea aka "Best Korea" recently released a new patriotic theme song for The Great Eater: Kim Jong Un. This is a majestic, upbeat tune entitled "Onwards Toward the Final Victory." But strangely enough, in the official music video for this song, there are no photos nor video footage of Kim Jong Un included within it. Instead, there is a greater emphasis on industrial power, happy workers and, of course, the military. Check it out:

See also:

Sacha Baron Cohen & Kim Jong Il's Ashes @ The Oscars

North Korean Version of "Take on Me"

Why Kim Jong-Un is Immortal

6/18/12

Buy A North Korean Bride Only $50,000!!!

According to the North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity group, businessmen in China and other countries can now legally purchase a young North Korean bride for a mere $50,000! North Korean authorities have recently started to promote these “transnational marriages” between North Korean beauties and elite businessmen of foreign firms to attract foreign investment into North Korea. Previously, such marriages were against the law in the DPRK.

Now they are encouraged. After the foreigner pays the equivalent of US$50,000 to the DPRK Authorities then the Supreme Leader's government will select a young North Korean bride for the foreigner to wed. It seems like a kind of "official" human trafficking system within the North Korean government. South Korean experts have called this new offering a "honey trap" that shows just how desperately poor the Kim regime is now.

But wait there's more! After the foreigner and his new bride are married, the foreigner is then granted the right to do business in North Korea. If no business or no investment is made, then the foreign exec will be required to pay an additional US $1 million.

Most likely, not so many will go for this new deal. But in case any potential buyers want to know more, here is a good sneak peek preview of what to look forward to with North Korea's cheerleader squad known as The Army of Beauties:

Related:

Buy Your Chinese Bride on Ebay Now!

"Seeking Asian Female" Movie Trailer

4/30/12

Skateboarders Film Kim Il Sung's 100th Birthday Bash

Via The Atlantic Apr 30 2012

A team of skateboarders were not allowed to skate in Pyongyang, so the video maker of the group, Patrik Wallner, turned his camera to the The 100th Birthday Celebration of Kim Il Sung in North Korea and created a beautiful short documentary of the eternal leader's big birthday extravaganza. From their Virtualtravelling website:

Traveling to Hermit Kingdom is already bizarre enough, but when we heard that North Korea would be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Great Leader & eternal president, Kim Il-sung, there was no way to let such an epic birthday party slip through our hands. Laurence Keefe, Kirill Korobkov and I flew over to Pyongyang for two days to witness the madness. While skateboarding within the DPRK was our main intention, it was overshadowed by the celebrations & the 'no sliding' anywhere rule. The three minute clip portrays a small insight into North Korea from the 15th of April 2012.

And here is the clip entitled "Kim Il Sung's Birthday Party":

See more beautiful photos and videos of Asia at Virtualtravelling.

Related:

From North Korea: 'Pyongyang Style' by Steve Gong

The 100th Birthday of Kim Il Sung in North Korea

DPRK Kimilsungia Flower Show 2012

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

4/19/12

DPRK Kimilsungia Flower Show 2012

Via SFGate April 18, 2012

As previously mentioned in our article on The 100th Birthday of Kim Il Sung in North Korea, this week features the annual Kimilsungia Flower Show in Pyongyang, North Korea. In the above photo a young woman seats a baby on a balcony railing for a photo in front of the "Kimilsungia" flower display. Photo by David Guttenfelder / AP.

Related:

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

The 100th Birthday of Kim Il Sung in North Korea

4/15/12

The 100th Birthday of Kim Il Sung in North Korea

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Via Korean Central News Agency KCNA

Pyongyang, North Korea April 15 (KCNA) Today the entire world witnessed and exuberantly celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung the eternal president and immortal father of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

This grand and esteemed occasion is also being commemorated this week by the annual Mass Games performance and the Kimilsungia flower show. Also an extra special child prodigy classic guitar exhibition will be featured with over 1,000 child prodigy guitarists playing many world-famous and classical works composed by the victorious general himself for a consecutive 48 hours without sleep and synchronized all together! This year's Mass Games will also include many gymnastic and supreme truth socialist expositions featuring one hundred thousand synchronized acrobats all performing inside the May Day Stadium - the world’s largest stadium ever built. This grand extravaganza also features over 50,000 perfectly synchronized sign flipper comrades that will present added color and imagery to this world famous and truly spectacular display of the Juche idea in the worker's paradise.

Below is a magnificent video of Friday the 13th's celebratory performances from the first day of the April Spring Friendship Art Festival (ASFAF). This festival features many talented, high level Asian singers, musicians, clowns and circus performers from inside Best Korea and other countries:

This very special day of worldwide celebration and pageantry of the eternal supreme commander's 100th birthday was also marked by the world's greatest ever fireworks display as seen below in this exclusive Reuters news video:

4/10/12

North Korea vs South Korea = Worst Korea

Just in time for the North Korean satellite launch, here is a very powerful anti-war film entitled "The Front Line" by director Jang Hun. Through the views of some breathtaking battle scenes and heavy human emotional portrayals during the end of the Korean War, this film shows us the futility and senseless fighting over one hill dividing the North and South Korean armies. Based on a true story, this film is NSFW and NSFL. It is in Korean with English subtitles and was Korea's entry for the Oscars' Best Foreign Film category in 2011. Viewer discretion is strongly advised:

4/3/12

Visit New North Korea Best Korea!

VISIT NEW NORTH KOREA BEST KOREA WITH NEW AND IMPROVED GREAT LEADER!! CALL NOW FOR YOUR NEW SPRING VACATION!

"You must visit us
We have luxury bus
Many new sites to see
No more scary times.
Now just for recreation
You very safe
Four star everything
Must come now
Just for recreation."

April 15th 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder and eternal President Kim Il Sung. The occasion will be marked by Mass Games performance, the Kimilsungia flower show, child prodigy classic guitar exposition where 1,500 synchronized child guitarists will play classical works composed by the great leader for an entire 48 hours. 2012 Mass Games will also include two hour gymnastic and socialist realism extravaganzas featuring 100,000 synchronized gymnasts inside the world's largest stadium and will be performed every evening except Sundays. Streaming access to portions of all of these events will be provided through the Punch! ipad application and was made possible through an unprecedented creative visionary collaboration between a sovereign nation and an American technology company.

Contact North Korea Tours for more information on this new travel campaign.

Visit North Korea Best Korea! No Homosexual!

3/22/12

Elevator Sign in North Korea/Best Korea

Here is a funny photo of an elevator sign in North Korea/Best Korea:

And don't miss the popular North Korean TV show The Elevator Girl:

See also:

North Korea Wins World Champion Title!

Best burger—BEST KOREA!

2/21/12

Rimjin-gang's Underground North Korea News Update

Reporting from the inside of North Korea, the very brave underground news team known as the Rimjin-gang has released a new report written in June 2011 and published in December 2011. In this news update it is shown that people who carry oversized luggage or look too shabby are not permitted to enter train stations in Pyongyang. The reason for this is to "depict the showcase city, Pyongyang, as a beautiful and rich capital to the outside world." A reporter who goes by the name of Gu Gwang-ho writes:

"Soldiers standing at the entrance checkpoint are the military police of the People’s Army. Whenever they find a person with a shabby appearance, wearing a backpack or carrying a large piece of luggage, they stop them at the entrance of the station to prevent them from travelling to the city center."

Rimjin-gang's Underground North Korea News Update

"Many passengers carry a look of resignation as it happens very often. But sometimes we see people express their anger openly which turns into an acrimonious quarrel."

In another report also written in June, 2011 and published in December 2011, Gwang-ho writes about a growing economic inequality between the upper class and the middle class of The Worker's Paradise. According to Gwang-ho:

"Our country’s TV news often shows a gap between the rich and the poor in the capitalist countries, lashing out with militant slogans, and always ends up in defending the superiority of socialism."

"But the scenes that I witness in every day life are nothing more than a gap or a disparity in the society. The gap lies between the privileged class and the ordinary citizen. Of course the TV and the party papers never mention about this because the gap shall not exist in our country. "

About the Rimjin-gang: This is an anonymous group of North Korean reporters living in North Korea. They are risking their lives in order to publish real news stories, photos and videos about the many social problems inside The Hermit Kingdom. These reporters are working closely with Asiapress Publishing in Osaka, Japan. They published this very shocking video back in December 2010:

Asiapress Publishing also has published a hardcover book in English entitled "Rimjin-gang News From Inside North Korea." This book includes 495 pages containing more than 180 photos(B&W). Order your copy here.

2/13/12

North Korean Documentary "Kimjongilia"

Perhaps one of the best documentaries on North Korea, here is Kimjongilia - The Movie . This full-length film gives us an in-depth look at the inhumane concentration camps, the brainwashing of the people, the arrests and murders of so many relatives, and the harrowing tales of escape as told by many defectors from the D.P.R.K. "Kimjongilia - The Movie " exposes the tragedy of one of the world's worst human rights disasters - North Korea.

Related: Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"

See also: North Korean Laborers in Siberia

2/11/12

Why Kim Jong-Un is Immortal

Via Meme Generator

The new "Outstanding Leader" looks much like his forever ~~alone~~ lasting grandfather Kim Il-Sung and, of course, his eternal "Dear Leader" father Kim Jong-Il. So part of it all is based on natural genetics. But here is the real reason why Kim Jong-Un survived yesterday's assassination attempt and showed the world how he is, in fact, an immortal warrior of the celestial sun:

See more about the great powers of the Supreme Eater at Kim Jong-Fun.

Flash Update from our Asian News Desk:

2/8/12

Kim Jong Il Invented Photoshop!

Via College Humor February 8, 2012

In this very educational demonstration video, Photoshop Project Manager Brian O'Neal Hughes shows us some tips on touching up publicity photos for the recent Great Leader's state funeral. He also reveals some other previously unknown secrets. Check it out:

Related:

When Kim Jong Il was born...

NMA TV on Kim Jong Il's Death

See also: North Korean Version of "Take on Me"

2/4/12

North Korea's Lee Chun Hee Retires from TV

North Korea's celebrity anchorwoman Lee Chun Hee aka Ri Chun-hee is calling it quits. Well known throughout the world for her devoted and emotional news casts, she is now starting to train younger anchor students. Also known as an "Anchor With An Attitude" and "Pyongyang Lady", she was interviewed by China Central Television (CCTV) in a behind the scenes look inside her studio:

And here she is crying while announcing the deaths of Kim Il Sung in 1994 and Kim Jong Il last year:

See also: North Korean Version of "Take on Me""

12/30/11

NMA TV's 3D North Korea Update

Recently, we witnessed the death of one of the world's most brutal dictators and the tragic loss of one of the internet's greatest memes in the passing of Kim Jong Il. Since then, there has not been much news from the DPRK. But Taiwan's venerable Next Media Animation TV released their 3D news update on The Dear Leader's Funeral and the current transition of leadership in North Korea:

Related: NMA TV on Kim Jong Il's Death