CNN: Homeless Kids in DPRK Documentary

Via CNN May 13, 2013

In a long overdue change of format, CNN recently released a short documentary on homeless children in the DPRK entitled "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea". This very short but powerful docudrama features two students who were abandoned by their parents many years ago in "The Hermit Kingdom". The first is Yoon Hee a 19-year-old escapee who found a foster home in South Korea. The other is an anonymous young man who feels fortunate to receive the South Korean government's support and education. Both are students at the Hangyeore School a special school for children and teenagers from North Korea.

Principal Gwok Jong Moon summarized the situation for many young escapees: "Although freedom was given to them in South Korea, severe [academic] competition, delayed development, educational disparity and discrimination makes it extremely difficult for them to adjust properly. So we provide those students education through special programs, emotional and psychological treatments, and social and cultural adaptation skills."



This documentary is only four and a half minutes in duration, but it is one of the first, or possibly the first feature released by CNN on this very important subject. Hopefully, there will be more like this released by more mass media entities in the near future. "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea" was produced by Nick Scott and narrated by Jonathan Binder. It was translated by Jin Kang, Sindy Kang, Sarah Kim, Annie Sunin Lee and InHee Yoo.

See also:

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

Here is a very shocking undercover video of the DPRK filmed by some freelance North Korean journalists working for Asiapress in December 2012 for Japanese TV. Below the video, we have provided an accurate English translation of the narrative. Viewer discretion is very strongly advised.



00:00 Close to the border with China, in Hyesan, Ryanggang province in this video filmed just last month there a lot of people waiting at a bus stop. Then a very crowded bus stops and the people try to get on it but they cannot as it is too jammed packed. Then the bus took off in order to shake off the people hanging onto the outside.

00:37 Then we see the market place of Hyesan. Here rice, meat and colorful shoes are being sold. It is said that there is a food shortage even though there is so much in the market. It appears to be a rich market supporting the residents' lifestyles. This is the way of living for these people in the countryside. These are the first favorable scenes that we have seen since Kim Jong Un became the leader of the DPRK.

01:17 However, looking closely we also see many homeless children or "Kochebi" with vacant looks sitting or walking around the market. And then we see a very young child lying on the ground in front of a white wall. It looks like the child has fallen. But the people walk by without looking and showing no surprise. Then the photographer says that this child has been dead for the past three days.

02:04 Then we go inside to meet some of the people from Hyesan. One young girl says that the number of homeless children in the market and at the train station is increasing. She also says that there are many people dying. So many that she can't count them.

02:19 Then we see an elementary school in Sinuiju, North Pyeongan province. The sign at the entrance to the school building says "Thank you beloved Dear Leader Kim Jong Un." And then on a sign in the central square of the city we see this slogan "Let's unconditionally carry out Comrade Kim Jong Un's orders very thoroughly." Here the aim is to increase the authority of the First Secretary Kim Jong Un.

02:58 And then in the square there are some older women selling food. "Grandmother what do you have?"
"Some vegetables and bread."

03:13 Then we took a brief look at some of the town's other activities. "For the wealthy who have been living a good lifestyle from long ago, things have become better. But for common people like us, things have gotten much worse."

03:33 "In the current trading system, clampdowns have increased in all aspects. Further government tightening is also restraining the movement of people. The flow of goods gets stopped on the road and that hurts business."

03:49 And here at Sinuiju train station many people are importing goods from China to Pyongyang. People are walking one after another towards the station but these policemen are controlling the movement of the people and the goods. 04:05 "HEY YOU! GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE!" yelled a station employee wearing a red arm band. These officials are controlling the traffic of citizens and supplies.

04:35 In North Korea there is not enough electricity so often the schedule of the railways gets disrupted. Because of that problem the government has ordered that the movement of people and goods to be strictly controlled.

04:51 Here is news video journalist Ishimaru Jiro who has obtained a series of videos of the DPRK. "The majority of people in North Korea now are involved in trading activities so that they can keep eating. With all of these strict regulations, business gets slowed down and, in short, cash decreases. There is a lot of rice and other goods available in the markets, but without money, no one can buy them."

"In summary, people who do not have access to food cannot continue living."

05:19 In the current system there is a gap widening between the people who don't have and the people that have government power. 05:29 Here is a look at one day on the outskirts of Sinuiju. "What are you throwing away?" asks the photographer. "Grains of rice are falling," the old woman says. In the rice fields, there are some other people looking for grains of rice. This is another look at the widening gap between the residents. In the end, another old woman complains of not finding anything.

05:54 Arrests are severe and everyone's lifestyle is agonizing. What can this youngster in his 20s do? The only thing they (the government) are good at is making people suffer.

06:12 There is a common question of who are these "Kochebi" wandering the streets?

06:15 In the morning we saw another homeless child. He was wearing an adult-sized jacket and dragging a bag. He stood still and stared into the camera when next to the photographer. The photographer then gave him an ice candy and told him not to say anything about his camera. Then the photographer asked him "At your house, are both your father and mother gone?" He answered "Yes".

06:52 The widening gap between people in North Korea. Where will all of this end up going to?

UPDATE: 3-20-13 The situation in the DPRK is now being reported by independent and underground news networks as very critical and at least one food riot was averted in one major city. Watch for updates in the comments section.

See also:

North Korean Comic Jugglers Live Show (filmed in the DPRK)

The Making of "Nothing To Envy" Film

'The Defector' Film Premieres at IDFA

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings