Free KILLERS IN COLD BLOOD (True Crime) by Gordon Kerr, Ray Black, Rodney Castleden, Ian Welch, Clare Welch Page A

of doing things and other ways of thinking. So, without outside influence, the North Korean population was, and still is, that much more malleable in the hands of the ruling elite. At the same time, it has the propaganda value of making the population feel self-important – not needing to rely on outside help in any way, shape or form. It is the perfect ruse for effectively manipulating a population into doing what you want it to do. It is a form of self-policing as the North Korean population ‘believes’ that total autonomy is right and proper, so it readily submits to orders from above.
    Nevertheless, it was still necessary for Kim Il-Sung to rule North Korea with a rod of iron, which he has earned an entry in this book. You see, North Korea has the worst human rights record of all the world’s nations. Restrictions on political and economic freedoms are so severe that Amnesty International and HRW (Human Rights Watch) have actively campaigned to address the problem. When one considers that the whole point of communism is to create a utopia of egalitarianism, then it is only possible to conclude that Kim Il-Sung’s efforts have resulted in catastrophic failure of duty to his nation.
    Defectors and exiles from North Korea have made a litany of complaints about the remand, trial and punishment system of their former country. More often than not they describe trumped up charges, summary trials and corporal punishments that include forced labour, starvation, torture, rape, murder and execution. Perhaps twenty-five per cent of those who enter the prison system die as a result of maltreatment. Needless to say, the other seventy-five per cent are permanently scarred by the experience, both physically and mentally.
    There have also been reports of routine show executions to remind people of the dangers of breaking the rules. In addition, it is reckoned that military weapons are tested on prisoners for their efficiency at killing. Also, it has been said that any women prisoners found to be pregnant are forced to abort or have their new born babies killed to avoid the problem of having to provide for their maternity needs.
    It has been estimated that about two million North Korean civilians have been exterminated so far. It seems to be business as usual too, as the government still refuse to allow independent human rights observers into the country, suggesting that there is a great deal worth hiding from the rest of the world. It also seems likely that punishments for dissidence extend beyond the borders, because some whistle-blowers have been murdered in neighbouring territories.
    Kim Il-Sung became leader of North Korea in 1946, following World War II. He was placed in power by the Soviets, under Joseph Stalin, when it became apparent that the Korean peninsula would need to be divided in two, due to ideological differences. The Korean War (1950—53) saw Kim assert his authority as leader of North Korea and establish the armistice or ceasefire line that now forms the territorial divide between North and South Korea.
    From 1953 onwards, Kim Il-Sung propagated the North Korean version of communism. When a few high-ranking politicians voiced their opposition to it in 1956, they found themselves the victims of a Stalin-like purge. Many were put to death, while others were exiled from their homeland. By 1966, Kim had let the power get the better of him. He ordered that he should now be addressed as the Great Leader and introduced the ethos of Juche.
    Kim used the media to develop a phenomenon now known generically as the personality cult. He created a larger-than-life personality for himself by displaying his image ubiquitously, so that people were brainwashed into revering him as the Great Leader. The use of public displays of flattery and praise also did much to cement the idea that he was some kind of god-like figure who rewarded the good and punished the bad. It would have been true but for the fact that his definitions of good