[T]here may have been floating bodies in rivers in the terrible crisis years of the 90s when 600,000 people starved to death according to an estimate by the U.N. official who was then supervising foreign aid during the famine in the country.” (Abt’s sentences are as long as tapeworms.)
Bassett accuses Park of “sensationaliz[ing] the narrative to make everybody think that, you know, this is the ‘90s North Korea. It’s not.”
That is to say, Abt and Bassett insist that Park must be lying because there haven’t been “any” (Abt’s word) bodies found in North Korean rivers since 2000. Well, now…. If only some journalist who would rather inform his readers about a serious story than make a carnival sideshow of it would do someminimalresearch and conclusively establish just who’s really full of what here: [One Free Korea]
You can read the rest of One Free Korea’s take down of the North Korean apologists at the link, but it is just amazing to me these apologists make such claims when pictures of bodies floating along the border with China have been quite common in the South Korean media for the past decade. I highly recommend reading the comments over at One Free Korea that include a response from the journalist and one of the North Korean apologists. Not one of them was able to address One Free Korea’s specific criticisms.
“North Koreans have brought out their biggest western apologists” – Please don’t make this more than it is – these two guys have no prominence in the realm of North Korean affairs. Your sensationalizing of this is taking away from Yeonmi’s message. Let it be and move on.
Additionally, try cite some academic studies (they exist) on the issue rather than news articles, it will make your piece more credible.
setnaffa
10 years ago
Yeon-mi Park was credible enough to call BS on the cowards trying to make her shut up.
For the record, here is exactly what I told The Diplomat magazine:
quote
I suppose many of the stories that defectors present are true, even though they cannot be verified. I ONLY challenge claims that are obviously exaggerated or plain false. Let me illustrate that with two examples: Park Yeon-mi, a prominent defector spoke a few weeks ago of an ongoing HOLOCAUST in North Korea and said that plastic bottles in the Royal Canal reminded her of “floating bodies” that “appear in North Korean creeks every morning”. I widely traveled the country and didn’t come across dead bodies. Sure, there may have been floating bodies in rivers in the terrible crisis years of the nineties when 600.000 people starved to death according to an estimate by the U.N. official who was then supervising foreign aid during the famine in the country. But since then things have clearly changed for the better (no more mass starvation, recovery of the economy etc.) which many activists do not recognize. Another defector and doctor claims, for example, that ALL people born with defects are systematically killed. However, I have met handicapped North Koreans and know foreign NGOs who work with handicapped people in the country. And a few weeks ago North Korea even sent a team to the Paralympic games in South Korea.
“I have met handicapped North Koreans and know foreign NGOs who work with handicapped people in the country”
Felix Abt, those people you met were probably sons and daughters of high ranking North Korean officials who bribed their ways. If you have money in North Korea, you can get anything you want, even letting handicapped people to live when it’s usual practice to stuff them into mental institutions where they die.
“And a few weeks ago North Korea even sent a team to the Paralympic games in South Korea.”
Did you know that North Korea also has churches and Christian ministers? Does that mean North Korea has freedom of religion? Of course not.
You were shown and lead around by North Korean officials who wanted you to see what they wanted you to see. Unless you were free to roam around the country without restrictions or supervisions, your personal eyewitness testimonials are simply not credible. So now we’re only left with testimonials from North Korean defectors who actually lived through the ordeals. It’s their word against your’s. If I had to choose, whom am I going to choose? Someone who lived through it for decades, or someone who was lead around Pyeongyang by North Korean secret police? I would say the former.
johnnyboy
10 years ago
That’s it. I’m calling it.
I do believe some member of the Drop community (probably of the poultry-named persuasion) has tracked down the original Tom and hired some heavy-hitting first nation gang members from Winnipeg to take a road trip to visit him.
Once the job was complete, this individual took over Tom’s profile and decided it would be fitting that Tom is the new voice of reason and distributor of rational, mature thought around here.
Either that or the fifty cent army has some new tactics. Get us all paying attention to what he’s saying and then a few months down the road start shifting the conversation left ever so slightly.
The AP is the new ministry of propaganda for nK….
“North Koreans have brought out their biggest western apologists” – Please don’t make this more than it is – these two guys have no prominence in the realm of North Korean affairs. Your sensationalizing of this is taking away from Yeonmi’s message. Let it be and move on.
Additionally, try cite some academic studies (they exist) on the issue rather than news articles, it will make your piece more credible.
Yeon-mi Park was credible enough to call BS on the cowards trying to make her shut up.
For the record, here is exactly what I told The Diplomat magazine:
quote
I suppose many of the stories that defectors present are true, even though they cannot be verified. I ONLY challenge claims that are obviously exaggerated or plain false. Let me illustrate that with two examples: Park Yeon-mi, a prominent defector spoke a few weeks ago of an ongoing HOLOCAUST in North Korea and said that plastic bottles in the Royal Canal reminded her of “floating bodies” that “appear in North Korean creeks every morning”. I widely traveled the country and didn’t come across dead bodies. Sure, there may have been floating bodies in rivers in the terrible crisis years of the nineties when 600.000 people starved to death according to an estimate by the U.N. official who was then supervising foreign aid during the famine in the country. But since then things have clearly changed for the better (no more mass starvation, recovery of the economy etc.) which many activists do not recognize. Another defector and doctor claims, for example, that ALL people born with defects are systematically killed. However, I have met handicapped North Koreans and know foreign NGOs who work with handicapped people in the country. And a few weeks ago North Korea even sent a team to the Paralympic games in South Korea.
unquote
And here is what I posted on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ACapitalistInNorthKorea/photos/a.527222523969386.122586.520006091357696/854807961210839/?type=1
Read also this: “The wrong label for a North Korea pioneer and agent of change”
http://www.flipkart.com/reviews/RV2FU5LH89SZF8HQ3#
“I have met handicapped North Koreans and know foreign NGOs who work with handicapped people in the country”
Felix Abt, those people you met were probably sons and daughters of high ranking North Korean officials who bribed their ways. If you have money in North Korea, you can get anything you want, even letting handicapped people to live when it’s usual practice to stuff them into mental institutions where they die.
“And a few weeks ago North Korea even sent a team to the Paralympic games in South Korea.”
Did you know that North Korea also has churches and Christian ministers? Does that mean North Korea has freedom of religion? Of course not.
You were shown and lead around by North Korean officials who wanted you to see what they wanted you to see. Unless you were free to roam around the country without restrictions or supervisions, your personal eyewitness testimonials are simply not credible. So now we’re only left with testimonials from North Korean defectors who actually lived through the ordeals. It’s their word against your’s. If I had to choose, whom am I going to choose? Someone who lived through it for decades, or someone who was lead around Pyeongyang by North Korean secret police? I would say the former.
That’s it. I’m calling it.
I do believe some member of the Drop community (probably of the poultry-named persuasion) has tracked down the original Tom and hired some heavy-hitting first nation gang members from Winnipeg to take a road trip to visit him.
Once the job was complete, this individual took over Tom’s profile and decided it would be fitting that Tom is the new voice of reason and distributor of rational, mature thought around here.
Either that or the fifty cent army has some new tactics. Get us all paying attention to what he’s saying and then a few months down the road start shifting the conversation left ever so slightly.
“The Strange Tale of Yeonmi Park”
http://thediplomat.com/2014/12/the-strange-tale-of-yeonmi-park/
“Yeonmi Park: The Defector Who Fooled the World”
http://jooparkblog.blogspot.kr/2014/12/yeonmi-park-defector-who-fooled-world.html
Such bs and fake a fraud for her books
Fake body not proven real