anyway the documentary was called Seoul Train. it was an hour long... but really was an eye opener to the whole N korea and China situation.. and very, very sad.
basically there are many north koreans who are trying to escape from the terrible oppression and hardship from the retard of a kim jong il regime which is just completely breaking down the country. there were snippets of north korea itself.. yes.. amazing.. from a secret video cam which someone used to take videos of life in north korea and it just looked so, so, backward and sad. kinda like how we're all living in 2007 and north korea is a century behind. the saddest thing were the children, who are said to be starving so badly that their growth now is 7-8 inches behind south korean children, even though they are all from the same gene pool. and there they are running all over the mud, finding for food.. even eating stuff off the ground.. with many scabs, scars all that.. all over their bodies.. it's just shocking that with the progression of the world and the problems us urbanized idiots face today.. i dont know. i guess it is unfair to compare.. but it really is a tragedy.
the main issue is that the chinese government.. is damn unfeeling. they do not recognise these north koreans who escape through the border separating the 2 countries as refugees, and hunt them down in china to get them sent back to north korea. and the problem with n korea being a stupidass totalitarian regime is that once these people leave, are seen as traitors, as having committed the biggest crime of betrayal to the regime. when they go back they're sent to political prison camps, tortured, forced into hard labour, or even executed immediately, and many of them die in the camps, regardless of age/gender.. whatever it is. so these people have created an underground movement in china to help these north koreans... many of whom try to get into china, and then return to south korea. but the chinese are just damn cold. and unfeeling. the thing is there're so many security checks to make it through.. for months some activists in this underground movement feed these north koreans to pass them off as south koreans.. teach them things.. observe the security.. the change of guards/policemen etc.. because they know that if they get caught. it's the end. they'll be deported and basically screwed after that.
i can understand why china would be unwilling in a way to accept these 'refugees', because it'd prob lead to an increased influx of more n koreans into their country which MIGHT create an economic strain... (but then again.. bullshit.. the country is seriously like how damn big).. but the fact is that they could let them enter, and exit, to s korea. or mongolia. which is where they wanna go. it's not as though the n koreans wanna stay in china where they're treated to so much suspicion etc the entire time.
these north koreans try to save themselves.. by dashing into embassies.. coz once they're behind the gates, on the grounds of the embassies.. they are safe. they will be recognized as refugees there, and saved. there was a particular family, just one in so many... they obeserved the change of guards etc at the embassies.. made plans how to chiong in when the gate opened.. but this mother, and the little girl... they couldnt make it through. their attempt was just killed off by the guards. you can imagine the activist watching from the window.. as the plan unfolds only to fail completely... a few of these attempts were caught on the Seoul Train dvd.. and it's just really really sad... coz these people know what's in for them when they're gonna be caught... and the activists themselves are in grave danger. some interviewed for the documentary all had to wear masks.
i watched some parts of the bonus features.. and there was an 11 minute video from these people who again secretly filmed in north korea.. they have these public executions where the officials make people come to watch... even teachers bringing some children... and the judge decides on the spot the verdict. some sentenced to eternal hard labor.. others executed on the spot. and even before the verdict... execution posts are already mounted up to tie the condemned to. before the execution. the person is blindfolded behind a cloth and stones stuffed into his mouth, so he cannot condemn the regime out loud. and the high commissioner says some bullshit about these traitors. and throws insults at them.. and then shoots them, as an example to the rest of the north koreans. it's just so damn disgusting and sad.
after you watch these documentaries. you feel so much. but then it's like.. what can you do? i dont know now. but i know i wont just throw this away. ive really been developing a great interest in asian studies.. it just so happens that the librarian who put this on.. i was talking to her and she said she had a friend who did an internship in NYC regarding this north korean thing.. i think presumably with some NGO... and she told me if i was interested, she definitely could give me some contacts for an internship in the summer. but i cant. i have to go back to sg with my own responsibilities to fulfil. i feel like anything i say will be hypocritical... because even though this documentary has touched me, made me feel like doing something..
but what? you know what i mean? i dont want to be one of those... people who make me so sick and full of some disgust and anger with their claims of.. whatever. it's not like ive been enlightened.. or become some self recognised saint.. i just wanted to share this issue with others. and so i shall just end this by not saying anything else.
one more thing. if anyone is interested... the website is www.seoultrain.com .. and if.. i dont know.. you guys are considering like.. might need something like this for a uni project or something.. i dont know.. seriously consider buying it and checking it out.
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