We review a documentary about a North Korean family called "Under the Sun," by Russian director Vitalij Manskij. On the surface, the documentary is a story about a young girl in North Korea who was chosen to take part in the well-known variety stage show "Spartakids." Under the surface, there is another layer to the movie. The movie is also about the North Korean propaganda people who are controlling the every movement of the characters in this "documentary."

Sug and Dan break down this movie and its implications, what it says about North Korea, and what it says about human existence. There are PLENTY OF SPOILERS. 

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1. NORTH KOREANS SUFFER IN FREEZING WINTER
   1. Due to firewood shortage, North Korean residents have difficulty heating their homes and staying warm this winter. North Koreans usually prepare kindling or charcoal briquettes in autumn, but a source in North Hamgyong Province said that most people were unable to purchase enough due to the high price of firewood which climbed from KPW 2,000 in mid-November to KPW 3,000 in December.
2.  NORTH KOREA LAUNCHED HYPERSONIC MISSILE IN 2024
   1. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into the waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula. The hypersonic missile flew about 1,000 kilometers (around 600 miles) at a maximum altitude of at least 50 kilometers (around 30 miles) before landing in the sea.
3. LOW-KEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR KIM JONG-UN
   1. Kim is speculated to have turned 40 this year, but unlike previous years where large funds were raised to give away candies to children ahead of the leader’s birthday, North Korea has significantly lowered both the quantity and quality of candies this year.
4. NK RESTAURANTS RACIST TOWARDS SOUTH KOREANS
   1. As Korean food has become more popular around the world with the rise in popularity in K-pop and K-drama, Pyongyang has also taken advantage of the K-trend and actively opened state-run restaurants across Asia, the Middle East and Europe as a stable source of foreign income despite United Nations sanctions banning North Koreans from working overseas.
5. NORTH KOREA NO LONGER INTERESTED IN REUNIFICATION
   1. During a year-end party meeting, North Korea’s leader warned the nation to prepare for further economic hardships in 2024 and gave orders to accelerate war preparations against the U.S. Kim Jong-un encouraged his people to wage a “more courageous and resolute struggle despite the ever-increasing challenges and difficulties” in the new year.
6. JU-AE: NK'S NEXT LEADER?
   1. According to South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, the 10-year-old Ju-ae is seen as her father’s likely heir apparent. In addition to being called Kim Jong-un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child, photos and footage showing her accompanying Kim at public activities prove her rising political standing and closeness with her father as analysts speculate that Ju-ae is receiving training to take the reins of the hermit kingdom.
7. KIM JONG-UN IN TEARS AS HE CALLED ON WOMEN TO HAVE MORE CHILDREN
   1. Kim Jong-un urged women to have more children to strengthen national power at the National Mothers Meeting.  The leader was moved to tears as he expressed gratitude to mothers in North Korea to boost national morale, “I too always think about mothers when I have a hard time dealing with the party and the state’s work.”

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This episode is about North Korea's unofficial bribery season. It's when budgets are being formed and pockets are being lined. Before Sug and Dan get into this, they have an obligatory venting session about Chicago's winter weather (it's also that time of year).

Yes, this is an official season in North Korea. Bribes go up and down the chain of command. They are exchanged from government offices to other government offices, from people to government offices, and between people. One common bribe, for example, is to up ones social status (or Songbun) or for parents to bribe teachers for better instruction or more attention in the classroom. According to Radio Free Asia, "It's rare for a government agency to submit a budget without a bribe."

But before we point a finger at North Korea, let's examine our own society. We discuss the hard and soft ways that people in positions of power benefit from their seats in government. Dan and Sug share their personal experiences with bribery.

Dan also shares his stories about the bribery that Crossing Borders was subjected to in China in regards to half North Korean, half Chinese children in Crossing Borders network.

Kim Jong Un has publicly stated that he wants the bribery to stop in his country but we know the practice is alive and well. But these bribes fund his nuclear program.

But who the culture of bribery hurts is the North Korean people.

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ARTICLES

Bribery Season on Crossing Borders website
Radio Free Asia Bribery Season

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Welcome to The Demystified Zone (DMZ) presented by Crossing Borders, a conversation about North Korea that spans from the geo-political games, crazy hair-styles to real issues affecting the lives of North Koreans today. Join us for a chat about the funny and heartbreaking things we notice about the Hermit Kingdom today.

Learn More about The Demystified Zone (DMZ), the new Crossing Borders Podcast
https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/podcast

CROSSING BORDERS
Crossing Borders Ministry is a Christian, faith-based 501(c)3 non-profit that offers assistance to North Korean refugees and their children living in China and South Korea.
https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/about-crossing-borders

ELIM HOUSE
Elim House is a new initiative launched in 2020 to provide respite housing to battered North Korean women who live in South Korea. Learn more here:
https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/elimhouse

Help North Korean defectors
https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/north-korean-defectors

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North Korea has a homepage! And like most North Korean media, it is both interesting and odd. Sug and Dan page through this website so you don't have to (actually, between this recording and the release of this podcast, the website has been shut down). The website is chock full of the typical praise of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un that one would expect out of North Korea. But there's more, much more. There is news of dog breeding festivals, celebrations, and yes, a message board where people from all over the world can talk about how awesome North Korea is. But, as with many of their discussions,  Sug, Dan, and Jay have to ask, "is this real?" It's hard to tell.

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LINKS
Uriminzokkiri on the Wayback Machine

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In this episode Sug and Dan review the year with North Korea in all of its glorious highs and lows. They share their favorite episodes and what they have learned. They also share how the podcast has changed them. 

We also discuss the headlines we didn't talk about such as: 

1. North Korea launches a missile at Luca Dončić
2. Bed Bugs hit South Korea, North Korea says "Meh"  
3. North Korea launches a satellite into orbit
4. Kim Jong Il gave his staff addictive drugs 
5. North Korean footballers attack referee 
6. Kim Jong Un's favorite band is back! 

Sug also quizzes Dan and his kids for an epic battle of what they have learned this year. Spoiler alert: Dan owes his kids some money. 

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North Korea and the world is in a precarious place. With two major wars, North Korea finds itself in a position to help. One of the few things that North Korea has been a consistent exporter of is weapons. The country has a lot of them as it continues to prepare for a war with South Korea, the US and perhaps everyone else. But with conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, many are concerned about China attacking Taiwan. Will North Korea get involved in this conflict? Will there be another domino to drop? Can North Korea parlay this new commerce into a better life for people back at home? 

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North Korea has not had access to the broad global economy essentially since its inception but things ratcheted up in the early 2000s when the US started officially sanctioning North Korea. In this episode, hosts Sug and Dan discuss sanctions that the US and UN have imposed on North Korea mostly due to their nuclear program. Dan and producer Jay have also experienced their lifetime bans from various US institutions for various activities and both examples are surprisingly analogous to North Korea's ban from the global markets and have pushed them to make alliances with Russia, China and others. 

But are sanctions effective? What will happen if and when North Korea becomes a fully nuclear state? Also, is this moral? We discuss a little bit of all of this in our episode. 
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Eternal President of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, was rumored to have had a mythical ability to fold space time and teleport anywhere. North Koreans call this "chukjibop." Recently, North Korea dispelled this rumor and said, in fact, that he did not have this ability. Kim Jong Un has slowly been bringing the mythology of his grandfather and father into more realistic territory, which is an interesting move. Why is he doing this? Could it be a reaction to what is happening with media in his country or is he just a more realistic guy. Sug and Dan discuss all of this in this episode. 

LINKS:
North Korea dispels Chukjibop rumors

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Our cohost Dan Chung is an expert on North Korean refugees. For over 20 years he has studied in detail the ways in which North Korean refugees escape their country. In this episode, Dan discusses how he would escape North Korea in today's world. Sug and Dan start in North Korea and work their way out of North Korea in detail. 

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It's that time of year again. The DMZ crew goes over some spooky things about North Korea including a shaman who wards of evil spirits with delicious dduk (sweet rice cakes) and other interesting methods. North Koreas still believe in spirits even though the only official religion is the worship of their found Kim Il Sung. Sug and Dan go over some other spooky stories that are in the Korean ether and compare them with the stories that spook us out here in the US.

LINKS:
Anti Ghost Porridge
Dduk Shaman
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