Inside the hermit kingdom : North Korea / directed by Sun-Kyung Yi.

New York, NY : Filmakers Library, 2004.

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North Korea is known as the hermit kingdom because it has been cut off from the rest of the world. Cruelly colonized by Japan early in the 20th century, and split from the south after World War II by cold war politics, it has suffered repressive governments and frequent famines. This film, made by I Sun-Dyung, the daughter of Korean immigrants, was an attempt to understand the country that has been demonized by the West, particularly the US. She was the first western journalist allowed entry. Her film traces the history of Korea in the 20th century and includes fascinating interviews with some of the world's foremost experts on North Korea, including Prof. Bruce Cumings of the University of Chicago, and Donald Rickerd of the Center for Asia Pacific Studies, who give fresh perspective on this enigmatic country. We learn that communist ideology has taken a back seat to the philosophy of 'Juche' Il Sung. Kim Il Sung was revered as 'the great liberator' from Japan's brutal rule. Most North Koreans are loyal to his son, their present leader Kim Jong -IL who succeeded his father in 1994. Despite having suffered severe food shortages, North Koreans have been taught that they can survive on their own. The country feels threatened by America and believes its nuclear weapons are 'chips' in a power struggle with the West. Included are in-depth interviews with a former bodyguard of the 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-IL and testimonies from defectors and survivors of the country's infamous concentration camps. This fascinating film contributes to our understanding of an important player in the geopolitcs of the 21st century.

ASP-AVON OCLC KB.

Images / Online / Video & Film

English

November 15, 2019

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