I think that the basic mistake that folk here in the Americas (except maybe Cuba) and Europe is that we are judging the DPRK by our own values. By not looking at things from their perspective, we miss two basic points: 1) The countrys history of invasion and occupation by foreigners gives the DPRK both a general mistrust of other countries, but also a siege mentality. This is why a large military is maintained and why the DPRK is not part of any large military organization/alliance (Im not counting the DPRK-PRC Mutual Defense Treaty here). 2) The DPRK citizens are Korean before anything else, so appealing to change their political system for one that works in other countries is not going to make an impression. The doctrine from the outside that Our system works for us, therefore it must work for you is actually a slap in the face to a people who have learned what their ancestors had to suffer from foreign occupation and colonization over the centuries, not to mention the imposition of alien dogmas. Juche therefore is the logical outcome of a people not wanting to be overly influenced - and therefore controlled - by any other nation. Understanding this I think is essential to understanding the mindset of the people of the DPRK.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:06:49 +0000