North Korea's Most Challenging Task in the 21st Century

North Korea has faced and continues to face extreme challenges with human rights, environmental issues, sex trafficking, public health, and much more. In my opinion, the most challenging task that North Korean's must abide by is their political prison camps. If anyone is caught being anti-socialist they will either be publicly executed or sent to a prison camp. Another reason one may be sent to a prison camp is if they criticize their country's leadership. The United Nations talks about everyone having the right to freedom of speech and expression, but there is truly no way to make sure every country is enforcing this rule, especially countries with extreme dictatorships, such as North Korea. 

A little background information on the leadership of North Korea:
Kim Jong-Un, leader of North Korea, came into power after his father, Kim Jong-Il, died in December of 2011. It is assumed that he was born in North Korea and was favored by his father over his two other children. Little is known about Jong-Un's childhood and adolescence other than he was born to Jong-Un and opera singer Ko Young-Hee. Although it may seem that Jong-Un hasn't been very busy with keeping his country safe and healthy, he has however been advancing in military weaponry testing. North Korea has been developing missile technology despite other surrounding countries, such as the United States and China's, disapproval. 

Kim Jong-Un and Father Kim Jong-Il at Military Parade before Jong-Il's passing

As discussed in my previous blogs, North Korea has been notorious for their dangerous and extremely violent prison camps that over 120,000 people have been subjected to. These camps are barren of food and many prisoners endure starvation, beatings, rapes, and executions. In a CNN article, reporters talk to a man named Lee Young-Guk, who happened to be Jong-Il's bodyguard for ten years prior to his death. After Jong-Un took power Young-Guk realized that he was a violent dictator and planned to flee the country to South Korea. He was caught in the midst of escaping and sent to a prison camp. Young-Guk opens up to CNN about the experiences he had and had seen in the camp. Young-Guk was sent to North Korea's most notorious prison camp called Yodok and told the reporters that their main goal once inside is to kill you. Young-Guk said, "It was tough enough that they barely fed me, what was worse was they kept on beating me, and they executed people once a week, which we were forced to watch. You have to be mentally strong, then the cycle repeats itself." Although Young-Guk was not murdered in this camp and was let out after 5 years for good behavior, he did however end up leaving the camp half of his body weight as when he entered. He arrived home with almost no teeth and blind in one eye from being beat with the butt of a rifle so many times. Young-Guks main reason for doing the interview with CNN was to tell the truth about the prison camps and North Korea's ultimate crimes against humanity.

Former N. Korean prisoner: I had to carry dead bodies - CNN.com

Dozens of purple scars crisscross Lee Young-guk's lower legs. He says many are the result of beatings endured while imprisoned in North Korea's most notorious prison camp. Removing his dentures, Lee shows just five or six original teeth, wonky and cracked; the only ones has has left after countless punches to the head.

There are countless websites discussing the human rights violations going on in North Korea and how surrounding countries need to step up and help. Here is one that I found simple and easy to understand the crisis' that these citizens face:
http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/why-north-korea/

The site gives information on how the North Korean people have grown and slowly changed their government system and with the help of countries such as China, US, and South Korea they can accelerate change and turn their political imprisonment into a fair and equal society. 

Sources:

http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/learn-nk-challenges/

http://www.biography.com/people/kim-jong-un-21125351#synopsis

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/17/world/asia/north-korea-bodyguard-yodok/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8056011/Kim-Jong-Il-and-Kim-Jong-Un-at-military-parade-in-North-Korea-for-65th-anniversary-of-Workers-Party.html