North Korea's Nuclear Test: Other Perspectives

After North Korea’s third nuclear test, media coverage of North Korea has been focusing on the reaction of other countries, especially with an eye to security and policy ramifications. Below are two stories surrounding North Korea’s nuclear test that relate to the North Korean people.

Who built the underground nuclear facility?

Song Yoon-bok, Director of the North Korean human rights organization “No Fence”,  has stated in an interview with Radio Free Asia that the underground facility for North Korea’s third nuclear test was built by prisoners of Camp 16.

It is thought that prisoners from Camp 22 in Hoiryong, North Hamgyong, were transported at night to Camp 16 in the period between March and June of last year. But security personnel are reported to have found the camp empty.

It is possible that prisoners from Camp 16 were ordered to dig the nuclear facility and then killed. According to Director Song, “there were lots of rumours about this, and many in Hoiryong suspected that the prisoners were killed after being made to dig the site, in order to destroy evidence.”

North Korean agricultural workers gather in anticipation of Kim Jong-il’s birthday

Today, North Korea’s state newspaper Rodong Sinmun announced that an agricultural workers meeting took place yesterday in Party Founding Memorial Tower Square, in anticipation of Kim Jong-il’s birthday. Ri Young-su from the KWP Central Committee was present, along with members of Chosun Agricultural Workers Association in Pyongyang.

The event is said to have consisted of speeches and debates. There was a mention of the successful nuclear test as being a historical incident that provided a grave blow for the United States and other enemy nations.

However, the debates revolved around the topic of how agricultural workers would continue to uphold the legacy of Kim Jong-il, the eternal Leader of the Party and the revolution, with a pure revolutionary conscience and a sense of moral justice.

The event concluded with the workers swearing allegiance to the commands of Kim Jong-un, as good disciples of Kim Jong-il.

Source: Rodong Sinmun