Field Trip

On the last day of May 2024, the Human Rights Hub visited the Data Base Center for North Korean Human Rights (from here, NKDB for short). As the season transitioned from Spring to Summer, the heat and the sunny weather greeted us as we arrived at the center. Shortly after, the stark contrast between the weather and the North Korean Human Rights conditions were dark, gloomy and grim. 

We were announced previously that our agenda will be consisted of two big parts, starting with NKDB’s museum tour: The Echo Never Stops and then the Center Director, Hanna Song will give us a lecture about NKDB itself.

According to NKDB’s website, the Museum aims to shed light on North Korean Human Rights situation while encouraging dialogue on remedies. The museum is divided into three sectors, 1) Control and Indoctrination 2) The Echo Never Stops 3) Special Exhibition focused on “Resolutions”. It is not the biggest exhibition, rather small but very compact one, and the archive can be accessed through the NKDB website. For those whoever couldn’t visit in person can actually visit the website for more details and information. 

Second take away corresponds with the Museum’s title, “The Echo Never Stops.”

In this sector of the museum, we get to witness how the North Koreans tried to voice out whichever way possible, secretly from the government. We were shown leaflets, camouflage books and bibles that contained information of the outside world that includes South Korea and other countries. Because the country persecutes its people of religious beliefs, these camouflage books are disguised as books that contains actions about the Supreme leader. Recently, there are portable digital media devices from North Korea where they can listen or hear media from the outside in formats of CDs, DVDs, and USBs. According to the explanation, the devices that are made in North Korea strictly restricts signal from outside world, but these special devices were specifically made to catch signals outside of the country. [They never stopped crying out] section contained a board and presented a collection of “language reactionary” cases that were spoken by the North Koreans. On front of the note, you can read the exact words spoken by a North Korean and on the following back side of the note you can see the consequences or punishment they encountered. These consequences included execution, forced disappearance, or even the detained by the National Security Agency. 

To put some light from the tour, the Special Exhibition included “Resolution” by several North Korean artists trying to symbolize how they comprehend their situation. Noticeably, the artist working under his pseudonym “Sun Mu” (meaning no line) , he explores his art under theme of “erasing boundaries” literally and figuratively. There is an untitled piece that looks like a flowerpot. But the meaning under it symbolizes the enduring suffering, and the way how it’s base can bring both countries together(vase) flowers (symbolizes South Korea and North Korea respectively) And the barbed wire stems for preserving the DMZ (demilitarized zone) which separates both countries.