A Third Eye on North Korea

Cao Xiaogen (Dandong, China)
Speaking from Dandong
North Korea – is a pain in the presence of reality of international relations, also for the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea. Otherwise, how are there the Six-party Talks? Why are the, but not Sixteen-party Talks or Sixty-party Talks? Deng Xiaoping had ever taught the later generations several times before his death that do not rush to the front but to response imperturbably. Why the “Six-party Talks” are opened in Beijing? Why “not rush to the front” is invalid? Who forces China to rush to the front? Some common people ask to know the inside story.
Several years after the end of World Cold War (13 years after the breakup of the former Soviet Union), North Korea was the only “Oliver Twist” left and the only mysterious land in the shadow of the Iron Curtain. She was nearly around, but very far away…
There is a saying people of two countries can say, that is I live in the side of Yalu River. This river is a nameless one of thousands of rivers in China. It’s said that “Every dog had its day.” Things change quickly. In the autumn of 1950, the world’s eyes were attracted by this river. If will the Chinese people cross the river? MacArthur did not believe that, Truman doubted it, the United Nations military under the wrong judgment and decision-making of Command Department chased to pass the Three-eight Line (Military Demarcation Line). If Truman had foreseen the future developments, he would not let the coalition forces over the Three-eight Line. If Kim II Sung in advance had foreseen the consequences, he would not fight over the Three-eight Line. If millions of “volunteers” knew that the history evolved to today’s situation, probably few people would sing “gallant and high-spirited, to cross the Yalu River…” Ordinary people dare not comment on the rights and wrongs of the history, as a laid-off worker, I have to talk about the merits and demerits of a hundred years.
I have investigated and I have the right to speak. 700,000 urban people of Dandong city, 2.4 million people of the whole city have the right to speak. Common people believe their own eyes. From morning to evening every day, the truck team like a long dragon drove over the river, tank trucks passed one by one, delivering a variety of daily necessities, mainly food. Tens of thousands of Dandong people, directly or indirectly, rely on North Korea to eat. If you go to Dandong to ask, “What’s the situation in North Korea?” Either the urban or rural people will answer, “the Korean are too poor, people even can not be full; standing guards and patrols wear broken clothing, far worse than us.”
I live in Dandong nearly 50 years, with friends around various trades and industries. After being laid-off 10 years ago, I am engaged in the business in North Korea for half time. In the first two years, I started border trade to North Korea individually, and later was employed by a boss and went to Sinuiju, and the North Korea around. I have ever been to cities, countries, mountains, plains, the mainland, and the coastal places, and touched many industries and many Korean people.
Dandong is economically backward area in Liaoning, ranked seventh in the long term, but in terms of the North Korea it is equivalent to Hong Kong for the mainland. Every evening Sinuiju was dark and quiet, while the river side of Dandong appeared colorful light in the high-rise buildings, which illuminated the sky. In spring summer and autumn, the song and dance halls, restaurants and tea shops along the Yalu River spread out dissipated sound, light and soft, passed the Yalu River to invade the “socialism” Sinuiju. More than 20 years have passed, years can not bear so long time of waiting. Sinuiju people see Dandong develop well from the same dilapidated situation as their city. Cars on street are more and more, people wear well and eat plenty, and the city becomes more booming. The situation on the other side of the river is so different and the distance is enlarging. There is a steelyard in everyone’s heart, and the mountains and rivers can not bear so much sad. “As the east wind over the little bower blew again last night, I couldn’t bear to recall in the moonlight. The chambermaids are no longer the same I know.” The “chambermaids” changed are people’s hearts. The “socialist” dam created by Kim II Sung has collapsed in people’s hearts long ago!
Deng Xiaoping said many times, poverty was not socialism, and which ism is that people starve to death? From the spring of 1995 to 1999, people starving to death were not hundreds or thousands, but millions. Western media said that three million people starved to death. In fact nobody could be sure. The original central secretary Huang Changye did not say clearly as well. If being said clearly, it would not be the Iron Curtain. Iron Curtain is a two-way that is external and internal, because the totalitarian nature is to trust no one. In ancient and modern times, China and foreign countries are so. Chinese people have always been particular about the “tacit”, which is a totalitarian cultural heritage. Let’s talk about the people starving to death. During that period, the train attendant in Dandong train had seen that the bodies starving to death were put into stack when the train was near the village in winter. Whether the old man was no power to bury the bodies because of the starvation, or there lacked the fuel to burn bodies, probably the former. When the train stopped on the platform, in order to catch the train, the old men often fell over and breathed off. No one went to see him, others were hungry without strength.
In the mid 1980s, the gap of the two sides of the river was obvious (China’s reform and opening-up show the results), not only Dandong and Sinuiju, the gap of two sides of Yalu River (over 700 km) and Tumen River (400 km) was enlarged, no matter cities or villages. The change in this side was quickly known by the other side. Here were more than 100 million Koreans living near the border, who had all sorts of relatives and contacts with the other side. Because China and North Korea were friendly countries, there are many channels and all kinds of things to communicate, and there were many border ports not strictly managed by the two sides. However, with the gap between the two sides gradually widening, border control has be strict gradually.
In the mid 1980s, Sinuiju was lack of food, the two cities had been sister cities (many Northeast cities and the Korean city became sister cities). In order to resolve the food shortage, Sinuiju often used rice to exchange corn from Dandong. Korean soldiers and other people wearing the official clothing asked the Chinese people across the river for cigarettes or candy, or maybe a lighter. This common phenomenon lasted about 10 years.
On July 8, 1994, “long-tested proletarian revolutionary, an outstanding communist fighter, loyal Marxism-Leninism, the Chinese people’s old friend, the great hero of the anti-Japanese, the creators of Korean Main Ideology” Kim II Sung died, which was a historical turning point. An era ended, and thousands of North Koreans showed tremendous grief and used tears to end this era.
Since then the situation took a sudden turn and became worse rapidly, man-made calamities after natural disasters. In order not to die of starvation, North Korea exchanged food by scrap steel or iron, then by the machinery and equipment, not the rice as long as the corn, so that for more food. Obviously it was organized act. After then, they used timber, mineral and aquatic products…At night, the smuggling activities started, trading copper, gold sands and other things, after even…
After China protested a convergence, the smuggling was in convergence. At the same time, exodus people were more and more. Korean border guards fired, let dog to bite and buried mines that could not still stop the hungry crowd.
These things are well-known in the international community, only hundreds of millions of Chinese people do not know, because the Chinese media has never reported, dared not to report.
Of course, China privately raised serious protest. Generally speaking, North Korea gave face to China. In 2002 the number of exodus people reached more than 8,000. Under the pressure of China and the international community, the exodus people were not shot to death, but to sentence, given a bread of 0.1kg each day and forced to do heavy work. Many people died after a few months.
Some cases can corroborate, for example, in view of the main channel of refugees in Tumen River - Changbai Mountain line (after the refugees came over, they could get some help from the Korean compatriots), Ministry of Public Security appropriated funds to build special transfer station for North Korean refugees on the slopes next to the Highway (temporarily managed by Border Defense of Jilin Province but the real leadership was in Beijing). The pink wall was two and half storey high. Deducted from the security office, it could accommodate 700 to 800 people by an outside look. But in fact there were often more than 1,000 people. North Korean refugees grasped from districts of Jilin Province were escorted to gather and accept physical examination, medical treatment, verification and learning, more importantly to understand intelligence. They could not smoke and could eat full. It was said that the quality was good, after all, that was China’s largest international shelter.
Correctional officers had good attitude, no hitting and scolding. They called the refugees to the interrogation room to chat by smoking, the Korean men in general loved to drink, provided with liquor again, they talked everything. Many people expressed the hope to the South Korea or Western countries, more people requested to stay in China. No matter where to go, what to do, no one is willing to be repatriated back. The whine and tragic experience of them deeply touched the guards and interrogators.
But in the long-term of the protracted war of abscondence and repatriation, there were still ten thousands of people achieved a big victory, the real figure would always be a fan, a sociology Goldbach’s conjecture.
As Yanbian region and other Korean autonomous counties implemented a strict implication policy and intensified efforts to crack down, so as to change the abscondence “reservoir” into the “transfer station”. This “transfer station” was the “corner” forgotten by the Social Science Research. It could have been a number of doctor students, but because the “transfer station” was so complicated. There were local underground organizations, Korean underground organizations , European human rights organizations background, but also the affect of the CIA, more complicated than the “the 51 military depot” in Anti-Japanese War and “Ho Chi Minh Trail”.
To this incident, the central high-level leaders were angry and annoyed, unable to make systematical and effective solution (this solution can be made by our laid-off workers). North Korean soldiers can be bribed, the South Korean had the humanitarian assistance of “sunshine policy”, and “transfer station” in fact was the “Six-party Talks” far before the “Six-party Talks”, or the second battlefield of peaceful evolution on North Korea.
South Korean businessmen invested to build a number of Catholic churches, to spread “Gospel”…South Korea set up factories only employing people of Korean nation…To beat two birds with one stone…
The relations between China and North Korea was too delicate and complicated. The international community did not know much about China’s difficulties.
Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao had repeatedly stated solemn position to the international community: China is a responsible big country. Did not know whether this commitment included the “Sino-Korean Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Treaty in 1961” or not? This was another major issue about the doctor students!
Because a special clause in the Treaty indicated: Once a party encountered any one country or several countries’ joint armed attack and thus in a state of war, the other party should do its utmost to provide military and other assistance. The period of validity of the Treaty is 20 years, if one party requires to amend or to terminate; it must propose to the other party within half a year before the expiration, otherwise, the Treaty will extend automatically for 20 years. Therefore, the “Treaty” was live automatically after 1981, and automatically after 2001, and has been effective before the expiration in 2021.
In 1961 the former Soviet Union and North Korea also signed a similar Treaty. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited the treaty after making minor revisions.
If Kim Jong II also trusted the Treaty signed with China and Russia, certainly there was no “North Korea nuclear crisis” today.
　　There were three sources of Marxism, while the “North Korea nuclear crisis” had four sources: the United States, Russia, Japan and China. Why did not Kim Jong II trust China and Russia? The establishment time of North Korea was earlier than us, why did not engage in nuclear weapons as early as several decades? In recent years India and Pakistan have had nuclear weapons, why did not trigger nuclear crisis? Whom were the North Korea’s nuclear weapons against? What was the real relationship between China and North Korea nuclear? Was it ok for China not to rush to the front? It seemed that Deng Xiaoping’s “not to rush to the front” instruction on the North Korea nuclear issue was invalid. Was China’s rush forced? By whom? It took long time to speak clearly. Let’s finish Dandong first.
Dandong was China’s largest border city in China, why did Dandong become the largest border city in more than 20,000 kilometers of land next to the border? In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, Andong (now called Dandong) was only a small border town, the location of county government. The highest executive level of Dandong was in the “Manchuria Country” period as the provincial capital. At that time, the level of Dandong was higher than Sinuiju, but it was superficial. The same conquered people didn’t accept the same treatment. Japanese used the rule of Yuan Dynasty (Mongols, Semu people, the North people, and the South people) that the Japanese were the first-class citizens, the Korean people were the second-class citizens, and Chinese people were the third-class citizens. At that time, some Chinese people were very envious to the Korean people. In the winter, some Korean people drove carriage or plough from the river surface to beat Chinese dogs, the owner watched but let alone, because Japanese gave them support, no place to argue. There were even some phenomenon bullying the Chinese.
Many Chinese people hated the Korean people and called them “Second Shit Japanese”. Of course, the fundamental reason was that the Japanese government’s provoking on the divide policy. But realistically speaking, the industrialization of Dandong and northeast China was started after the entry of the Japanese. After the failure of the Sino-Japanese War and the signing of t “Treaty of Shimonoseki”, Japanese invaded into the northeast of China, and Dandong became a bridgehead for Japanese’s invasion to China. Now the two bridges on Yalu River in Dandong were built by the Japanese, one was blown up half by the U.S. aircraft. The pilot had a high level, and he only blew up the North Korea side. It’s a bit ashamed to say. For 100 years, the remaining bridge was still used. The railways, highways, bridges, docks, power grids, levees, coal mines and urban public facilities in Dandong were built by the Japanese as well. As the beachhead of invasion to China, the Japanese really did a lot of work.
Due to different interests, different parties’ evaluation was serious contrary on the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Both sides of the Korean Peninsula agreed that was an unequal treaty to humiliate the nation and forfeit its sovereignty, 50 years since then the North Korea not only went to death step by step and also toward extinction step by step. The first clause of the treaty: the Qing Government gives up sovereignty in the North Korea; the second clause: the Qing Government transferred all the rights and property in North Korea to Japan. Sino-Japanese War fought for the contest of North Korea, The champion and runner-up clauses of Treaty of Shimonoseki were set for the contest of North Korea. Ding Ruchang, Deng Shichang…and other martyrs died for the contest of North Korea, they didn’t know the later Treaty of Shimonoseki after their death. The posterity eulogized them, but who considered the North Korea’s position? North Korea was like a lamb being trampled or a flower selling girl with a grass on head was transferred to a new owner by the old master (according to the treaty).
Wind blows from the green duckweed, the source or embryo of “the North Korea nuclear crisis” was the “Treaty of Shimonoseki”! The consequences and historical impact arising from it was too much and too far-reaching, not only for China’s own political crisis and historical evolution, but also for the situation trend of the whole northeast Asia. For 2000 years, there wasn’t a position for the Japanese in the minds of Chinese literati. And originally they were the younger generation of the same language and ancestor. Prince Gong, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang those who was engaged in “Westernization Movement” were imitating the West. Now Japan was riding on our heads wantonly. The literati felt to be raped psychologically and thoroughly. This was the psychological reason for the greater shock caused by the “Treaty of Shimonoseki” than all the traitorous treaties signed after the defeat of “Opium War”, “British and French Allied Forces War”.
At home, since then (within 15 years), “A Letter to the Emperor”, “Taiwan Anti-Japanese War”, “Station Training”, “Reform Movement of 1898”, “Boxer Rebellion”, “Eight-Power Allied Forces”, “United League”, and Sun Zhongshan’s repeated uprising, 5 ministers’ review abroad, “Preparatory Council for Constitutionalism”, “Railway Protection Movement”, and “Wuchang Uprising” happened until the Qing Dynasty perished. Historical development was a close link.
Treaty had not yet been in force, Kang Youwei and other First-Degree Scholars over 1700 in Beijing started the first time student movement in modern Chinese history. At that time, there was not Tiananmen Square, and the First-Degree Scholars were too gentle to think of “hunger strike” and other tricks. They marched to the “Departments of Foreign Affairs” and did not walk away for a petition, together with the masses of onlookers over 10,000, Shuntian prefecture and the prefect of Jiumen were urgent. At that time, there was no “workers militia”, but the “martial troops” responded quickly and were not stopped by the thugs on the way, so that they arrived at the designated location on time. However, these people who made troubles were the disciples of emperor, whether they could be rude and to what extent, they’d better ask for instructions from the emperor. “Urgent for 800 miles” to report to the central government, the Mother Queen Cixi was doing foot massage and clearly declared behind the curtain: To be certain to oppose the unrest; to treat with leniency and mercy. If Cixi let Battle Camp to eliminate Kang Youwei and others at once by a momentary slip, or sent Investigation Team, to kill secretly, the appearance of “Reform Movement of 1898” three years later was very hard to say.
Yuan Shikai remaining infamous in history first started in North Korea, he made the first step basis in North Korea to control China in the future. He was as the attendant of modern China’s first “volunteer” commander-in-chief Wu Changqing to North Korea, and soon emerged and was put in important position. He spent a total of 12 years in North Korea, than the time he did anything in his short-lived life. He became the emperor for only 83 days. He had ever organized a troop for the King in North Korea, namely “Zhenfu Troop”. He also married three Korean women, Mrs. Jin, Mrs. Li and Mrs. Wu (as his second, third and fourth wives) and got to know Tang Shaoyi and other people as the future political allies. His experience for training the troop in North Korea had a close relationship with the training at Xiaozhan Town after got back to China, thus North Korea was the cradle of the “Northern Army” or called the disaster from the green duckweed. “Treaty of Shimonoseki” tied the Korean issue and Taiwan issue together in the history first time and affected until today. A few years ago The relations between China and North Korea were worsening, the root was in Taiwan. This is a saying afterward. Taiwan issue also affected the North Korea.
On clause of Treaty of Shimonoseki was a cession of Liaodong Peninsula, including the Dandong. If this was not stopped by Russia, France and Germany, according to the Treaty Dandong people would become Japanese nationals. The Treaty connected the Chinese people’s fate and the Korean people’s fate closely together. The same with the fierce resistance in Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula occurred fierce resistance and large-scale population movements as well. North Koreans crossing Yalu River and Tumen River happened after the effecting of Treaty of Shimonoseki.
The Qing government had shame in mind and acquiescence a growing number of new immigrants. Korean Ethnic Minority Group had developed to be more than 200 million people. Treaty of Shimonoseki added a new member for the Chinese nation, who was one of the best minority nationalities and also a nationality of the closest relationship with China’s revolution in the 20th century. In Huangpu Military Academy that year, the students of Korean Ethnic Minority Group were the most in the minority nationalities, and they had made great contributions and sacrifices in the Anti-Japanese War. Five women of the famous “Eight Heroines Drowned Themselves in a River” were Korean. Mao Zedong once said, “Liao salangane and thistle, how many traitors there? It can be seen that how many traitors in Korean people?
Take Yanbian region as an example, according to civil affairs department statistics, the martyrs of Sino-Japanese War were in a total of 3125 people, of whom only 96 people were Han nationality, while 3,026 people were Korean (many Han Chinese in the region). Compared Northeast China with the Korean Peninsula, being annexed the same by Japan, the Japanese suffered more intense and longer term of tenacious resistance in peninsula. However the peninsula was much smaller with little population than the Northeast. These were the indisputable facts.
Now people in Dandong just ate full for a few years and they began to look down upon the Korean people, making people feel a bit that the flunky came to power. As a Dandong people, I feel ashamed of this phenomenon. Not the people who can not do, but the policy is wrong.
When people go hungry madly, survival is the greatest truth; to starve to death is a small thing but to lose face is a great matter, which is only the ethic of elites, but the elite are few. But the famine period is too long, poor people with short ideal are universal. If they have no money to buy and no things to exchange, they have to cheat. During the most difficult years of North Korea, Dandong enterprises and individual entrepreneurs were cheated for goods valued for tens of millions yuans at least. It’s said that 1 billion was cheated in the country and the focus was in the Northeast.
North Korea’s mind was complex, including the forced objective grim situation and the psychological requirements to claim debt from China. They thought it was for the Chinese people on the Three-Eight Line to block the Americans and to protect China’s reform and opening-up, (just like Yang Family Generals protected the Northern Song Dynasty). “Since we have difficulties, you should take out actively, is it necessary for us to cheat? Cheat you without consultation. Long ago, when the northeastern democratic coalition forces of Lin Biao was in the most difficult time, Our Chairman Kim took the initiative to send army equipment for more than RMB 100,000 yuans without waiting for the request of Lin Biao, because he knew that Lin Biao was of strong self-esteem and too proud (this shortcoming ended his life afterward). That was really timely help. When the national army attacked South Korea and borrowed a path, our North Korea went north to open “Ho Chi Minh Trail” for the Fourth Field Army. The wife of the leader in the army moved to North Korea in convalescence and in particular Chairman Mao Zedong requested the Fourth Field Army to enter the city urgently, then Lin Biao was anxious and careless for his face, and sent people to ask for help, the Chairman Kim was in benevolence enough and gave the order. The national clothing factory worked overtime to produce 100,000 pairs of cotton glue shoes sent for the Fourth Field Army to the city. If we counted money for these things? You always mentioned your support for the Anti-American War, but that was for all the socialist family, was that simply for our North Korea? Through the so-called “Support for North Korea”, you took the lead in realizing the modernization of national defense (according to the standards of that age), and you were using Soviet aircraft, artillery and tanks to defense the Americans. You bragged to people that you defeated the Americans, but you had 400,000 casualties, while how many dead people of the U.S.? You had done your best, while the Americans only used two fingers to play with you. Was Hitler more fearful than you? Was the Japanese formidable? They were all eliminated by the Americans. If Stalin didn’t hold down in Europe, the main force of U.S. military would all come, in that way 10 people like Peng Dehuai would not get back as Mao Anying. You only eat full for several years, what are you proud of? It is said that many people say “no”, this is not understand the history and not to see the actual situation, as well as a wild performance. Or you should first solve the three agricultural problems and laid-off issue and run to well-off society.
These views were biased but it was not necessary to care about too much with the North Korea. Deng Xiaoping said not to engage in this debate can be applied. Big country style should be reflected everywhere, but the right of Dandong people to speak should not be deprived. Their mainstream view thought that to help people in emergency and not to save the poor and anything can not be endless. North Korea had three tank divisions, two of which were given by China, the most Air Force as well. Dandong had become the General Logistics Department of People’s Army. They provided the weapons and equipments, please sent the spare parts and ammunition as well. It’s said that through the pipeline Liaohe Oilfield sent oil to them for 600,000 tons a year and 90 percent of Chinese goods were sent through Dandong. Railway staff said that after the train arrived in, they detained the train, either flat or tank train, to use in their country. We repeated to request the train but they never gave. Once the Ministry of Railways had ordered urgently to stop the transportation of all materials, then they returned back. 90 percent of the private enterprises and individual businessmen done business in Dandong had the experience of extortion more or less. Only in these years, the situation is better. 99 percent of the border trade between the two sides is do so now, the company of North Korea opens a bank account in Dandong, only the letters of credit is issued by the bank, The Chinese side will arrange the shipments. North Korea do not have private enterprises, the companies are belonged to the Party, government, military and intelligence systems. To travel to Dandong is enjoyable and to live long is for the people of deep background. After they arrived at Dandong, they also go to karaoke bars, sauna and ask for harlot, and the revolutionary character immediately change, no matter of any system.
Ah, Sinuiju
Sinuiju people most often say a word from Sister Jiang to the Chinese people, “I don’t Know.” This was the foreign affairs discipline through the whole country, unless it was public need, or you would be in trouble. When you walked on the street, you would obviously feel depressed and tedious, a few fat people, mostly dull black faces, and few people worn bright. Few people were leisurely in the park or on the street, most of them you encountered were the plainclothes police.
　　Only power plant’s chimney in Sinuiju was still smoking, almost all the factories had laid off, even if the plant did not work fully, half of the machine was bad, the set still working was assembled, and the transmission lines was serious aging, thus there was serious power shortage in winter and spring, and the city’s trolley bus had stopped for many years, in addition to Pyongyang the whole country had no public transportation system and no taxies the same,, bicycles were very few, most people could not afford to buy, people who could afford to buy are those had extra gains or other’s help.
Sinuiju was the capital of North Phyongan province, equivalent to the provincial capital, the general standard of living in the country ranked third. The first was Roson economic zone (in the border of North Hamgyong next to Jilin), the second was Pyongyang, the later cities were the coastal cities Nampo, Wonsan, Chongjin and so on, followed the border cities next to China Villages are plain that was better than the mountain.
Excepting the military, lack of food was national, whether urban or rural. Clothing shortage was nationwide too, because the lack of arable land and climate reasons, cotton could not be planted and the chemical fiber factories stopped production because of no material, so the clothing was lack. Millions of ordinary people were hungry and cold. Not only Sinuiju, the whole country was the same. You could see few smiling face. Because life was a too heavy burden! Housing was also shortage nationwide, including Pyongyang. To what extent the housing was lack? Since 1995, the country ran into economic crisis, the construction field stopped basically, especially rural buildings. Throughout the country, you could not see a proper building site, sporadic mud building, but no cement. These were the four basic situations of basic necessities of life.
Sinuiju’s name came from Yi Town, which was an ancient city. After Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed, the Japanese intensified the aggression against North Korea and China. The first step was to build the railway and completed the railway from Busan to Shenyang until September 1910. Thus the opposite side of the river to Dandong had been developed, while the Yi town not far away declined. A new railway port not so far from the Yi Town thus was called Sinuiju.
In Manchuria period, the older generation of people in Dandong said, the supply of Sinuiju was better than that of Dandong, and price was cheaper than here. Japanese gave special treatment to second-class nationals. Although the customs on both sides were charged by Japanese people, but the customs were different. So the brave people of Dandong went to Sinuiju to buy things under the table, which was also smuggling in fact, then called “economic offenders”. If they were seized by the Japanese, they would be in danger. At that time, Sinuiju people looked down upon Dandong people. Things changed quickly, but people on the both sides of the river could not control the change. Now the Sinuiju people are envious of Dandong people, both in the eyes or the contacts, you can feel that. This is inevitable, human nature is the same. They also need freedom, but they are too for from free.
After entering North Korea, Chinese would be deducted for the following items: binoculars, cell phones, which were not allowed for entry. Any gifts could be sent to North Korea people but radio, even of top grade, because it was illegal. Outside radio, film, television, books, and newspapers were closed to people, cultural art and entertainment life were very poor. People distrust each other, with great wariness. If you were familiar with a middle-aged or young people, he could tell you a lot of things; but if there were other Korean people, he would not dare to say. If you contacted with Korean people more, you would find that majority of the Korean people were very friendly to the Chinese people, this friendly sensation was very rich, including wanting to get little small things, but also the strong desire to know the outside world, but more was the kind-hearted nature. And in essence, they were very self-loved and self-esteemed, as to reach out for things, that’s because they were really too poor.
Sinuiju station was the most stable and greatest strategic throat for North Korea to face long-term international sanction and the blockade state. This passage was so important that the management system was different with China. China was for the border customs to arrange commodity inspection, while North Korea was for the State Defense Administration to arrange together, and wasn’t their power small?
Without leaving the station, you could see the permanent wall slogans inside and outside, the main slogan of which was: The great leader President Kim II Sung will always with us! The great guider General Kim Jong II is the sun of mankind in the 21st century! This kind of publicity banners and portraits were in the urban and rural areas throughout the country (including all the administrative villages) so that you could feel the presence of these two giants anywhere, which was easy to make people think the “red oceans” in the early years of Cultural Revolution in China. According to the elderly, 20 years ago it was not so, North Korea was opposed to this during “Cultural Revolution”. At that time, they used loudspeakers to broadcast on the bank of Yalu River and the contents contained this item.
Inside and outside the station, it was easy for you identify Chinese and North Korean people, whether there were several hundred or several thousand, the error rate would be no more than 5 percent, from clothing, fat or slim, appearance and spirit. In fact, the most important difference was inherent. More than 20 years of reform and opening-up and closed stagnation (basically) was the moment for a long period of history, but for a people it was one-third of the valuable life and for a society it had affected the fate of several generations (The achievements of Deng Xiaoping’s reform and opening-up were great, you can deeply feel it on the North Korean land. Hereby pay deep respect to him). Especially in this revolution era of new technological revolution and globalization wave, China seized this opportunity, while North Korea gave up this opportunity, causing great intrinsic gap between people. As a tourist, you can’t feel it, you can’t contact the community, you only contact with tourism site, but as a businessman, you may feel difficult and great the gap, because the “language” of the two sides are not the same. The “language” includes different values, ideologies and structures of knowledge, and the expertise level gap is too large, for example, the two sides discusses building materials business, you need to give lectures on new technology of international building materials, China’s domestic varieties and use of building materials and so on, you must be tired. For example, on investment projects, of coal mines, they never hear about the advanced equipment and can not accept your offer, then go to talk as you like, but also very tired. Sometimes you feel as if returned to the Middle Ages.
Sinuiju City had only one foreign-related hotels, the equipment was no good than the rest house in the service areas on the highway in China or poverty-stricken areas in the West, the towel paper was the grey paper in the 1970s, RMB 0.1 yuan for one volume, and the water and power supply was cut always, no tea and washing supplies, even water could not be met, but the charge was remarkable for 5 or 6 hundred yuans per day for one double room, seemed for robbing. The food there was expensive as well. You can not choose, there wasn’t any other hotel. Sleeping on you road was illegal (even begging for food was illegal, excepting in Rajin-Sonbong economic zone, money was available. In the markets, a group of teenagers around you asked for money. After arriving in North Korea, I got to know that begging was a free right. But sometimes they pulled your clothes and didn’t let you go that was really boring). Let alone that you couldn’t go out, either at night or during the day, there were plainclothes polices in the yard. If without accompanied by North Korea officers, individual was not allowed to go to the streets, this discipline had been explained for you by the reception unit after you across the river. If you violated knowingly, what did you think about it? First you might not quite understand why not let you go to the streets single. You might feel the same with or without a partner. Slogans were everywhere, no new construction, houses were built on or before the 1980s, which was very old, but the streets were clean. To the new entry people, they supervised strictly, if you went there often and without other aims, they would be loose to inspect you. Just because it was too strict without freedom, many Dandong businessmen didn’t like to come here, even the travelers would not like to come again. Most Chinese tourists go to North Korea to meet the curiosity. After the mysterious feeling disappears, no shopping and communication, Why do they go gain? But the Chinese people are too many, you have been there but others not. Therefore, North Korea tourism is still blooming with an increase every year, becoming an important source of income, which has great help to the economic difficulties. Too many people go there, the management must be loose. On the other side, North Korea is also working to improve management methods. It is just too slow.
Later, I saw things they did not want you see, behind the buildings in the streets there was a large area of low dilapidated slums, many people were there, some came together talking something; some were doing business, I did not know that was smuggling or trade market; children were playing in the alley. The environment was dirtier than the street. To walk slowly along the alley, windows, the little things at home in general. This is the mainstay of social life, along the bystreet and looked inside the window, most homes have no things. This was the main part of the society, the buildings in the streets were only for people to visit and to cover the inside poverty and backwardness. The walls between buildings were painted for white, only leaving an entrance. Even the buildings were not so good, no elevator (even with one, also bad and people had no money to repair) and heating (mostly not). The hardest time was in the cold winter, most of the dead of the past few years was in winter.
Central Publicity Department did not deny this reality and put forward “suffering of the march”, but it was just a bit too long to march and seemed to be an unforeseeable future, and they regarded the reasons of “suffering” as the “U.S. imperialism’s block” and ineffective support from the allies.
In fact, this saying was one-sided, and the international community’s support was selfless and abundant. Due to humanitarian and the values of universality of human rights, the United States did not stop such assistance and made efforts, and then about 1.5 million tons of food enters North Korea each year, including the food from the United Nations FAO, Japan and South Korea. If the United States firmly made sanction, 1.5 million tons of grain would not for them, the consequences would be unthinkable. It was not known that how many people would starve to death.
On the other hand, if the allies supported North Korea with half of the intensity of support, like the support in Anti-American War, there wasn’t the “suffering of the march”. China’s assistance was 1 to 100,000 tons annually, which was from the central government, and some were from the local places. But the gap was still great, only to think about all kinds of illegal methods, for example, selling weapons to foreign countries, selling drugs and counterfeit money.
Objectively speaking, China was a bit petty, seeing hundreds of thousands of people starved to death, but had the power to help, and had long-term “battle friendship cemented in blood” and two millennium’s history of the traditional friendly neighbors, why not send a little bit more carbon in the winter? Wasn’t it a responsible big country? A life-saving was valuable than anything. No way, because the grudge inside was deep.
Sinuiju’s history would always remember one person, one original unknown common people. He can be destroyed in China, but he has left the illustrious name in North Korea. He was born poor but earned lot of money relying on his own struggle. He could live an extravagance and dissipation life, but his stayed in the prison for the suffering Korean people. His name is - Yang Bin.
I do not know him and he will not give me a penny, I just sympathize with him and regret for the ruthless of history, being sad for some “Wanhu Officer”. China had Si Maqian to eventually end the case legally. Yang Bin event was one of the fuses of the second “North Korea nuclear crisis”.
In order to end the “suffering of the march” as soon as possible, after repeated weighing the gains and losses and suffering thinking and out of the trust of Big Brother (after the collapse of Soviet Union, the original “second” promoted to be the “Big”), North Korea made a great national policy announced to the world: To establish the Sinuiju SAR and implement capitalist economic system and the political system of “separation of three powers”, and employ some foreigners as administrative officials, judges and parliamentarians.
The decision on the Korean peninsula’s peace and future reunification, the Northeast Asia’s peace and international cooperation and the world peace will have a major role and impact. Kim Jong II had done a lot of work to the senior generation of veterans in North Korea, and he had broken through the great resistance. These veterans were meritorious to support his post. They had little knowledge originally and were all old with rigid thinking. Would you label them as anti-party clique? Essentially it was only understanding problem, you can only do work on their thinking slowly. Kim Jong II was toilsome!
But with hope of the Korean people’s expectations, someone stabbed in the back of them. A local official also a ministerial-level cadre just appointed by North Korea finished the inauguration in General Assembly Hall in Pyongyang and a few days was seized by two polices of Liaoning province. The whole North Korea was shocked. How is China? Are you crazy? This was to bully people and was typical big country chauvinism! If he was appointed by the United States, did you dare to seize? How many people sentenced as criminals was taken away by the United States? Even you gave the people required by Japan.
Yang Bin event caused a great shock in North Korea and greatly harmed more than 20 million Korean people’s feelings, so they became greatly disappointed and resentment to Chinese government. Because since Yang Bin had walked from the General Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, his personal fate closely linked with the dignity of Korean nation, the internal affairs of States and the historical trend, as well as the changeable international situation in Northeast Asia. Big Brother grossly interfered in the internal affairs of North Korea, trampling on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence first put forward by Zhou Enlai. These were the apparent things could be seen and felt, as things hidden invisible were people’s hearts, first of all, was North Korean people’s hearts. People dared to believe you afterward. You fell out anytime as you like, without any discussion, not to leave a bit face.
In 30 years (1950-1980) you almost fought all the neighboring countries (the Soviet Union, India, Vietnam, Myanmar and South Korea), if not fighting with, you had interfered with the internal affairs of others (Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia). After the reform and opening-up, the chief architect presided to change the image under a long time of hard work, but people were still seeing. Then if you were rough to kill the chicken in front of a monkey, and the previous efforts had been wasted.
Was Yang Bin to please the Americans? North Korea could not help thinking that, but the United States did not let you to seize. Was it to work with the U.S. embargo and sanctions on North Korea? It seemed not. Only the last possibility was the word “administrative”, because the fear of “administrative” instead of “dictatorship”, China had to stab this little brother. But China’s periphery for more than 20,000 km was almost “administrative” and even their Hong Kong and Taiwan were “administrative”; after “Three Represents”, it had taken a big step forward to the “administration”. Why did you let the bit state to do, but not the little county? This saying was also hard to understand.
You could think so in heart, but could not say so. Once Yang Bing was arrested, the central envoy of North Korea immediately flew to Beijing for the person and also an explanation. “Stage-vacancy-filling was like fire-fighting”, the opera actors knew it. Sinuiju’s show had just opened, but who was the protagonist? Nobody. He was detained in Shenyang, so the envoy immediately flew for the “stage-vacancy-filling”. It was impossible to give the person, but give an explanation, Yang Bin case was an economic issue, a criminal offence, nothing with the “Chief Executive”. They lied to cope with the envoy, of course, he did not believe but somewhat was doubtable. Was it necessary for China to cheat because of Yang Bin? They decided to look at further, consider and inspect. At that time a VIP in Zhongnanhai ordered, the State Council issued Red Header Document to ban investment of state-owned enterprises to Sinuiju, then the truth was obvious. The original answer was here.
Arresting of Yang Bin meant that the “Silk Road” was blocked, where was the way for North Korea to seek survival and development? Mental blow was too heavy, as if the wound was bloody, also like being pushed to the edge of the cliff. “Winter clouds snow-laden, cotton fluff flying, None or few the unfallen flowers. Chill waves sweep through steep skies.” Urgently, North Korea only studied “Wang Cheng” to draw the blow up canister and again started a nuclear test. “Brave person will win in a tight competition, Put the troops in death ground and they will survive.” Therefore, in the attack of China and the United States, North Korea carried out atomic energy, then “North Korea nuclear crisis” broke out.
As the sea flows, the character of a hero shows. Kim Jong II was knowledgeable. In fact, he still had other options, and he could be close to the Taiwan side. But he did not do so, which showed his magnanimity. Do not think that he dare not or can not do so, even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone Kim Jong II. He was not led a “rogue state” to bite initiatively but was forced to bite. Under long-term of high pressure of the United States, he didn’t yield of, and was this nation yield of? No, they were still holding high their heads! They firmly remembered 50-year history of national subjugation and aggression history imposed on their heads by the Japanese last days (so far this tie wasn’t even untied by South Korea), and they had no idle time to argue with people everywhere. They did not want to be an enemy with the United States, and had no such power, the basic point was clear.
Starting nuclear weapons? Was the atomic bomb funny? This was not the weapons in the railroad guerrilla but the last fight after breaking the network and fish died.
This behavior made the Big Brother angry. Originally it was angry and annoyed but also had to endure by force. However there were many people who were happy, they thought “Yang Bin Event” was “Dog bites dog” between North Korea and China.
But when the situation soon became North Korea “played the loved musical instrument”, the fourth generation of leadership group of China (just taken office) suddenly sobered and immediately abandoned Deng Xiaoping’s “run out to the front” faith, “To do as time allows, and rush to Kyushu with passion.” Kyushu was the “Six-party Talks” here. Even (former term) the central document introduced sanctions against North Korea (Do not allow state-owned enterprises to invest in North Korea), and didn’t care about “in accordance with the established principle” left by the former leadership.
Could’t China be in a haste? The atomic bomb was ever in Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan that was really frightening. For this, the United States and Japan forged a dead tie inextricably, it was not like the tie untied by withdrawing the occupied territory (as many examples between China and Britain, China and Portugal, French and Vietnam). Couldn’t the U.S. understand? The U.S. troops still stationed in Japan that was not only looking at China and Russia, also suppressing Japan; without the suppressing of the U.S. military, can China block the revival of militarism in Japan? Japan’s reaction to the North Korea nuclear was soon, immediately lodged a strong protest. The Chief Executive of Defense Agency clamored that the atomic bomb could be made overnight, this was not bragging. In fact, the second half of Chief Executive of defense was not said out, “It was American who didn’t allow us to make.” Japan was seizing the subject to develop. If there wasn’t North Korea nuclear testing, didn’t Japan want to create the atomic bomb? Japan relying on North Korea nuclear testing had done lots of things and gained more points, and the points had the help element of China. Japan was not to demonstrate on North Korea one-way, which meaning was very rich.
Special Administrative Region was in Sinuiju, North Korea had no meaning to harm the Big Brother, Big Brother thought more that North Korea would make beggar-thy-neighbor effect, why did China think too much? It was very complicated and with too many factors. At that time, China was anxious about the matter for Hong Kong, the root was “administration”, and on the north side, you added “another rose”, though very little with thorns, you had to take it and would be stung. Why? We had to talk about the Sino-North Korean special boundary line.
In 1964 China and North Korea successfully solved the boundary line, according to which, 72 small islands of 74 islands in Yalu River belonged to the North Korean side, they did not fight and the Chinese side yielded for them initiatively, and the water areas belonged to both sides that meant that no boat came ashore, no people too. At that time, they thought so simple, who knew that due to the greenhouse effect for many years the river had fewer water and some small islands linked to the shore that brought new problems for the border control and provided convenience for smuggling.
On this border gradually becoming blurred, North Korea set an “administration”, were they going to output the “administration”? China had to keep high vigilance to this problem, thus the “crisis” has not yet subsided. I sent you corn, shells, oil… in turn, you send me an “administrative” “crisis”.
Although you did not send directly, the “administration” inevitably leading to “crisis” was thinking formulary, therefore people was scared when talking about it. They were really nervous! The world was peace originally, people worried about it without reason. Could Sinuiju be “administrative”? The “administration” in Hong Kong based on 150 years of British, South Korea’s “administration” was for more than 10 years and under the support of the United States for many years first through a long period of military rule. Their fear of the political “crisis” caused a greater diplomatic security “crisis” - the North Korea nuclear crisis!
From North Korea’s perspective, that had great difficulty. If China did not have reform and opening-up, all tied together for “poor transition” and it was impossible to persist for a few decades. But the changes of China’s policy system influenced the North Korea too much and the impact was growing, forming the pressure attack of Three-Eight Line and Sino-North Korean border line. Considering the two harms, North Korea chosen the light one and closed down to China.
Because the current gap with the Chinese side was great and still widening, North Korea had only used more open, more preferential policies to catch up with. What was more open, more preferential? Only “one country, two systems” model as Hong Kong could be used. You produced that, I followed to study. Where should we choose to implement it? It was impossible to open a line in the city, which was to find a death way, only the west, Sinuiju was the most suitable, where the communication was convenient, particularly during Japanese and the Puppet Government Period a deep harbor was designed near the Daji Island on the mouth of Yalu River. Now because of geography, produced into a free port and started to construct the old country, which was also studying the coastal opening-up experience of Big Brother. Things were as simple as that, another layer of meaning was declared to the world, I should be good and got out from long-term isolation. Others (for example, the impact of China’s internal affairs and funds trend) were not considered too much. Kim Jong II wanted to play the role of Gaddafi before the Iraq war, and he did not expect to be stripped by the foot of Big Brother. He had no choice, only to play a role of super crazy woman.
Six-party Talks
In 1970 China had performed a diplomatic game of the small-ball leading the large-ball and was very successful, the table tennis led the Earth’s rotation. 30 years later, North Korea also used the small-ball to lead the large-ball, the small-ball was the atomic bomb.
If there was no North Korea nuclear crisis, it was difficult to let the representatives of the six countries sitting in a conference room. Good and bad fortune came together.
　 This was a board of directors about Northeast Asia and international peace and cooperation, the United States was the chairman with the biggest shares but not holding, North Korea was the vice-chairman because he was the protagonist, but his shares was minimum. Following were China, Russia, Japan and South Korea.
The intricate relations between them could be compared with the combination in mathematics, and the grudge and resentment in history and the reality could not be chopped and managed, that was really anxious.
Because they had once fought each other: (5 score was full mark)
China and the United States (Eight-Power Allied Forces, Support North Korea for Anti-U.S. War, Support Vietnam for Anti-U.S. War), China and Japan (the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, the Anti-Japanese War), China and Russia, China and South Korea. Excepting North Korea, they all fought (4). Japan and Russia, Japan and the United States, Japan and North Korea, Japan and South Korea, Japan and China all fought with each other (5). United States and Russia (the Cold War), the United States and Japan, the United States and North Korea, the United States and China (4). Russia and the United States, Russia and Japan, Russia and China (3). North Korea and the United States, North Korea and Japan, North Korea and South Korea (3). South Korea and North Korea, South Korea and China, South Korea and Japan (3).
Presently, there were no diplomatic relations among North Korea, the United States and Japan.
Presently, there were territorial disputes: China and Japan (Diaoyu Island), Russia and Japan (four northern islands), North Korea and Japan (Dokdo or Takeshima).
Presently, there were alliance relations: China and North Korea, Russia and North Korea, the United States and Japan, the United States and South Korea.
Presently, there were significant strategic conflicts of interest: China and the United States because of the Taiwan question; Russia and the United States because of NATO’s eastward expansion; Russia-Japan territorial disputes; North Korea and South Korea confrontation between the two systems.
Presently, North Korea and the United States and Japan were in a serious state of confrontation. The major one was U.S.-North Korean acute confrontation, and the United States fixed North Korea as “axis of evil” and deliberately ruined the strategic goal.
But why the United States did not start to fight alone by throwing up the United Nations like the treatment to Iraq, because its international strategy, foreign policy, regional interests, democratic values, decision-making of government system, the attitude of most allies and various factors constrained it, even though the United States had repeatedly clamored for war, North Korea didn’t prepare for war domestically (Kim Jong II was clever with great General’s style). Why? Kim Jong II wanted to fire the blow up canister and led to perish together. Look who was scared and who was anxious. Brave people could live at last. It was true. “I stand at the head of the city to view landscape, seeing the disorder in the city.” Then other five countries were all urgent, and there was “Six-party Talks”.
At first someone was anxious but others were not and “calmly meet the contingency. But after the United States scared North Korea by sanctions. North Korea said the sanctions meant the war. They were not scared but produced bombing. This meant that to see who would start first. By then, who would not be anxious? Who would like to see the game?
In fact, North Korea was singing the “Volunteer March” that was the song of the anti-Japanese coalition forces at that year: “The Chinese nation was in the most dangerous time, together, we unite as one…” to deal with the North Korea nuclear crisis. However, the domestic community had not much response, the wealthy people enjoy life as usual and poor people were anxious for the food as usual. In contrast with South Korea, the gap was obvious. During the Asian financial turmoil, the whole South Korea people worked to save the country’s financial crisis, even the children took out their own gift money, and their national spirit was so precious. Why can not the football, I-go, cars, mobile phones, color TV, animation, drama…catch them? The reason is here.
North Korea nuclear crisis’s impact was 100times than the harm of “administration” in Special Administrative Region for us. China faced the unity of two options that was “I want the fish, I also want bear’s paw.” China must have both. What was the two? One was the United States, China must not offend it. The reform and opening-up was like mountain climbing, indeed had been greatly improved, but only to the hillside, it was still far from the peak, and to develop a hot war or cold war the United States was not in line with China’s fundamental interests, to fight a hot war must be ultimately fail. The overall national strength gap was too high, and the consequence was to drag the Chinese nation into the abyss of suffering. To fight the Cold War would delay the rejuvenation, we could not afford a further delay. We did not fight, at the side to see the fight? That was impossible, because there were still two sides- that was, North Korea and the United States could not fight again, the only peaceful solution was possible; if North Korea and the United States broke out a war, China must be dragged in, at least being affected.
Once North Korea and the United States broke out a war, leaving nuclear weapons alone, for a conventional war North Korea must fail ultimately, which did not have more analysis. Here we talked about that China was dragged into the issue and all the terrible consequences caused from this.
I. Large number of refugees would pour into the Northeast like flood, the number would be 100 times or 1000 times than the number of ** attacked Zhongnanhai at that year. It was no need to send all the soldiers in Shenyang Military Region, because China-North Korean border of more than 1,200km was not blockade, useless by adding the armed polices and militias. You could fight these refugees by a gun, a big responsible country could not do so, let alone a country signed the relevant international treaties. During the Korean War in 1950 it also accepted many refugees, which was a precedent.　　
II. More than 1 million Koreans in domestic border areas would accept them, blood was thicker than water. If you did not accept, it would immediately become domestic unrest. In the administrative region over township there was basically a multi-ethnic mix, and chaos would cause a variety of contradictions. Then it was hard to be stable.
III. The U.S. air strikes must fly over here to bomb, because 20km within the border North Korea had built several airports, as well as many missile bases in the caves. Precision-guided function was only useful for Chinese Embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, without enough penetration on the cave.
Furthermore the Korean People’s Army’s anti-aircraft guns, to-air missiles and fighter planes must make counterattack fiercely. In order to escape from attack, U.S. aircraft was too fast with a speed of 20 kilometers in a minute. Especially after the aircraft wounded over North Korea and landed in China, then how could you say it clearly? You said you did not fight, because many U.S. pilots and their superiors were anti-China and anti-communist, Chinese stated categorically that it was you fighting. Then it was even useless to send Hou Baolin (Chinese actor) to explain. And whether the pilot landing here was considered as prisoners of war or not? North Korea wanted to extradite, whether you should give or not? If you give, you were playing the jackal to the tiger, and then the U.S. military would hit you definitely. Before you had born so may times, for the “embassy bombing”, “beating Wang Wei”, and this time you had to bear. If you did not give to North Korea, the U.S. military asked for the prisoners, whether you should give or not, as the Eighth Route Army covered U.S. pilots. But to do so was to change the “friendship between the combatants cemented by blood” overnight into a “battle cemented by blood”. Furthermore People’s Army retreated from battle, would you let them go or not? If not, the fight started again, soldiers in the war were impatient people, they were ordered to withdraw from the river, but you stopped, who should the soldiers listen to? So definitely the fight started again. Also how to do with the wounds? Many sick and wounded people were wrapped in refugees to come, whether you should accept or not?
Acceptation was the humanitarian. “The fore in the furnace, flashing gold, we boil chicken soup for the wounded”. After healing the wounds, they “return to the front”. Don’t you let them to go? They were not your prisoners of war, and you only had the right for humanitarian relief but not right of “Interpol” to arrest. So you could not stop people going back, but going back to a U.S. military was called collaboration or “third party interference”.
IV. In accordance with the regulations of “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between People’s Republic of China and North Korean”, as long as North Korea and the United States started a war, no matter which one, you had to immediately take part in the war and also “made every effort”, including all your military forces, atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs… The United States was aware of this treaty, and also knew that Russia and North Korea had the same treaty. If they already knew, why North Korea would also like to take the initiative to force? He judged based on several basic items: One was North Korea’s economic collapse, further increase of the pressure would lead to the regime’s collapse; China and Russia out of its own current situation, would not involve into the matter between North Korea and the United States; and the other was only China or Russia Limited singly made response limitedly, the United States would start. Bush was not afraid of limited involvement of China, it might be a good chance, he had to “bravely forward to an ideal”, thus after “scare the General”, he considered the situation again. He was very clear about the few domino cards existing after Cold War. As long as an effective combat force outside, it would full or partial collapse, of course, it must be knocked on a vital target. North Korea was only one of China’s periphery and a satellite country, while China was North Korea’s axis. According to the principle of “Beat the isolated and scattered enemy, then the strong focused enemy” and considering the experience of “no war to win in 1999”, and input and output-benefit analysis, it attacked the North Korea. This was the wishful thinking of the United States.
V. As a laid-off worker with mid-level title, I can responsibly say, the United States was wrong, George W. Bush was wrong, he was unknowledgeable, he did not understand China and North Korea thoroughly, he only understood the few people of the Third generations (most of their children had went to study in the United States), but can they represent 1.3 billion Chinese people? The tradition formed from 160 years of humiliation history accumulated huge anti-U.S. sentiment in China, once this volcano exploded, it was not just a disaster for half of the Asian but also for the United States. The disaster predicted by Napoleon would become a reality. As long as North Korea’s misfortune affected China, it would inevitably spread to majority of neighboring countries, which would cause the devastating consequences to human beings similar to the level of World War III. This was not alarmist talk, as long as the war spread to the northeast, which would trigger a domino effect as the chain. Northeast was China’s most unstable region, with the largest number of laid-off workers and most chaotic social order. Many potential factors were activated, and the external chaos immediately changed into civil strife, and forced many Northeastern people fled to the inside of the country, then caused chaos in North China, at this time the original unstable factors in Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu all broke out. Taiwan also took the opportunity to stir up trouble, Hong Kong and Macao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places could only do “Southeast mutual protection”. In this way, “a very hopeful China will become no hope” and the divine land would “be empty and ghost sings.”
VI. China was in danger, and Bush was not pleased a few days and finished, to accompany China for his playing with fire. Because there were several hundreds of billions of dollars of investment in China, they were Western countries including the United States, and would become funerary goods. Millions of foreigners in China did not run away must be massacred bloody. The reason was simple: China’s limited martial troops to deal with trouble-making students in front of Tiananmen was absolutely no problem, but to deal with out-of-control 1.3 billion people they had no way. The frightening prospect was the second time of blind violence of “Boxer Rebellion”. Thousands of people like Li Zicheng, Huang Chao, Yang Xiuqing, Zhu Yuanzhang, Bai Lang…and other heroes hided on the bottom of the Chinese society, as well as tens of thousands of Xiaoxiong, and there are also thousands of unemployed poor college students, including Niu Jinxing, Li Yan, Liu Bowen, Song Jiang, Wu Yong…and other figures. The Boxer Rebellion was just farmers playing with sticks and machetes. Now they were educated and skilled laid-off workers and young farmers who could make guns, so that the destructive power was greater than before. Why it was that? The fundamental reason was that more than 20 years of reform and opening-up had made the Chinese people lose the soul. After beating down of Kongzi and Mengzi theories, it abandoned Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, resulting in the community generally without faith. Excepting Kong Fang, people did not believe anything. Polarization was very serious, in the event of the appearance of a rich man, 99 poor men accompanied. Hundreds of millions of people had no way out, no hope, no chance, no spiritual pillar, lack of moral ideals, only left one dissatisfied heart. Hundreds of millions of people did not know where to move towards for China, like a broken boat floating in the big sea. Corruption was everywhere and injustice was everywhere. The nature of “no argument” was not to comment on the “fake and shoddy” acts of the government. So over the past 20 years we built a spectacular-looking pyramid on the beach, in fact it was a stack of firewood likely to be fired anytime. Abhorrent Bush was urgent to set a fire by using the way of “exporting revolution” to present their “administration” “one part” in Europe, one part for the United States, and the other for the East Country.” But its consequence was very likely to send him to the Hague international court. Here I would like to state again that the Boxers didn’t send him, because they had qualification and power. Those who abandoned Bush would be the people of the United States and the international community. He was not powerful as Roosevelt.
Now turn to the next question: Such as the United States-North Korea War, the role and impact on the process of war of North Korean comprehensive national strength, military strategy and social structure.
After the ruling of Kim Jong II, based on comprehensive consideration of the situation at home and abroad, especially after the deterioration of the domestic economy, in addition to the emphasis of “military first” on administration that meant all the works of the country regarded military issues as the center, implemented “whole country as fortress”, “whole armies as cadres” and a series of major principles of army building and military training with substance content, and always prepared to fight. Its essence was to build a militarism based on almightiness, the overall society and planning economy. This was a sharp contrast against China’s “economic construction as the center”. In fact, everything was done to defense, and there was only one imaginary enemy. Future developments proved that Kim Jong II was very far-sighted. “This storm is always coming, it do not transfer relying on man’s will and is the combination of factors at home and abroad.” Kim Jong II had already prepared for today’s “nuclear crisis” that was prepared to fight.
Kim Jong II understood the United States, to know each other. In the prospects of destroying together, the United States could dispel the purpose of snuffing the North Korea and North Korea could live. In contrast, Bush did not understand Kim Jong II and also North Korea.
What was military first? In the most serious famine time in North Korea, some veterans and other leaders suggested to use strategic grain to solve the famine. Kim Jong II firmly said, “No. It can only be used during the war.”
What was the whole country as the fortress? This was a huge systematic project.
The first line was the “Maginaol Line” of a few dozen kilometers width throughout the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan near the Three-Eight Line. At that year, on the basis of the tunnel, China’s Volunteers constructed for decades to be a secret underground network Great Wall, bunkers and anti-tank moats and landmine districts were on the ground. On the road of visiting Panmunjom, you can clearly see these facilities on the ground. Especially the Panmunjom extends to the northeast until the Sea of Japan and this area are the mountains. The Shangganling Mountain that is difficult to forget is there. Fifty years ago, more than 10,000 Chinese young people were buried there. “A river widens as waves, wind flows the rice flower to perfume the two sides…”, this famous patriotic song was flown from the trenches of Shangganling through the bodies of young people of China, the United States and South Korea to the west and over the border of China and North Korea to the whole land, and people sang for 50 years.
The second line of defense was Pyongyang and the surrounding mountains. Pyongyang Metro was doubled deep than Beijing Subway, which was for the need of war rather than geological engineering needs. The city formed a huge three-dimensional stronghold. Some streets in the urban areas prohibited to cross, only if you had the special permits. Checkpoints were set between urban and rural areas to inspect permits. The highway from Pyongyang to Sinuiju was about 260 kilometers, along the road there were a dozen checkpoints guarded by regular army armed with assault rifles. Other roads were so basically. If you didn’t have a permit, no place you could go; it was not just against foreigners but also for its residents. Buying train tickets must have proof, so most people did not have travelling freedom.
The third line of defense was most important, and it was the lifeblood of the State. If North Korea could guard the war zone in the large scale mountains extending from Changbai Mountain to the churchyard of North Korea, it could be able to recover the country. The historical experience in 50 years ago had proven it. The victory of the first and the second campaigns of Chinese Volunteers were in this area. The glorious memory in Huangcao Mountain, Sansuoli, Longyuanli and other places was left in Chinese people’s minds. Americans were very clear that their current means of war were not sufficient to easily extinguish the flames of war here.
North Korea was neither the Taliban in Afghanistan, nor Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, there were many differences. The most important one was the “whole country as the fortress” of social organization, namely the Korean-style social organization and structure of “politics and religion”.
In the villages, there were still the producer cooperatives of soldiers and civilians of Bao-Jia system. Once things happened, villages fought for themselves and buried the American soldiers in the people’s war. Systems of the Party, the Mission, government, production management and various militia groups were cross-cutting and difficult to make collective surrender of the villages. In the cities you belonged to the unit, grain cards of your whole family (wife and children) were issued by the unit, once for a whole month or a half month. A person belonged to no unit, whose family was without food. Even now a large number of factories and enterprises laid off, personnel must go to the unit to learn and receive food (I have seen the units to dispense the Chinese cabbage, the sweet potato and other things). Therefore, the units formed fighting organizations, and the gates of many companies were guarded by the national self-defense forces holding the assault rifles, which could be seen from the Yalu River. It was said that there were 600,000 full-time SDF and 1.2 million regular armies. As a result the country was essentially one big barrack, was thoroughly tied to the chariot of the Party for devotion. Dedicating all to the Party was the highest and the only sacred mission of your existence. Because from any angle the Party represented you three times: on behalf of your present, past and future; on behalf of your fundamental interests, direction of advanced culture and development. “The people always die, but death has different significance. Sima Qian of China said that the death is as heavy as Tai Mountain or as light as feather. To die for the Party or the “fatherly leader” was as heavy as Tai Mountain. Life is precious, and love is of a higher price; if to die for the Party, the two can be thrown. Therefore, “regardless of any difficulties and hardships of the occasion, as long as there is a person, this person will continue to fight.”
What was the whole army as cadres? It requested each soldier’s exercise must be in accordance with the standard of the team leader. Once the war needed, they could quickly and efficiently make expansion. More importantly, the never faded slogans were carved on the wrists of many middle-level, basic-level cadres, and the slogans were all kinds of faithful vows. It was clear that there was a Party defense army, waiting for actions to protect the armed forces “winning the war, do not change portliness”. Compatible with this, you can often see such a slogan: invincible main stream of idea, Hooray!
To sum up, once this war between North Korea and the United States broke out, it would be very tragic. There didn’t lack of wise people in the White House and the Pentagon, though they said for two years, the action was few. Wars and sanctions were not so hard.
From the perspective of South Korea to see North Korea nuclear crisis. South Korea was the greatest in the four little dragons in Asia, ranked first in comprehensive national strength. The basic reason for economic growth was the Cold War. A small half of the Korean nation was the biggest victims of the Cold War, and the other big half was the biggest beneficiaries of the Cold War. In the past 50 years of the Cold War history, this situation appearing in a nation was the first in the world. For more than 50 years Korea and the United States markets had been linkable. Do not talk about all kinds of economic aid and the reduction of military spending of stationed U.S. forces, only the annual income of thousands of U.S. troops stationed for 50 years was an astronomical figure. If our Liaoning Province had 100,000 U.S. troops stationing each year, there would no laid-off problems, and reviving the old industrial bases would be possible. Of course they would not come and we would also not agree with it. Over the years Japan had supported South Korea a lot. The industrial base from 50 years of colonial rule and the historical traditions, and other important factors made the GDP of South Korea reach the level of US$ 10000 per capita. Hegel once said, and the great historical figures and great historical events always appear as a twice, once as a tragedy, one as a comedy. Tragicomedy experiences of Korean nation in more than 50 years of the Cold War era of human beings again confirmed the alarming prediction of the great philosopher on the historical development. For the Korean peninsula and the Korean nation, the four powers as the United States, Japan, Russia and China were the director and main actors in the Tragicomedy, and using peaceful way to solve the North Korea nuclear crisis as soon as possible was the right way in the world.
The South Korean people would not agree any person to use any way out of peaceful means to resolve the North Korea nuclear crisis, “national self-determination right” was first put forward by a highly respected veteran President Wilson in the United States and gradually became the universal value. I firmly believe that the United States would be rational and calm in handling the North Korea nuclear crisis.
In Pyongyang
If the train could arrive in Pyongyang on time, every passenger would be pleased. As we rarely saw in other places all over the world such delayed trains that existed today in North Korea. The railways were aged highly as if they suffered from nephrosis syndrome as many bed timbers became broken by the middle, rails should have been replaced and electric locomotives also became too old. Power transmission lines were easily becoming creepage due to aging. Main artery of national economics suffered from a serious disease. The original reason was that there were poor steel, manufacture of building materials and electric power industry. Previous contents mentioned about poor industries like textile, chemical, food, manufacture of building materials and electric power etc. Reasons of each poor industry would not be analyzed below in details.
Pyongyang was a very pretty city, and Daedong River and its branches passed through downtown and left some lakes. As it’s over 80 li away from Yellow Sea when walked from Daedong River to Changbai Mount. District, the sea winds could come along to ensure clean and cool air all the year round. Therefore, it’s praised as one of cities which were most suitable for human inhabitation by related organization of U.N. There was no pollution and smoking chimney except electric power plants. A small group of widgeons and seabirds often played over the river and lake surfaces that we could not find in small cities and rural areas. It became a sharp contrast in impression as we hardly saw chickens, pigs, cows, horses, sheep, dogs, ducks and gooses etc or even small birds in rural areas due to no feedstuff for them or wild animals being captured up for meals. So were rats and hares. But it’s different in Pyongyang. There were a lot of high buildings and mansions built before 1990s. The streets were very clean. When we climbed high, we had a bird’s eye view that hills in the west and north encircled Pyongyang City located at one corner of Daedong River. The sightseeing all the year round was different. Though buildings in Pyongyang became out of date, it still remained a metropolitan city which reflected previous brilliance. There was about over 1 million people in Pyongyang but few people could be seen on the broad roads or wide distance between buildings or even at weekends.
Pyongyang was constructed on one wasteland and planned by experts from Soviet with strong marks left by Kim II Sung time after Korean wars ceased. Many high and splendid buildings with national characteristics were dotted sparely among downtown and became his best monuments. There were a dozen of large stadiums built together but with very low rate of utilization daily. They seemed deserted and empty and became a great waste.
The first thing that almost all foreigners who visited Pyongyang must do was to sacrifice flowers and stand in silent tribute to the giant statue of Kim II Sung standing on one small highland at downtown. It’s compulsory to do it or else you would not be allowed to be here. Only this matter made you to understand at once who the nation belonged to and what category its nature was divided into.
Impressive scenes in Pyongyang came from a lot of pretty young traffic policewomen who were on duty by the roads and left a pretty landscape, and pretty women who worked in service industries such as shops, restaurants and hotels, so they reflected that the government attached high importance to image projects and superficial articles. Another impressive scene was that we hardly saw smiles on the faces of people or even bitter smiles except business contacts (such as with salesmen at shops). Though almost enterprises were suspended, people at the street came and gone in a hurry. There were few easy-going people, few cars on roads and few bikes. Most of people walked on foot. The one who came here for the first time would feel that, all aspects of all walks of life here were very simple, no newspaper booths, newspaper show column, toilets, car parking places, cooling drink shops and dustbins…,everywhere there was no blatancy that should have in any cities, and it seemed a silent society as a whole. Due to shortage of oil and power, buses were very few and subways run on time. A lot of people waiting for buses during the rush hours stood there seriously and solemnly in cold winds with thin and old-fashioned winter clothes especially in the evening of winter, and they seemed not to be afraid of coldness. No fat persons and even policemen were slim too. All seemed under malnutrition generally.
One officer as a director-general of department received wages of about three or four thousand Korea-North Won monthly which was equal to RMB30 to 40 converted by exchange rate of 1:17 between RMB and Korea-North Won stipulated by the state but 1:100 to 130 in black markets. The price was greatly low as materials were supplied by planned economy. But the supply could not meet the demand or they were out of stock such as rice and food. Each officer worked for government received 28 jin foodstuff which could not meet his demand without other sources. The shortage part had to be made up by themselves in farm product markets which were new things after reform and opening up and became legalized within these years. As 90% products came from China, prices would be higher 10 or 20 percent than that in China. Therefore, you could imagine how the life of a director of a clean and honest department would be.
But there were still two rich walks of life though most of people were poor generally, namely one with foreign currency including over 4 million overseas compatriots and North Koreans with foreign nationalities living overseas, about 2 million of this kind in China, about 0.7 or 0.8 million in Japan and 0.2 or 0.3 million respectively in U.S. and Canada and the rest dotted in different places all over the world. They transferred money annually to relatives at home together with some from South Korea which meant great support to their lives. The money of this kind also supported political power indirectly. Generally overseas Chinese in North Korea lived better lives. During most difficult times years ago, there were some vicious incidents occurred in Pyongyang in which People's Army officers entered Chinese' homes and robbed Chinese by taking guns at night. By the way, logistics of Chinese embassy here was supplied by offices of foreign affairs of Dandong City and things would be sent by trucks from Dandong to Pyongyang' embassy every week. Officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not want to work in Pyongyang. It’s said Chinese used to live in rural areas of North Korea were convened to the cities under most difficult period. It’s a protective policy implemented under pressure of diplomacy. In fact, North Korea would understand clearly that, the brother could turn hostile anytime when you needed him. No matter what you were, socialist country or capitalist country, brother-like party or nation, older brother Soviet beat you and younger brother Vietnam beat you. Compared with them, we did treat you well or even became hostile if you push too much.
The initiator of the deadly locked The relations between China and North Korea was our distinguished Comrade Xiaoping. This was the truth of the history. Comrade Kim II Sung was not happy when China carried out reform and opening up, but had nothing to do as it’s about internal affairs of other. When one was in all corners of the country and central government, he cannot help doing it. During 1989 political event, Western world led by U.S. took collective sanction against China. Comrade Xiaoping had to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea starting from pragmatic need of breaking Western blockade.
We could imagine the bad feeling that Kim II Sung had at that time, he could not fall asleep for days due to great anger as if he would be fooled and forsaked. He started to fight back after calming himself. Contest between two giants began but their generations were different, for one was a “son” of Chinese people and another one was “kind father” of North Korean people. The older one attempted carefully and politely to establish diplomatic relations equally with Taiwan, but the younger one turned into great anger and notified him we would break off diplomatic relations if he would do so. The older moved back. After that, China failed in bidding for Olympics for one less vote, “kind father” slapped “son” in his face. It’s not enough, and unluckily Boss Zhu joined in it. He was transferred into the central government from Shanghai. He had his moment so he wanted to show something to the world. For example, two events were well-known such as chain debts and few people knew the third one in which he wanted to solve issue of seaports of Tumen River. This event was too long to describe in details. In a word, Chairman Kim did not agree with it. China did not act reasonably as North Korea. What reason China based on was Treaty of Beijing between Qing China and Tsarist Russia indicating that the boundary was Wusuli River and Qing government ceded to the territory by the east of Tumen River, but North Korea at that time was not entitled to sign the treaty as it was affiliated to China. Moreover, there was no definite boundary line between China and North Korea at that time. Afterwards, in 1964, when boundary line was made between China and North Korea, no wise men from foreign affairs bureau of Department of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs who could forward messages to the central government, had not maintained sea rights in Tumen River for China, and China could not connect to Japan Sea by margin of 15 kilometers. Chinese had to regret it. It meant great pity to Zhu Rongji and other people. It’s not reasonable enough that old treaty signed 100 years ago was taken out to show to North Korea. Why didn’t you take out boundary agreement signed in 1964? It became a another great-nation chauvinism so North Korea refused it toughly for retaliating China on establishing relations with South Korea in fact. Zhu was slapped on his face and he remembered it in heart and tried to seek chances to fight back. Finally he got a chance to fight back on Sinuiju. These were brief introduction to communication history between second and third generations and Kim father and son. Xiaoping said, Sino-US relations would become normal finally. The fourth generation added one more that The relations between China and North Korea would also become normally, but it cost much more to make it up.
Many people would not understand well why North Korea had developed to such a status suddenly? In fact it would not charge upon Kim II Sung totally who could not create history as desired, and became also the creature of the age. When we watched that age with telescope, it was found to be originated from competition for Northeast Asia between Japan and Russia during which Russia lost and moved back into Southern Manchuria. The Korean Peninsula belonged to Russia if Japan lost. After that in a war, Japan lost in 1945 and moved out of Korean Peninsula and Taiwan. According to Yalta Agreement, Soviet army occupied Dalian, Mid-east railways and North Korea and confirmed its protection right over Outer Mongolia. China and North Korea were victims of Yalta Agreement. Kim II Sung left Vladivostok, landed by Wonsan and went back to his motherland by taking warship of Soviet army on September 19th 1945, then to Pyongyang by train and came into power with the help of Soviet army.
During great resistance wars against Japan in which North Korean people fought for rescuing nation and seeking survival that lasted for half of a century, thousands upon thousands of national heroes came into being, of which on October 26th 1909, Ahn Joong-keun, a Korean patriot killed by gun Ito Hirobumi, a supervisor of Japanese Office stationed in Korea (namely governor-general). This was an important event in modern history of Korea. On the one hand, Ahn Joong-keun’s success greatly aroused enthusiasm of public in resistance wars against Japan; on the other hand, it accelerated the process of Japan emerging Korea. In the following year, Korea lost its nation on August 29th. Some Koreans joined in China after they lost their nation and took China as the base of resistance wars against Japan and national renaissance. Moreover, October Revolution started and brought them Marxism-Leninism. Communist International assigned staff to organize Korean Communist when was only 13 years old studying in Yuwen High School of Jilin City and did not participate in anything with Korean Communist yet. Afterwards, he took part in CPC, and acted only a party member cadre of base during joint army in assistance against Japan; at that time many Koreans in CPC were more famous for him. Choe Yong Gon was not mentioned; Kim Won-feng acted as a commander of Korean detachment of Balu Army who started resistance wars in Taihang Mountain; Wu Ting acted as a director of staff section of a department of Balu Army; Zheng Lucheng, well-known composer, who composed army anthems for Balu Army and People’s Army of Korea; Xu Zhenshu was an active female cadre in Yan’an……There was another groups who carried out national liberation movements by depending on Kuomintang. The pioneer character was Jin Qiu who enjoyed a universal reputation and established Korean exile government with the support of Kuomin government. Jin Qiu showed great adoration of Ahn Joong-keun and imitated him to carry out a lot of assassinations, of which the most famous event was a bombing at Hongkou Park which killed and injured 13 Japanese officers by cooperating with Wang Yaqiu in Shanghai on April 29th 1932. Kwai Chung-kwong, a ambassador stationed in China broken his legs and senior general Hideki was killed during the bombing, who was the highest officer killed during resistance wars against Japan. Hongkou Park Event shocked the whole world. When Songhu Resistance war was over, it aroused greatly Chinese enthusiasm in resistance against Japan, shocked Japanese government and public as well as international conference being held on East Asia issues in Genevese. Korean patriots such as An Chang-ho, Yoon Bong-gil, An Chang-jie and Kim Tian shan made great contribution too.
Zhou Enlai said, during carrying out Northeast revolution, Korean comrades played a leading role. The sentence meant many meanings of which it meant Korean covered up 90% among East China Communist Party for a long time.
Kim II Sung also was a famous hero in resistance wars against Japan. He was born in a family who took charge of taking care of tombs in Man King Terrace, Pyongyang on April 15th 1912. His first name was Kim Sung-chu. According to geomantic omen of Chinese, Man King Terrace was very nice place. He went to China when he was 12. His father, uncles and brothers were all patriots. He organized army for resistance against Japan when he grew up. He acted a caption of one branch affiliated to No.1 Lu Army of Resistance Joint Army led by Gen. Yang Jingyu, a famous hero. This branch was made up of Koreans of which the ones survived from cruel and bloody resistance wars against Japan and followed their captain to return back to their motherland and then became first groups of senior officers of Kim dynasty. No.1 Lu Army of Resistance Joint Army including General Yang Jingyu was turned into complete collapse but the branch of Kim II Sung was survived due to his wisdom and heroism. Flexible guerrilla against besieging at boundary between China and Korea helped a lot this Korean branch but Yang Jingyu did not have this kind of condition. In 1939, he led a branch of over 300 persons to move into Soviet under instruction of Communist International and incorporated into No.88 Independent Troop of Far East Military District of Soviet Army of which he acted as a major director of No.1 battalion. No.88 Independent Troop was also called “International Troop” including affiliated troops such as Chinese Troop, Korean battalion, Poland battalion and Czechic battalion etc. Zhou Baozhong acted as the director of the troop, Cui Yongjian as political commissar and Liu Yalou as chief of staff. Most of members were Chinese. In Siberia real Communist International referred to this troop.
One hero in resistance wars against Japan with ideal, dream and patriotism came into power supported by Soviet Red Army and dissimilated to be a Stalinist. One old saying came true, as when one was among waves of seas, he could not help doing it. He never dreamed of and imagined that he would become an emperor of a small red empire born delivered by sword bayonets of Soviet Army. Many cadres who were of senior qualification, greater contribution and higher position were not favored by Comrade Stalin and designated to be “cores” due to too deep relations with China.
“Father-like leader” did not suit him as he created the party, Korean Labor Party and original Communist Party was not used any more. He created army, Korean People’s Army which was expanded led by the army led by him. He created the nation—we could not say it’s Soviet Red Army created it.
In June 1950, under instruction of Comrade Stalin, Kim II Sung commanded by himself the People’s Army to take swoop to start wars. As a result, it resulted in heavy disaster to Korea people of millions killed and injured in wars. It also brought great harm to Chinese people. When (or before) Mao Zedong shook hands with Nixon, he would regret in heart to take part in that unrighteous war which did not do anything good to Chinese but lost people and properties as Mao Zedong still was a nationalist. If the characterization was right, it would be so upon logical reasoning.
Before Comrade Xiaoping made his mind to establish South Korea, he thought about this certainly. He thought, it did not mean a lot to violate the convention a little, China paid out too much for them. Since I was brave enough to violate regulations of Marxism-Leninism by reform and opening up, what else could I violate? As I went to France from Sichuan for studies for the purpose of rescuing nation and people, Marxism-Leninism served only as a method which could be replaced with another one if it did not work any more. Any who could capture mouse became a good cat no matter what color it was. In that year, many leaders from central government did not agree to dispatch troops to North Korea and Comrade Xiaoping took charge of Southwest situation in Chongqing and had no right to make opinions in Zhongnanhai. After that, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Chen Yun and Lin Biao agreed not to dispatch troops. Mao prevailed over all dissenting views on his own way but he also regretted about it for a sequela of Taiwan issue which would be solved in one hundred year that he said to Kissinger.
In 1950, in Korean Peninsula, who could indicate three represents in view of today? Truman, MacArthur or Li Chengwan indicated three represents of development direction of advanced productivity, advanced culture and basic interest of North Korean people, or else it could not explain the same nationality and land were the world of difference.
Land of three thousand li could not stand too much sadness and sixty years could not resist too long waiting. North Korean people under heavy hardship had been expecting days and nights and shouted silently in bitter hearts that a Son of Heaven, or wise emperors, please step a road to reform and opening up as what China did, and we just longed for enough food. One old overseas Chinese told me, now living was much worse than that in Japanese time when people could have enough food and clothes. Guards now acted more toughly than military police of Japan. Standers-by understood stability prevailed over everything.
As a matter of fact, food was in shortage in the north of Korean Peninsula when it’s ruled by Japan. But the peninsula was unitive, and Great East Asia Mutual Prosperity Circle namely previous Small East Asia Mutual Prosperity Circle, a common market made up of Japan, Korean Peninsula and Northeastern regions of China. It carried out a transfer of controlled economy under baton of Japanese. At that time Northeastern people could not eat rice or else become economic criminal. Rice was transferred to Japan and North Korea so North Korea was not in shortage of food at that time. Afterwards, Small East Asia Mutual Prosperity Circle collapsed and was replaced by Council for Mutual Economic Aid Common Market which played an important role. The fertilizers were supplied abundantly but the yield dropped down as hardened land was resulted by fertilizers used frequently for a long time. North Korea covered a large area land of over 130,000 sq.km. but three fourths of land was covered by mountainous areas and hills which were not suitable for planting cereal crops. Population was bigger than that in 60 years ago so the pressure became greater too. Communication at three aspects was allowed between two sides of 38 Line before 1950 Korean War, but 38 Line and Berlin wall were sealed totally after ceasefire. Reform and opening up were carried out on the west of Yalu and selfless aid became less and less from brother-like party. Chairman Kim was able to deal with it calmly but had to repair one end thanks to help of older brother. He had only received education of junior high school, so he always ignored another end. Who could imagine older brother would collapse suddenly at one night. North Korean economy used to depend on transnational economic system but suddenly turned into poor situation which was worse than that in Lee Dynasty who maintained the land as a whole. But could now only half of the land support solely socialist mansion achieved by Comrade Stalin? It’s impossible.

December 25, 1991 was Christmas Day which shocked the whole world with world-shaking change, and started an epoch of humankind history. At 7:30 pm, Soviet national flag was set down at Kremlin to declare an end to global cold-war era.
The event shocked Oriental Bolsheviki so that many senior officers were put into fear along with a lot of private discussions saying that Soviet (established in 1924) was such a strong country, why would it collapse suddenly when it lasted for less than 70 years and could we stand for 70 years? In spring of 1985, Li Peng visited East Europe and went back to Moscow for meeting Chinese students abroad in the embassy. He said Bulgaria developed so rapidly and thought it went nearer to Communism. Who could imagine it would collapse in four years and so did Soviet in another two years.
When the public was brought into a chaos, Comrade Xiaoping delivered a speech requesting everyone not to be worried and panic but calm our minds. In over one month after Soviet collapsed, he visited the South immediately. The second spring of reform and opening up in China began.
Chairman Kim was a shrewd and capable man and he also thought of future roads after Soviet collapsed. He could not do what Xiaoping did in the South as 38 Line blocked him. In the North he paid attention to Rajin-Sonbong region and he made up his mind to establish development zone there. But weasels loved biting sick ducks. When it’s time that North Korea adjusted its policies, great strategy of Chairman Kim was destroyed by the event that China established diplomatic relations with South Korea. It was why Chairman Kim was foamed with rage.
In fact the basic reason was that when Soviet collapsed, it would result in its hangers-on dispersed. In the spring of 1989, West great powers carried out collective sanction against China who was not worried about it as it had a major suit in its hands – Soviet. We would “lean to one side” if we were pushed too much. On August 2nd 1990, Gulf Crisis broke out but China was given a chance to gasp for breath. Its major suit was gone when Soviet collapsed. What could we do next? Workers of Daqing oil were requested to create conditions. Major suit was gone and minor suit had to be looked for and finally turned to South Korea. Comrade Xiaoping also was pushed by the overall situation. He assigned Yang Shangkun to negotiate with North Korea the issue of establishing diplomatic relations with South Korea in about one month after he went back to Beijing from visit tour in the South. Kim II Sung disagreed to it clearly though he indicated it very politely. After that, Sino-North Korea began to get worsening gradually and North Korea got closer to Taiwan gradually.
In Pyongyang bookstores, works of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao Zedong were seldom found but they were full of works of the father and the son of Kim. Along with disintegration of the USSR, terribly ideology of Marxism-Leninism would collapse too so did people’s souls. One person, one system and one political power needed souls. But the soul of the ideology could not be created and difficult to be believed and accepted in short time. Only disciplines remained in political power if the soul was gone. “Disciplines should be enhanced to ensure unfailing revolution”. The shortage of the soul was filled by the disciplines.
The one would collapse certainly if he became sick. Once he was gone, his country would become weak and sick too. The decease of Kim II Sung became a safety fuse to cause overall breakdown of their economy. In that year, it got effect instantly and proved again that agriculture was the foundation of national economy. Planned economy was a system of high consumption but low efficiency and always operated under ill condition from beginning to end. North Korea was also no exceptional. North Korea had many natural advantages and rich mineral resources to develop its economy such as coal mine resources with large reserves and low coal seams. US B29 bombers served ever as part-time team members of geological exploration. Coals came out sometimes when bombs were thrown into the ground. Others included copper, iron with great quantity, uranium and lithium etc. Fishery and sea water culture industries should have been developed as it was surrounded by sea on two sides, but it constructed farmlands by filling sea areas. They should have adjusted measures to local conditions and developed multi-businesses of agriculture, forest, pasture and sideline into comprehensive application in large area of mountainous areas, but they did not develop them. The state revenue had to depend on supplies of others. But very little money left after spending on great military expenditure. The little money left was spent in China-styled director project. For example, in 1988 one high building of 105 stories, the highest building in Asia, was built in the downtown of Pyongyang. But cement framework was still standing there for 16 years so far, and became a symbol of economic breakdown. The regions could not produce much revenue no matter it’s to level or county level. Therefore, in to and county government, the town planning seem worse, more obsolete and ruined than that in Pyongyang.
All things would develop in the opposite direction when they became extreme. When the economy collapsed, the power of the regions became greater on the contrary. On the one hand, the central could not supply and meet the actual demand of all systems, as a result the administrative systems lost their effectiveness to a great extent and cohesiveness was reduced greatly and resulted in independence; on the other hand, as personnel of regional and all systems (including enterprises and establishments) could not have enough supply for living and they all went to do other things for living. Black market came into being and became legal existence slowly. It covered a wide range, of which many lines could not be seen. As long as you had money, what were most welcomed were U.S. dollars no matter who you were, cadres of the party, military officers and policemen who would be very excited at U.S. dollars. As they were humans first of all, they had to face food, clothes, house and communication problems for their families in every morning but not party’s flag, national emblem or other things. Black market was very popular among the public because you could buy everything or even cars and houses. There were no open markets of house trade but paid transfer of use right of houses held privately. Cars had to be affiliated to one entity and licenses could be obtained with little money. More details would not be attached here for other things. Because there was heavy shortage in necessaries of daily life set and limited by the permits, they had to go to farm product markets and black markets for filling the shortage. So two-tier system of price came into being naturally. Economic reform moved forwards slowly little by little. Kim Jong II understood well that if he let things go hang, it would result in serious outcome. After he thought and made choice carefully, he had no hesitation in pushing out the great action of reform and opening up, namely Sinuiju Special Administrative Region which resulted in Yang Bin event.
Objectively, wise men from the third generation of government understood the establishment of Sinuiju Special Administrative Region, but they did not account for the majority. Moreover, some leaders of Liaoning Province did not play a good role in it. When wise men from the fourth generation of government accounted for the majority, the Sixteenth Three Central Plenary Session passed the resolution on developing old industrial base in Northeast and changed the attitude towards Sinuiju Special Administrative Region. Yang Bin would feel gratified for younger generation who could make contribution for Sinuiju.
Final result of Six-party Talks would be certainly a happy ending and become a standing body gradually which would carry out talks and negotiations on any unpredictable situations occurred in Korean Peninsula. If so, it would bring great benefit to peace and development of Northeast Asia. U.S. and North Korea would make concession and other four parties would also make commitment for being responsible for peace and development of the peninsula. Wars here would not start any more and political balance would be maintained further. U.S. would seek new chances and little conflicts and limited sanctions would happen again.
The development and the evolvement of North Korea in future were related closely to the following key points:
I． After it gains this chance, it would surely try its best to develop its economy to get rid of passive situation by reform and opening up.
II． U.S., China and South Korea will still have the most important impact on North Korea in future.
III． No matter how hard North Korea tries to work, it could not catch up with South Korea. It’s a very long way to realize the reunification of both parties, but finally the South will reunify the North. The time is only subject to the safety of one person and one idea while the third generation of Kim will be unable to make it.
Finally I wish cordially once again great Democratic People's Republic of Korea early happiness and renaissance! Buddha blesses them! (End)



(The article was excerpted online and deleted by a little during reference. Many information in the article would be good for readers but do not represent the opinions of the quoter. )