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01/18/2005 Archived Entry: "Report: Pro-Democracy Movement in N. Korea"

Posted by steve @ 03:27 AM EST [Link]

I DON'T KNOW IF IT COULD QUITE BE CALLED A MOVEMENT JUST YET: Apparently because someone scrawled some anti-government graffiti on a picture of Kim Jong Il, a democracy "movement" is operating in North Korea.

If authentic, it would be the first time images of dissent in the highly secretive North have come to light. But there was no way to independently confirm the validity of the footage.

The 35-minute videotape, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, shows written statements posted on a wall, urging North Koreans to fight to retrieve freedom and democracy.

A man is heard, but not seen, reading a statement, demanding Kim Jong Il be removed from his post. "The North Korean people are suffering from hunger and poverty because of Kim Jong Il's dictatorship and dogmatic politics," the man says.

I'm not insulting the guy who did this at enormous personal risk but calling this a movement is a bit much.

Read on.