1. LiNK
1st General Meeting
February 2, 2011

2. Political Concentration Camps
200,000 “violators” present in political camps across the country
14 locations, now 6 major camps (Amnesty International)
camps have been in operation since the 1950’s
human rights protections ignored
4 of 6 camps produce products randing from soy bean paste & sweets, to coal & cement

3. Political Concentration Camps
reports estimate that 400,000 prisoners have already died
40% of inmates died from malnutrition between
prisoners are not expected to survive because of extreme conditions
“Guilty-by-Association”
many do not know why they are there or what crimes they are accused of

4. Interview of Jeong Kyoungil (Former Political Camp Prisoner, detained from 2000-2003)
“A room around 50m² in size, is where the 30 or 40 political prisoners sleep in. We sleep on some sort of bed made out of a wooden board with a blanket to cover. A day starts at 4am with an early shift, also called the ‘pre-meal shift’, until 7am. Then breakfast from 7am to 8am but the meal is only 200g of poorly prepared corn gruel for each meal. Then there is a morning shift from 8am to 12pm and a lunch until 1pm. Then work again from 1pm to 8pm and dinner from 8pm to 9pm. From 9pm to 11pm, it’s time for ideology education. If we don’t memorize the ten codes of ethics we would not be allowed to sleep. This is the daily schedule.”
 “200g of poorly prepared corn gruel in a bowl would only be given if we finish our daily tasks. If not, we would not be given any food. The daily task is sweeping off overgrown weeds on fields. Everyone would be assigned to 1157 m² of field and only the people who finish off their task would be given food. If you only finish half of your assigned task, you would only be given half of your food.”
“Seeing people die happened frequently – every day. Frankly, unlike in a normal society, we would like it rather than feel sad because if you bring a dead body and bury it, you would be given another bowl of food. I used to take charge of burying dead people’s bodies. When an officer told me to, I gathered some people and buried the bodies. After receiving extra food for the job, we felt glad rather than feeling sad.”

5. What now for North Korea?
December 19, 2011: North Korea announces Kim Jong Il has died of a heart attack, age 69
Kim Jong Un (third and last son of KJI) is now North Korea’s new leader

6. Reunification?

7. What now for North Korea?
Kim Jong Il’s policies & ideals still dominate North Korea
"We should staunchly defend the revolutionary heritage bequeathed by Kim Jong-il, whatever the storm and stress," it said. "Our party... will make no slightest vacillation and concession in implementing the instructions and policies he laid out in his lifetime and... will allow no change in this process." (NK’s New Years Message)
"Kim Jong-un is precisely the great Kim Jong-il."
"foolish politicians around the world, including in South Korea, should not expect any changes from us".

8. What now for North Korea?
Hope for Reform
Jang Song-thaek (uncle of Kim Jung Un) is believed to be the most open to reform
He plays a key role in supporting the young leader, KJU
Kim Jung Un’s young age (29) and 2 years of schooling in Europe have people speculating that he may have a different perspective on government
Unlike Kim Jung Il who spent almost 2 decades under his father’s training to become the “great successor”, Kim Jung Un had very little
September 2010: made four-star general and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party
February 2011: given a senior position on the National Defense Commission, the country’s most powerful body