[WARNING: Viewing the Uriminzokirri website and related video is currently illegal in South Korea.]
While South Korean media are prohibited from explicit endorsement of presidential candidates, North Korean media have been eager to tell southern voters why they should pick anyone but Park-Geun-hye. Calling her a dictator in the same mold as her father, former President Park Chung-hee, the Rodong Sinmun, Uriminzokirri, and the Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland predict further North-South conflict if Park Geun-hye wins the December 19th election.
Among the steady stream of North Korean election criticism, the most remarkable may be the September Youtube parody of Psy’s “Gangnam Style” created by North Korean media organization Uriminzokirri. In the video, an image of Park Geun Hye dances to Psy’s music and is accompanied by confessions of support for the Yushin Dictatorship and support for its brutalities.
Like most political observers in South Korea, North Korean media also believe that a coalition between the two opposition candidates is necessary if they are to overcome the challenge posed by Park Geun-hye. Although Democratic United Party candidate Moon Jae-in and independent Ahn Cheol-soo have publicly welcomed the idea of a coalition, it still remains unclear who would ultimately be the presidential candidate in any such arrangement.
The South Korean government has criticized North Korea’s comments about its elections, a criticism the People’s Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland then called “an unspeakable disgrace”.
From Dong-a Ilbo:
North Korean Intervention in South Korea’s Presidential Election:
Concerning the New Frontier Party and Park Geun-hye
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September 27th, A representative from the Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland said, “Every class of South Chosun [South Korean] society must resist the trickery of the Saenuri Party and ‘forbid the rebirth of a second Yushin Dictatorship‘
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September 29th, a representative from the Policy Department of the National Defense Committee said, “Park Geun-hye is overreaching in her claims to the Northern Limit Line
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September 30th, KCNA reported, “Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye is deceiving her people. If the Saenuri Party retains power in this election, then South Chosun will become a hell on earth for its citizens.”
Concerning the opposition candidates:
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August 6th, the Rodong Sinmun reported, “recent polls in South Chosun indicated that Moon Jae-in would be the most appropriate person for the presidency.”
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September 21st, Uriminzokirri Television reports, “Director Ahn Cheol-soo is shaping up to be the biggest variable in this election. Experts say this is an expression of the people’s desire for a new kind of politics.”
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November 4th, the Rodong Sinmun reports, “While the Saenuri Party makes noises about the Northern Limit Line and abandoning security, the opposition candidates echo our own concerns and are attacking such statements.”
Concerning a coalition between the opposition candidates:
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September 29th, the Rodong Sinmun reports, “South Chosun’s progressives have a good tradition of forming coalitions. It is the will of the people that the progressive candidates form a coalition for the presidential election.”
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October 13th, Uriminzokirri reports, “among progressives, the formation of a coalition is a foregone conclusion. Only the time and the manner of the coalition has yet to be determined. Foreign media also have high expectations of a coalition between South Chosun progressive candidates.”
The Kim Jong Un regime continues its blatant interference in the upcoming South Korean presidential election, due to take place on December 19th. At the same time, Kim is attempting to strengthen his power structure through a “military shakeup”.
The Rodong Sinmun, party organ for the Worker’s Party, stated on November 15th, “if we are to save North-South relations, which are currently close to complete ruin, then a power capable of rescinding the confrontational policies, respecting our race, and carrying out a peace plan must take control…If a movement capable of dialogue takes control in the South and moves toward improvement in the North-South relationship, then there will be a restart of cooperation and exchange industries between our nations.”
Earlier on the 3rd, the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland urged that “all levels of South Chosun society prevent the Saenuri Party from retaining power and carry out a change in regimes on the occasion of this presidential election.”
In contrast to their characterization of Saenuri Candidate Park Geun-hye as “the revival of a second Yushin Dictatorship,” North Korean media have published rosy descriptions of the opposition candidates, saying, “recent polls in South Chosun indicated that Moon Jae-in would be the most appropriate person for the presidency,” and “Ahn Cheol-soo’s announcement that he would run for president is an expression of the people’s desire for a new kind of politics.”
As North Korea carries out a purge and wave of demotions among the upper ranks of its military, it is creating tension around the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea by deploying advance units in the vicinity. North Korean comments about the Southern election can be interpreted as an attempt to fortify the foundations of the regime’s power. The election of a progressive government would make it more likely that the South would give material support to Kim Jong Un’s government.
North Korean soldiers are hard at work carrying out “election interference through social networking services”, while they are all thinking “food and plenty comes from the Sunshine Policy (cartoon from The Independent)
Recently, North Korea has been reinforcing and running exercises for the advance units stationed in the vicinity of Yeonpyeong and other islands in the West Sea. It has been reported that the artillery units on Jangjae and Mu that led the barrage on Yeonpyeong Island in November of 2010 have been reinforced. The bases have started work on fortifications and underground bunkers.
Comments from The Dong-a Ilbo:
동네주민:
Another article tarring Moon Jae-in as a communist ke ke
모아이:
Germany, which was divided at roughly the same time as our own nation, was able to reunite 22 years ago and now stands as the strongest country in Europe. It is because of our miserable politicians who seek to take advantage of the division issue that it has remained for so long out of our grasp. Our dream is unification.
김영한:
Well, I don’t agree with the third paragraph of this article but let us first have a good laugh. If the Saenuri Party takes power South Chosun “will become a hell on earth”?? haha, ridiculous, they need to first take care of their urgent problems before they turn their focus on the South. Does anything change if they swap out their ministers? You’re the problem
뉴데일리:
Did these criticisms come from North Korea or from inside the Democratic Party? Is the party of late President Roh Moo-hyun North Korea’s mouthpiece? Or is North Korea President Roh’s mouthpiece?
joshChang:
North Korea is the hell on earth.. their people starve to death,, they send their young women to China,, they butcher their beggars to sell on the street and then sell off Mount Baektu .. They will fall into ruin soon enough..chuh chuh
자유인:
Now that I know that North Korea hates Park Geun-hye I know I’m going to vote for her
김용진:
North Korean news is better than the right wing press in South Korea, that’s a fact
믹스너트:
Search “Kim Il Sung Diplomatic Document” and you will find out about the relationship between the liberals and North Korea, search “Sa-mang-yu-hee” and you will learn about Moon and Roh’s plan to give Incheon to North Korea
이근협:
Keep your eyes on your own problems, the North Koreans will empty bellies who cry out for food, that is the most important task. They’ve lost their senses…
Sangjae Lee:
Is it alright if I laugh at “if the Saenuri Party gains power, then South Chosun will become a hell on earth”? If here is hell than what would you call “North Chosun”? ke ke I’m speechless
자유인:
Would you look at that… is it every day that the party of Jeolla Province and North Korean news has the same editorial line? [Note: Jeolla Province is known for its left wing politics]
Comments from The Chosun Ilbo: [the more conservative newspaper in Korea]
wg****:
It would be good for people to be aware that it is close to treason to receive the endorsement of your nation’s enemy during a time of war.
kang****:
I hope that all who hide their religion and join in with the far left pray to portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. It only seems right for people who believe that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are better than Jesus or Buddha.
co****:
To offer up a metaphor, a sister-in-law who picks at you is worse than a mother-in-law who beats you. But the bigger problem is the South Korean religious organizations that comply with whatever North Korea commands. They don’t function at all like normal religious organizations and could better be called anti-government, anti-state, pro-leftist attackers of their own citizens. They only use religion as an excuse and must be wiped out along with the North Korean regime
ym****:
Time the elections come around North Korea grabs hold of the pro-North Korean groups. In order to ensure the eternal peace and prosperity of our people, religious groups must make a split with the leftist groups. I hope that all religious groups will show their true colors. It is vital that the people don’t forget to watch out for suspicious activities. It is not right for religious groups to work against the people’s prosperity and happiness.
no****:
So the leftists are having a field day it seems. It seems like there are so many young people who forsake propriety and would help turn South Korea into a communist state. Those young people will all turn into boat people on the day that they realize that they have helped to start a communist dictatorship in their own country, turning their back on all of us.
시간마다해****:
False priests, false pastors, go to North Korea and hide from South Koreans as they pay fealty. Don’t you recognize how we are being threatened!!! Go and stay in North Korea, never come back!!!
Prg*:
The People’s Democratic Republic of North Korea is surprisingly ignorant.. Even just by reading the comments here at the Chosun Ilbo you can find out about the opposition to Ahn Cheol-soo, reading Ahn’s book would also give you a pretty good idea. Religious people already have the mindset of blindly following a higher power, so they are well suited to following a dictator and cannot understand South Korean politics. Stop meddling where it is of no use and focus on your own system.
Philel:
We must not trust the future of our country to the leftists in the upcoming election. North Korea is unashamedly interfering in the election and siding with Ahn and Moon. In order to oppose them and keep our country safe and our security future strong, the conservative camp must remain unified and not take one step backward
Kim****:
Why can’t pro-North Korean groups realize that they are being used as tools to advance North Korean policies in the South? Do they have any other goal besides using us and manipulating South Korea?
