Yumi also posted videos on her channel of her going to an amusement park, enjoying fishing in the river, and learning to exercise at an exercise center.
Even privileged people who are allow smartphones are restricted from using the Internet.
CNN on the 5th (local time) took interest in the videos of their so-called “daily lives” released by North Korean YouTubers, and analyzed the gap between the videos and the true reality of North Korea.
The media reported that the use of the Internet is restricted in North Korea, where freedom of expression and access to information are strictly limited. They also said that a small number of privileged people who are allowed to use smartphones can only access highly censored intranets operated by the government. Therefore, videos of North Korean YouTubers may be part of the propaganda of the North Korean regime, and these YouTubers are likely to be related to high-ranking North Korean officials.
Experts said, “These videos contain clear signs that they are far from the actual daily lives of millions of poor people under Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship.”
Ha Seung-hee, a professor at Dongguk University’s North Korea Research Institute, told CNN, “It is impossible for North Koreans to be connected to the outside world.” Park Sung-chul, a researcher at the North Korean Human Rights Information Center, said, “Yumi’s video looks like a well-prepared play written by the North Korean regime.”
11-year-old North Korean YouTuber claims that “the country provides free home support to grandparents.”
In addition to Yumi, CNN introduced Song Ah, an 11-year-old girl from North Korea. Song-ah said in one of her videos, “This year, 10,000 households were built on Songhwa Street, and my grandfather and grandmother moved after being assigned a house free of charge from the country,” adding, “Isn’t it amazing?”
Since last year, Song-ah has made headlines by posting a video on her YouTube channel that conveys her daily life in fluent British English. Song-ah sits in a study room decorated with globes, books, and dolls, and J.K. With Rowling’s novel “Harry Potter” in her hand, saying it is her favorite book. There is also a video of her at a water park and looking around the science and technology exhibition hall.
However, CNN pointed out, “Any kind of data from overseas such as books and movies are prohibited (in North Korea) and severe punishment is imposed on those caught trafficking them through the black market.” He also said that only some elites, such as high-ranking North Korean officials and their families, can get “luxury items” such as coffee, air conditioners, and scooters.
Earlier, NK News, a media outlet that specializes in North Korea, quoted Tae Young-ho, a member of the People’s Power, saying Song-ah is the daughter of Lim Joon-hyuk, a diplomat at the North Korean Embassy in London, England, and his great-grandfather is Lee Eul-seol, the head of the North Korean People’s Army who died in 2015.
Amusement parks and water parks. Do they really exist?
Regarding North Korean facilities such as amusement parks and water parks that appear in these YouTubers’ videos, experts explained, “It actually exists, but it is not accessible to the general public and is only available to people of a special class.”
It is also said that these facilities are not likely to operate regularly. Researcher Park Sung-chul said, “For example, North Korea does not have a smooth power supply enough to run an amusement park, so I know it only operates on special days such as weekends or on days of filming such videos.”
CNN reported that North Korea’s propaganda tools in the past were posters and videos, but now they have changed to social media such as YouTube videos. Professor Ha Seung-hee said, “North Korea seems to have tried to describe itself as a ‘safe country’ to encourage tourism at a time of economic struggle due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to experts, there have been a rapid increase of need for new propaganda in North Korea since COVID-19, and YouTube vlogs have begun to appear after Chairman Kim Jong-un ordered “creative propaganda.” In addition, YouTube has been blocking North Korea’s propaganda channels for violating the terms of service, so these channels of Yu-mi and Song-ah are in the form of vlogs to avoid restrictions.
BY IM SUN-YOUNG [youngcan@joongang.co.kr]
