[KS] Human Bombs
Afostercarter at aol.com
Afostercarter at aol.com
Fri Mar 31 06:50:04 EST 2006
Dear all,
Ruediger poses a very interesting question. Or possibly two.
A. For information: Searching the ever-useful nk-news.net finds
174 uses of the phrase "human bomb" on KCNA in the past decade.
Rhetoric is one thing, action another. Searching "save + portrait"
yields a far smaller sub-set (6) of a fascinating variant: heroes who
saved pictures, busts etc of the Leaders at the cost of their own lives.
I append these stories. In some cases the details are a bit obscure.
But clearly, the Leaders' image is more important than your own life.
There also seems an implication that preserving this inanimate object
takes precedence over saving the real human lives of your comrades
(if forced to choose). But I'm not quite sure if that inference is correct.
Again the same questions arise: Is this unique to North Korea? and/or
where did this come from?
B. The other, wider issue is raised in Ruediger's final sentence.
I take this as an invitation to Methodenstreit, and - as with another
Frank recently - feel impelled to rise to the bait.
but of course back in my mind I expect to find one more instance showing that
North Korea is part of something earthly, not an alien entity from Mars.
1.What exactly is being claimed here? Of course North Korea is on the same
planet. Also of course we all seek explanation, and everything has its cause.
2. But if there is a further implication that the DPRK regime is somehow
normal
- statistically, politically, morally - in its structures, discourses, and
behaviours,
then that is something else entirely. Not only would I dispute this, but I
can't see
why anyone would want to argue this - except, perhaps, as an epistemological
category-mistake when what you really mean is to assert (1) instead.
(Then again, who would deny [1]?)
This one could run and run...
cheers
Aidan
AIDAN FOSTER-CARTER
Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology & Modern Korea, Leeds University
Home address: 17 Birklands Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 3BY, UK
tel: +44(0) 1274 588586 (alt) +44(0) 1264 737634 mobile:
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Email: afostercarter at aol.com (alt) afostercarter at yahoo.com website:
www.aidanfc.net
[Please use @aol; but if any problems, please try @yahoo too - and let me
know, so I can chide AOL]
__________
Korean Women Model after Kim Jong Suk [2005]
Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war hero
and woman commander of Mt. Paektu, is the great paragon for the Korean women.
She showed the spirit of defending the leader with her very life,
revolutionary comradeship and great love for the rising generation. Her noble traits have
served as a priceless heritage which all the Korean women should follow
generation after generation.
In an interview with KCNA, Pak Kum Ju, vice-director of a department of
the Central Committee of the Korean Democratic Women's Union, said the women
are striving hard to model after Kim Jong Suk so as to train themselves as fem
ale revolutionaries. Union members are holding study meetings and gatherings for
expressing impressions on books dealing with her immortal exploits and other
colorful activities for following her noble traits.
Such campaign proves effective in practice.
Ri Kum Bok residing in Rakwon County and Sin Mun Ok in Hamhung City of
South Hamgyong Province protected the portraits of the three generals of Mt.
Paektu from natural disasters that hit their residential quarters.
Yu Chun Hwa in Orang County of North Hamgyong Province saved workers by
shielding a stone rolling down at a power station construction site. Sin Hye
Yong in Jongphyong County, South Hamgyong Province, pulled out a fellow's child
from drowning ahead of her own one.
So Hye Suk in Pyongyang, Ri Hui Sun in North Hamgyong Province and Pak
Myong Bok in South Phyongan Province are bringing up many orphans in their
houses. This has become a social trait in the country.
Title of Hero of Republic Posthumously Awarded to Student [2005]
Pyongyang, June 30 (KCNA) -- The title of the Hero of the Republic was
posthumously awarded to Yu Kyong Hwa, former student of Kim Chol Ju University
of Education for fully displaying the spirit of devotedly defending the leader
and revolutionary comradeship. Early in January last when there broke out fire
all of a sudden, she protected the portraits of President Kim Il Sung and
leader Kim Jong Il and saved her revolutionary comrades from the flames at the
cost of her life.
The Title of the Hero of the DPRK and Gold Star Medal and the Order of
the National Flag First Class posthumously awarded to her were conveyed to her
bereaved family at an awarding ceremony held Wednesday.
At the ceremony speakers referred to the brilliant life of her who always
lived with rare desire and hope to be a true daughter of Songun Korea, adding
that was why she displayed to the full the intense loyalty and noble
comradeship to the last moments of her life.
Army Full of Spirit of Guarding Leader [2005]
Pyongyang, April 26 (KCNA) -- "Let us defend the headquarters of the
revolution headed by the great Comrade Kim Jong Il with our lives!" is a slogan
reflecting all the Korean servicemen's unswerving oath. The slogan is based on
their belief that they will always emerge victorious under the command of Kim
Jong Il.
The servicemen, who regard guarding the leader as their life and soul,
carry this slogan into practice.
It was proved by what eleven servicepersons belonging to Kim Ji Song unit
of the Korean People's Army did some time ago.
Their ship met an accident on a mission.
At this critical moment they took measures to protect portraits of
President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il hung in the cabin and badges bearing
the image of the President before diving into the roaring sea.
Such spirit is displayed by officers and men of the three services of the
KPA.
A pilot would have saved his life if he escaped from the burning plane as
ordered by his commander. But he nosed his plane into the sea to protect the
headquarters of revolution. Soldiers covered hand-grenades with their bodies
before explosion to protect portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. And
servicepersons plunged themselves into raging flames to protect trees bearing
slogans written by anti-Japanese guerrillas without hesitation.
It is the servicepersons of the 73-year old KPA that unhesitatingly
sacrifice their lives and youth for their supreme commander.
Pyongyang Kangdong senior middle school renamed [2001]
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang Kangdong senior middle school was
renamed Hero Kangdong Senior Middle School.
This school has produced a dozen heroes of the republic and labour heroes
from among its graduates, including Ri Chun Do who protected the portraits of
the President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il and saved many
revolutionary comrades from the explosion of a hand-grenade with his body and now enjoys
an eternal life.
Informed of this school that has produced many heroes, Kim Jong Il showed
such loving care for them as seeing to it that the school was renamed "Hero
Kangdong Senior Middle School."
A ceremony of renaming the school was held on May 17.
Noble spirit of People's Army soldiers [1997]
Pyongyang, June 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Gun and Hong Gyong Il, officers of the
Korean People's Security Forces, were awarded the title of hero of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea a few days ago. Kim Jong Gun and other
servicemen and crewmen were hit by a strong typhoon while on duty in the sea. They
wrapped up in vinyl sheets portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Secretary Kim
Jong Il which were hanging at the cabin and set them with a life-belt afloat on
the sea before meeting their doom. The life-belt was found in the Korean West
Sea off Sinmi Islet on May 2, 20 days after. The spirit of defending the
leader at the risk of their lives is in full play among the soldiers of the Korean
People's Army. Choe Pong Su, an officer of the KPA, and his soldiers braved
the fire which broke out at a building in October, 1992. They secured a plaster
bust of the President and over 200 portraits from the file with superhuman
power. Mun Ghang Bok, a hero of the DPRK, safeguarded a portrait of the
President hung at a barrack and saved tens of servicemen by covering a handgrenade
with a safety ring free with his body in October, 1990. Pilot Kil Yong Jo, a hero
of the DPRK, is one of the servicemen who devoted his youth to defending the
leader. In December 1993 engine of his plane was out of order all of a sudden
while in flight and he had 25 seconds enough to bail out. But he took a firm
hold of the control lever and defended the top echelon of revolution at the
risk of his life in 25 seconds. KPSF soldiers Kim Chol Jin, Kim Gyong Chol and
Jong Kwang Son and a KPA soldier Kim Yong Il defended the dignity of the Supreme
Commander in the spirit of human bombs in defiance of all appeasement behind
the enemy line and came back home. This is the spirit of the servicemen
prevailing in the KPA under the flag of the Supreme Commander.
Servicemen, fishermen faithful to leaders [1997]
Pyongyang, June 5 (KCNA) -- Another example of devotedly defending the leader
was set in Korea, deeply moving people. Servicemen and fishermen who were
aboard the fishing boat "8115" belonging to the Korean People's Security Forces
(KPSF) saved portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Secretary Kim Jong Il under
unexpected circumstances, defending their revolutionary faith and obligation
to the last moment of their lives. Since the boat left Nampo port on the West
Sea of Korea on April 3, its whereabouts had been unknown. On May 2, fishermen
of the Roha Cooperative Farm, Sonchon county, North Phyongan Province,
happened to find a bag floating off Sinmi island. Contained in the bag, wrapped
water-tight in a vinyl sheet, were portraits of President Kim Il Sung and
Secretary Kim Jong Il, a logbook and a letter. It is by the logbook and letter that
their heroic death has become known to the people. When the boat was sailing
back, it was wrecked by a typhoon at around 2 a.m. April 13. The servicemen and
crew made desperate efforts to save the boat, but to no avail. What they
worried about just before the boat was submerged was not themselves but the
portraits. They wrapped the portraits, which had been hung in the cabin, in a clean
vinyl sheet, put them into a bag and set afloat the bag tied with a life belt.
The letter says that, at the last moment, they sang the song "No motherland
without you" praising Secretary Kim Jong Il, looking up to the sky above
Pyongyang. Secretary Kim Jong Il sent gifts to their families and honored them with
certificates of bereaved family of a Martyr. KPSF officers Kim Jong Gun and Hong
Kyong Il were awarded titles of the DPRK hero and the master of the boat, Yun
Chun Gyong, and seven others the order of National Flag First Class. Their
heroic death shows well how steadfast the servicemen and people of Korea are in
the spirit of devotedly defending the leader, becoming human bombs and making
suicide attack.
____________
In a message dated 31/03/2006 11:16:36 GMT Standard Time,
rfrank at koreanstudies.de writes:
> Subj:[KS] Human Bombs
> Date:31/03/2006 11:16:36 GMT Standard Time
> From:rfrank at koreanstudies.de
> Reply-to:Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
> To:koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
> Sent from the Internet
>
>
>
> Dear list,
>
> my warmest thanks to all who have so kindly shared their knowledge on the
> question of North Korea's population in 1945. I really appreciate your
> support.
>
> On another issue: After having read Sheila Miyoshi Jager's book (Narratives
> of Nation
> Building in Korea: A Genealogy of Patriotism), where she mentioned the
> Statue of Brothers,
> I felt like visiting the Korean War museum in Seoul a few months ago.
> Inside, I think it
> was the second floor, I
> was intrigued to see another, much smaller bronze statue honoring three (or
> was it four?)
> ROK "human bombs" during the Korean War. Obviously due to my ignorance, I
> had previously
> associated this term only with North Korea (in particular in connection with
> slogans like
> "let's turn into human bombs" etc., often quoted by Western media with at
> least indirect
> reference to 9-11). Among the latest instances was the Jan. 2006 New Year
> Joint Editorial.
>
> Now I read a post on another list about Japanese "human bullets" during the
> Russo-Japanese
> War (Tadayoshi Sakurai. Human Bullets: A Soldier's Story of the
> Russo-Japanese War), and
> then of course the kamikaze etc. a few wars later came to my mind, as did
> the stories +
> comics that I read during my childhood in the Soviet Union about Red Army
> heroes who
> personally delivered a hand grenade to a German bunker, although I do not
> remember the
> term "human bomb". A quick google search of "human bomb" reminded me of the
> suizide
> bombings in the Near and Middle East and Sri Lanka.
>
> Clearly, the concept of "human bomb" or "human bullet" seems to have been
> known with a
> positive connotation to other (East) (Asian) nations during various periods,
> although I was
> not able to find any reference to these terms in connection with China. Is
> anyone out
> there who has done some serious research on that issue, or, more general, on
> self-sacrifice as a virtue and as a military concept in East Asia and Korea?
> I am just a
> curious individual, but of course back in my
> mind I expect to find one more instance showing that North Korea is part of
> something
> earthly, not an alien entity from Mars.
>
> All the best,
>
> Ruediger Frank
>
>
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