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North Korea

North Korea


NORTH KOREA: PORTRAIT OF A RED DICTATOR

This exclusive portrait is the first to portray North Korea's "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il, with interviews of North and South Korean politicians, as well as close relatives and former employees who have fled the regime. The government is secretive and little is known about Jong-il. He managed to retain power after his father Kim Il- Sung's death in 1994. By 1997, North Korea had become one of the most isolated countries in the world, with an economy in shambles and frequent famines, causing the death of millions of his compatriots. Jong-il's regime has made North Korea a nuclear rogue state threatening the security of the world.

Having grown up among the military and political operatives of his father's government, Jong-il was appointed his father's propaganda chief. By writing and directing films, ballets and operas glorifying his father and himself, he created a remarkable personality cult around his father. This he extended to encompass himself, thereby legitimizing the father-son political succession. He has a reputation as a vain and capricious playboy, having been married five times and has had many mistresses, some chosen from the "Pleasure Brigade" of young women used by his cronies and himself. He lives in great opulence, feasting on rare foods and drinking heavily.

Kim Dae Jung, the former President of South Korea and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize recalls his visit to Kim Jong-il in 2001 when Jong- il told him he wished to improve relations with the U.S. His message was passed on to President G.W. Bush. Despite this, Bush demonized Jong-il, declaring North Korea to be part of an "axis of evil" in 2002. As a result, U.S. - North Korean relations have worsened considerably over the past six years.

Item no.: BS07061229
Format: DVD
Duration: 26 minutes
Copyright: 2008
StdBkNo:
Price: USD 325.00

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NORTH KOREA - SHADOWS AND WHISPERS

By Kim Jung-Eun

Since 1995 two million North Koreans have starved to death from famine. Hundreds of thousands of others have illegally crossed the border to China in search of food. This documentary, filmed in the remote northeast mountains of China, captures the dire circumstances of these refugees, who must subsist furtively in primitive caves, under floorboards and in basements. If caught they will be sent back and put to death.

Families have been torn apart. Many North Korean refugees have had to hand their children over to Chinese orphanages where the children will at least get enough to eat and an education. Or they have been forced to give their children up for adoption.

The stories are heart-rending. One family had to leave their five year old in an orphanage as he wailed "don't leave me." Orphaned and abandoned children live on the streets where they beg for food. Shadows and Whispers brings us up close to the human beings who become merely statistics on the evening news. With the recent rapprochment between North and South Korea, conditions will hopefully improve.

Note
  • Association for Asian Studies, 2002

    Item no.: TE07060365
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2002
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    Price: USD 347.00

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    NORTH KOREA: SECRET NATION

    This undercover report documents the stark poverty and extreme repression in North Korea that exist alongside spectacular cultural events and age-old customs unfettered by political ideology. Posing as a tourist, broadcast journalist Janet Choi risked arrest to get an inside look at one of the planet's most secretive-and brutally totalitarian-countries while under surveillance by a police "tour guide." Archival footage, an interview with a defector, and commentary by Dr. Daniel Pinkston and Timothy McCarthy, both of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, provide additional insights into the country's history, culture, military posture, and living conditions.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: LN02304996
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 18 minutes
    Copyright: 2002
    StdBkNo: 9780736569859
    Price: USD 100.00

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    KOREA: THE UNFINISHED WAR

    Directed by Brian McKenna

    This film documents a war where neither side was victorious, nor defeated, a struggle that came very close to thermonuclear war, and that still resonates in the geopolitical machinations between East and West.

    From 1950 to 1953 more than a million men fought under the United Nations flag, with most of the manpower from the United States. More Americans were killed in that war than in Vietnam. The boundary between North and South remains the most militarized zone in the world. The war is still shrouded in secrecy; questions remain about whether biological weapons were used.

    Korea: The Unfinished War combines archival footage, first person accounts with soldiers and civilians on both sides, direct quotes from Truman, MacArthur, Mao and Stalin, clearly showing their roles in the conflict. Atrocities on both sides are cited. In the years since there has been an uneasy truce, often broken, between the Koreas. But beyond that, the Korean War bequeathed a global hangover which haunts mankind today-biological weapons. The films investigates Chinese and North Korean charges that the U.S. secretly deployed these weapons during the war.

    This important film provides the background for today's fear of nuclear testing by North Korea.

    Item no.: WM07061145
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 114 minutes
    Copyright: 2007
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    Price: USD 495.00

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    KOREA: ANCIENT TREASURE, MODERN WONDER

    In the shadow of continuing turmoil in North Korea, the South continues to prosper under its current president, Kim Young Sam. This program looks at the combination of centuries-old tradition and modern technology that has turned a small, war-torn agrarian country into a major industrial power. It shows the effects of modernization on traditional values, covers the roles of education and religion, and relates Korean history, language, and culture to those of China and Japan. A special segment discusses the dynastic-like leadership in the North brought about by the death of Kim Il Sung and the transfer of power to his son, Kim Jong Il.

    Item no.: CV00274989
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 29 minutes
    Copyright: 1990
    StdBkNo: 9781421324401
    Price: USD 170.00

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    INSIDE THE HERMIT KINGDOM: NORTH KOREA

    By I Sun-Dyung

    North Korea is known as the hermit kingdom because it has been cut off from the rest of the world. Cruelly colonized by Japan early in the 20th century, and split from the south after World War II by cold war politics, it has suffered repressive governments and frequent famines.

    This film, made by I Sun-Dyung, the daughter of Korean immigrants, was an attempt to understand the country that has been demonized by the West, particularly the US. She was the first western journalist allowed entry. Her film traces the history of Korea in the 20th century and includes fascinating interviews with some of the world1s foremost experts on North Korea, including Prof. Bruce Cumings of the University of Chicago, and Donald Rickerd of the Center for Asia Pacific Studies, who give fresh perspective on this enigmatic country.

    We learn that communist ideology has taken a back seat to the philosophy of "Juche" Il Sung. Kim Il Sung was revered as "the great liberator" from Japan1s brutal rule. Most North Koreans are loyal to his son, their present leader Kim Jong -IL who succeeded his father in 1994. Despite having suffered severe food shortages, North Koreans have been taught that they can survive on their own. The country feels threatened by America and believes its nuclear weapons are "chips" in a power struggle with the West. Included are in -depth interviews with a former bodyguard of the "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-IL and testimonies from defectors and survivors of the country1s infamous concentration camps. This fascinating film contributes to our understanding of an important player in the geopolitcs of the 21st century.

    Item no.: CR07060347
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2004
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    Price: USD 407.00

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    AKISTAN: ALLY OR ENEMY?

    Like Saddam-era Iraq, Pakistan is a militarily threatening country. Like North Korea, Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Like Iran, Pakistan is a haven for terrorists. But instead of being blacklisted as a member of the Axis of Evil, Pakistan was instead dubbed a key regional ally of the United States in its war on terror. In an effort to make sense of this apparent contradiction, this ABC News program tours America's dubious associate in western Asia. A country rife with violence, corruption, and religious extremism, some call it the most dangerous place on Earth.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: BH02304975
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 23 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo: 9780736593908
    Price: USD 80.00

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    FORGOTTEN WAR, THE: KOREAN WAR VETERANS REMEMBER

    Overshadowed by the wars that came before and after it, the Korean War has received little of the attention it rightly deserves, yet its legacy endures: armies still face each other across the demilitarized zone-and nuclear saber-rattling, this time coming from North Korea, is still a factor. In this ABC News program, correspondent Phil Ittner embeds himself with a group of veterans making a pilgrimage to Korea for the first time since they saw action there more than 50 years ago.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: YC02304987
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 23 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo: 9780736583466
    Price: USD 100.00

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    REAL DR. EVIL, THE

    North Koreans call him "dear leader." President Bush calls him part of an "axis of evil." Kidnapper, terrorist, and likely nuclear tyrant also apply. This program uses extensive newsreel footage, archival materials, and exclusive interviews to create a biographical and psychological profile of Kim Jong Il in order to understand what motivates his sometimes bizarre and often tragic deeds. Interviews include former bodyguards, a former central committee member, a former North Korean spy, CIA profilers, Pentagon advisers, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Donald Gregg, and Selig Harrison, author of Korean Endgame.

    Note: Only available in the US.

    Item no.: CD02454997
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 46 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo: 9780736591171
    Price: USD 170.00

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    STATE OF MIND, A: PAGEANTRY AND PROPAGANDA IN NORTH KOREA

    In 2003, as the United States confronted North Korea over its resumption of nuclear weapons production, North Koreans prepared to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their supposed "victory" over the South in the Korean War. This Wide Angle documentary tells the story of two teenage girls preparing to participate in the Mass Games, one of the last surviving Communist showcase pageants and a celebration of North Korea's statehood and revolutionary zeal. Capturing a mixture of excitement and contradiction at the heart of the state-produced spectacle, this program yields valuable insights into family life and daily activity in the little-known world of the "hermit kingdom." In addition, Professor Charles Armstrong discusses North Korea with anchor Jamie Rubin.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: WY02305002
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 57 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo: 9781421352695
    Price: USD 150.00

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    STEALING THE FIRE: THE NEW NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNDERGROUND

    This story of international intrigue is especially timely as the world focuses on Iran, North Korea, and the potential atomic weapons of other nations.

    Stealing the Fire contains a rare interview with A.Q.Khan, the father of Pakistan's A-bomb and the former head of a network that sold nuclear weapons components to Iran, North Korea, and other countries.

    This important film traces an unbroken chain of events and personalities connecting Hitler's atomic bomb program and today's nuclear weapons black market. It follows the trail of Karl-Heinz Schaab, a German technician, who sold Saddam Hussein top secret documents stolen from Germany and traveled to Baghdad numerous times to help Iraq in its then nuclear bomb quest.

    Combining interviews, location shots, and historical footage, Stealing the Fire was shot on three continents. It journeys from the boardrooms of Europe to the turbulent cities of Pakistan to the cafes of Brazil. It is a real-life espionage thriller.

    Review
  • "The film is timely, chilling and grimly instructive." - Christian Science Monitor

    Notes
  • Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, 2003
  • HotDocs, Toronto, 2003
  • Amsterdam International Film Festival, 2002
  • Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, Centerpiece, 2002
  • Vancouver International Film Festival, 2002
  • Nominated, Distinguished Documentary of the Year, IDA, 2002

    Item no.: ZT07000696
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 58 minutes
    Copyright: 2003
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 237.00

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    WELCOME TO NORTH KOREA

    By Peter Tetteroo

    This film, shot mostly covertly, shows the irony of a regime where 20 million people lived in poverty, some on the brink of starvation, while former dictator Kim II Sung built extravagant monuments to reflect his power. He fostered a grotesque personality cult, which his son and successor Kim Jong Il perpetuates. All around the capital, Pyongyang, an endless stream of propaganda glorifies the leaders. Monuments and museums pay homage to them, but they are strangely empty.

    The contrast between capitalist South Korea and the impoverished North is dramatically shown. The founder of Hyundai, Tsjoen Joe Jung is held in great esteem in the south. He believes in uniting the two Koreas and has made significant donations to economic development in the north, trying to ease the way to reunion.

    The film crew was not allowed to interview people at random. The ones "selected to speak to foreigners" gave an idealized image of the regime that was hardly credible. Footage shot secretly by a Chinese relief organization attests to a generation dying from starvation and disease, and suffering terrible human rights abuses. Welcome to North Korea captures in a vivid manner the tight grip the regime has on its people, with a power not used benevolently.

    Reviews
  • "Recommended. After viewing this technically excellent film, and acknowledging that 1,000,000 soldiers face one another on the border, one comes away understanding the danger to world peace that this clash of cultures has produced." - David W. Sewicki, Butler Library, Buffalo State College for EMRO

  • "gives students a glimpse into a country that has been virtually closed to the rest of the world." - School Library Journal

    Notes
  • Seattle International Documentary Film Festival, 2003
  • Chicago International Documentary Film Festival, 2003

    Award
  • Best Documentary, International EMMY Awards, 2001

    Item no.: FW07060396
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 52 minutes
    Copyright: 2002
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 347.00

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    CHILDREN OF THE SECRET STATE: NORTH KOREA

    This revealing documentary contains clandestine video footage shot at great personal risk by a North Korean known as Ahn Chol and by journalists posing as tourists. Through interviews with street children, refugees, and former prisoners, this program explores the plight of youth in the last remaining Stalinist dictatorship and perhaps the most secretive state on the planet. From Pyongyang, to the China/North Korea border, to South Korea, to the infamous prison camps, the cameras expose the truth behind the wall of secrecy that hides a record of 3 million reported starvation deaths in the last decade and hundreds of thousands of children with nowhere to call home.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: FB02454976
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 46 minutes
    Copyright: 2000
    StdBkNo: 9780736587457
    Price: USD 150.00

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    KOREAN WAR, THE

    This program provides a brief overview of the partitioning of Korea; the battles for Seoul, Inchon, and Pusan; the entry of Chinese troops into the war as United States marines approached the Manchurian border; General MacArthur's famous speech to Congress; and the armistice at Panmunjom and the establishment of the demilitarized buffer zone. The program also shows the war's aftermath in the North: the rebuilding of Pyongyang; the institution of Kim Il Sung's personality cult, and his exhortation to achieve communism by undergoing cultural and technical revolutions and collectivizing labor; and North Korea today. In portraying South Korea, the program follows the parade of riots and assassinations as the country teetered between repression and promises of democracy. South Korea's economy appears strong but precarious. And the buffer zone still stands-one of the last remaining monuments of the East-West confrontation.

    Note: Only available in the US and Canada.

    Item no.: KE02304990
    Format: DVD (Color, Black and White)
    Duration: 30 minutes
    Copyright: 1990
    StdBkNo:
    Price: USD 100.00

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