2006.11.19: November 19, 2006: Headlines: COS - Korea: Writing - Korea: Jackson Hole Star-Tribune: Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country
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2006.11.19: November 19, 2006: Headlines: COS - Korea: Writing - Korea: Jackson Hole Star-Tribune: Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country
Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country
Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country. He is currently a history professor at the University of Chicago. The quotes below are from his book, "Another Country." Cumings writes that political criminals are incarcerated "in some of the most godforsaken prisons in the world." He mentions one such prisoner, Kang Chol-wan, who was held in a labor camp for 10 years, "and like most other prisoners, he went there with his family -- a common practice and an odd aspect of the government's belief in the family as the core unit of society." Cumings quotes Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay: "Over a period of three years or so we burned down every town in North Korea." Cumings adds, "The air war leveled North Korea and killed millions of civilians before the war ended.... What was left of the population survived in caves" (p. 27).
Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country
Demagoguery stumbles on facts
[oas:casperstartribune.net/editorial/letters:Middle1]
Editor:
Our president has said that North Korea is an evil country. But since he seems to think that Social Security is also evil, an opinion I reject, I decided to do some library research.
Bruce Cumings is an author who was sent to Korea by the Peace Corps, and has written three books about that country. He is currently a history professor at the University of Chicago.
The quotes below are from his book, "Another Country." Cumings writes that political criminals are incarcerated "in some of the most godforsaken prisons in the world." He mentions one such prisoner, Kang Chol-wan, who was held in a labor camp for 10 years, "and like most other prisoners, he went there with his family -- a common practice and an odd aspect of the government's belief in the family as the core unit of society."
He quotes an internal CIA study by Helen Louise Hunter acknowledging "genuinely free housing, free health care and life expectancy rates comparable to the most advanced countries until the recent famine." He attributes -- and limits -- that famine to three years -- floods in 1995 and 1996 and drought in 1997.
North Korea was hit hard in the Korean War (1950-1953). Cumings quotes Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay: "Over a period of three years or so we burned down every town in North Korea." Cumings adds, "The air war leveled North Korea and killed millions of civilians before the war ended.... What was left of the population survived in caves" (p. 27).
A World Edition Culture Gram in our county library cites some rebuilding achievements (North Korea, p. 140): "North Korea has more than 200 universities and colleges, more than 4,000 high schools and nearly 5,000 elementary schools and kindergartens."
In the library's "Country Studies/North Korea/Education," we read, "Textbooks, uniforms, and room and board are provided to students without charge."
And from the library’s "Countries and Their Cultures/North Korea/Higher Education," p. 1,211: "It depends on one's family background whether or not one obtains the opportunity of learning at a college for years at the state's expense. (Hence for ordinary men and women the military is a secure detour.)"
SYDNEY SPIEGEL, Casper
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Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Korea; Directory of Korea RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Korea RPCVs; Writing - Korea
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Story Source: Jackson Hole Star-Tribune
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Korea; Writing - Korea
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