Dear Friends of Lemmy,
This will be my final post on this platform under the Song persona. I recognize that many of you harbor doubts regarding the authenticity of my statements, and I find this entirely understandable. It is not every day that one encounters a North Korean online. From my observations, it appears that many of you are unaware that a limited number of North Koreans have access to the Internet.
I wish to assure you that all the questions I have addressed were answered sincerely, without any intention of advocating for a particular viewpoint. My aim was to provide you with the perspective of an ordinary citizen living in North Korea. Many of you have suggested that I belong to the elite; this is not the case. My family hails from the countryside, although I currently reside in a city where life is relatively favorable—at least by North Korean standards.
I am employed, and my profession has granted me access to the Internet. In theory, I could utilize Lemmy to post this message from my regular IP address; however, I choose not to do so, as I prefer to maintain my privacy regarding my online activities. Unlike the rest of the world, our Internet Service Provider is, in fact, the government of North Korea. Some of you have suggested that I could face severe repercussions, including torture, for this communication. While I may encounter consequences, they are neither excessively severe nor life-threatening.
I do not seek to alter your perceptions of my country. Rather, I invite you to learn more about us. We are diligent, hardworking individuals. We are human beings. Please do not regard us differently simply because of a geographical boundary. We are here.
I implore you not to accept everything you encounter about North Korea online as truth. I will not position myself as a mere cog in the propaganda machine, asserting that North Korea is a paradise; it is not. In fact, it grapples with numerous issues that are often overlooked. I am not opposed to my country; in fact, I hold it dear. However, I must address a critical point:
All of you are mistaken.
Western communists who portray North Korea as a communist utopia are incorrect. No one here lives in opulence. There exists poverty, food insecurity, and corruption—issues that could certainly be classified as human rights violations.
Liberals are also mistaken. North Korea is not an eternal prison from which everyone yearns to escape. As in any nation, there is a significant amount of government propaganda, but that is not the reason we choose to remain. We cherish our homeland, our families, and we find joy in our simple, unhurried lives.
This will be my final post on this account. I will continue to use Lemmy, but under a different anonymous account. Perhaps I will return one day.
Thank you all.
Translated using an LLM