Front
What they want you to see.
Back
What we need you to see.
The right to be free. The right to be informed. The right to be at peace.
While spending some time watching the Frontline documentary
called “Secret State of North Korea” and looking that the photo essay named
“Six Days in North Korea”, it is not hard to see that North Korea is one of the
most strictest countries in the world when it comes to controlling the media.
Their constitution states that they have freedom of speech and the press, yet
the government does not allow their citizens to exercise these rights, unless
it is to compliment, applaud, or praise the country, government, or their
leader.
Their government not only controls all information coming in
and out of the country, but they shape an image of what the information would
be coming from the source. I found out
that the “Korean Central News Agency” provides the only source of news for ALL
of the media outlets in North Korea. I also learned those journalists that do
not follow the strict laws in North Korea would face punishment. It was also
stated that their media along with the population of their country is not allowed
to read stories by the media that is outside of their country or they would be
punished for that.
Moving on to the propaganda, I can say that they did this
with social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. The North Korean
government was believed to be behind all of the social sites. They were
promoting communist beliefs and issues. Some people will say that they know
that the government was behind the screen, typing on the keyboard, yet some
will say that it is impossible to say that it was really them. Anyhow, these
pages were made to spread propaganda. Even though at the time North Korea did
not have access to these sites nor the Internet, it got other’s attention to
notice and read the pages. As a journalist myself, I do not think that I could live
in a country that feels the right to take away what I feel is freedom. Freedom
to say what I want to say and not be punished. Freedom to get on my cellphone and
tweet to my favorite singer, that I love their song. Freedom to be in my house ,
and have the right to read a story from a young blogger in London.
If I would be able to share some positive energy with the
citizens of North Korea, I feel that my flyer is able to do it. On the front,
you see a tank, missiles, and the North Korean flag. In the Korean language, it
reads, “What they want you to see”. I
wanted to put these words on the front of the flyer, because North Korea
controls basically all what the media can show to their citizens. On the other
side of the flyer, it’s a woman with her hands up feeling “free”. In the Korean language, it reads, “What we
need you to see. The right to be free. The right to be informed. The right to
be at peace.” I feel that my flyer is inspirational
for the younger citizens of North Korea. I say this because, they are slowly
but surely learning about technology and the world around it. They are going to
be the digital natives of this country and I feel that my message will inspire
them to right for what is right in their eyes. I am hoping that using the front
image on the flyer with insult them, but I want them to know that, there is
more to your life than what your government is feeding to you.
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