Without You, There Is No Us

I listened to the Diane Lehm Show this morning. One of the guests was a Korean-born American writer Suki Kim. She was born in South Korea and moved to the U.S. when she was 13. She published a book about North Korea where she stayed for six months in 2011 as an English teacher.

She taught English at a missionary school. The staff there were missionaries, but they never mention Christianity openly. They even had to say J for Jesus, M for Minister. In addition, the students were watching each other so no one can talk about Christianity and even their leaders, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un. But they sang songs to honor the Kim families. One of the songs was titled "Without You, There Is No Us."

They didn't know what the Internet was even they learned computer science. They only asked questions to the author like what is your favorite color or what is your hobby. She said they were so pure. 

She came back to the U.S. and when she was about to publish the book, some North Korean authority asked her to stop publishing. She said "No."

I'm really interested in such a mysterious totalitarian country and their life.