Moral Courage in Work Camps Today When one thinks of concentration camps, he or she thinks of the Holocaust and that concentration camps are a thing of the past. However, there are still horrendous concentration camps similar to the ones during the Holocaust existing in the world today. In 1959, the Kaechon political prison camp was created in the center of North Korea. The camp is also known as Camp 14, and it is believed to imprison 15,000 people who are life sentenced. Most of these prisoners are there because they have engaged in unlawful behavior; however, some prisoners are there because of North Korea’s “three generations of punishment” program. The program entails that the original prisoner’s family, for three generations, is sent
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Dong-hyuk was born at Kaechon because two of his uncles defected to South Korea during the Korean War, and Dong-hyuk’s grandfather and uncle were sentenced to life imprisonment at the concentration camp because of the three generations program (Anderson). At the camp, Dong-hyuk grew up being tortured and starved. He was hung by his ankles and burned with coals while at the camp, and at age 14, Dong-hyuk had to witness his brother and mother be publicly executed. While living in the camp, Dong-hyuk was unaware that there was any different way of life; since he was born in camp, he believed everyone lived this way. Fortunately, after years of torture and inhumane treatment, Dong-hyuk finally escaped Kaechon and North Korea. He fled to China, and he now lives in Seoul, South Korea (“Shin Dong-Hyuk, North Korea”). Dong-hyuk is recognized as the only surviving prisoner to escape North Korea and a total control prison …show more content…
Since I am of North Korean descent, I want to bring awareness to the mistreatment of North Koreans, as well as bring awareness to the mistreatment of all people. Therefore, in college I plan on joining many groups that support human rights. I may receive backlash for standing up for minorities, but I firmly believe that everyone deserves adequate treatment and respect. Hearing about my grandfather’s life in North Korea makes me feel more personally connected to Dong-hyuk, and I hope I can be as morally courageous as him. I hope to help Dong-hyuk expose the injustice of North Korea’s work camps, because no one should ever again be treated like those who were in the concentration camps during the
Dong-hyuk was born at Kaechon because two of his uncles defected to South Korea during the Korean War, and Dong-hyuk’s grandfather and uncle were sentenced to life imprisonment at the concentration camp because of the three generations program (Anderson). At the camp, Dong-hyuk grew up being tortured and starved. He was hung by his ankles and burned with coals while at the camp, and at age 14, Dong-hyuk had to witness his brother and mother be publicly executed. While living in the camp, Dong-hyuk was unaware that there was any different way of life; since he was born in camp, he believed everyone lived this way. Fortunately, after years of torture and inhumane treatment, Dong-hyuk finally escaped Kaechon and North Korea. He fled to China, and he now lives in Seoul, South Korea (“Shin Dong-Hyuk, North Korea”). Dong-hyuk is recognized as the only surviving prisoner to escape North Korea and a total control prison …show more content…
Since I am of North Korean descent, I want to bring awareness to the mistreatment of North Koreans, as well as bring awareness to the mistreatment of all people. Therefore, in college I plan on joining many groups that support human rights. I may receive backlash for standing up for minorities, but I firmly believe that everyone deserves adequate treatment and respect. Hearing about my grandfather’s life in North Korea makes me feel more personally connected to Dong-hyuk, and I hope I can be as morally courageous as him. I hope to help Dong-hyuk expose the injustice of North Korea’s work camps, because no one should ever again be treated like those who were in the concentration camps during the