International Human Rights League of Korea

Since 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has been ruled by two people: Kim Il Sung, who ruled from 1948 until his death in 1994, and Kim Jong Il, his son and designated successor. In the following viewpoint, the International Human Rights League of Korea contends that these two leaders have created an absolutist dictatorship that controls all aspects of the country’s economic and political life and that significantly violates human rights. Many North Koreans languish in political prisons, and even those who are not imprisoned suffer from starvation. The IHRLK is a South Korea–based organization that works to publicize human rights abuses in North Korea.

As you read, consider the following questions...