New Realism in North Korean Propaganda: The Death of Pak Chong-Ch'ol.
Abstract
North Korea's Voice of National Salvation (VNS) broadcasts to South Korea in January and February gave considerable attention to the 13 January 1987 death under police torture of Seoul National University student Pak Chong-ch'ol. VNS commentary emphasized the routine nature of police torture in South Korea and sharply criticized the South Korean Government for blocking attendance at memorial services on 7 February and 3 March. Many VNS comments on the Pak case closely paralleled reactions of the South Korean press and parliamentary opposition, demonstrating close North Korean attention to opinion trends in the South. In a new mood of realism, P'yongyang also used the Pak case to urge South Korean radical students to drop their 'avant-gardism', including excessively leftist slogans and violent tactics that alienate the general populace. P' yongyang clearly wants students to take advantage of issues that have wide public appeal and to broaden resistance to the Chon Tu-hwan Government to include social groups beyond the student population. In P'yongyang's view, such issues include the Pak case and the signature campaign for constitutional revision in early 1986. If South Korea's radical students take P'yonyyang's advice, and if the Republic of Korea Government fails to curb and punish abuses like the Pak killing, this shift in tactics could have significant influence during the coming spring demonstration season.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA310424
Entities
People
- W. M. Shaw
Organizations
- Library of Congress