1984 above the 38th Parallel

We must do something about North Korea.

Han, a Communist Party official in North Korea, was walking home from work when he heard he was in trouble. He had smuggled a radio back from China after an official trip. He listened to it late at night, huddled with earphones on and shades drawn, to hear music that brought him a whisper of sanity and took him away from the horrors of his day.

Now, someone had found it, or someone had told.

"It could have been my children who said something outside. It could have been my friend; one knew," said Han, 39, who spoke on condition he be identified only by his surname.

"If a farmer or laborer had a radio, he could have been released," Han said. "But I was an official. In my case, it would have been torture and a life sentence in a political prisoners' camp."

We must do something about North Korea.

• Because of what Juche/Ingsoc is doing to millions.


• Because of the export of heroin to finance the lifestyle of the inner party.


• And not least, because Big Brother/Dear Leader thinks the best way of extorting Foreign Aid is to threaten possible donors with Nukes.

OK, any suggestions?