The Torture Games

One of the many things that make people angry in North Korea are the Arirang games. These are mass gymnastic performances that take place between August and October. Over 100,000 children (most of them teenagers but some as young as 6) are selected in May and then train, often for 12 hours a day, until the games end in October and they have performed many times. Failure in training or the performances leads to punishment of the child and parents. In times of hunger this can mean less food, which is pretty severe. Even if the kid succeeds the family has to pay for some supplies and costume items. Being selected also means that the child loses time at their studies. Wealthy parents use bribes to make sure their children are not selected. Those families that cannot bribe their way out are not happy with the situation. Many North Koreans expected Kim Jong Un to cancel the unpopular games and are bitterly disappointed to find that he did not. The selections for this year's games are taking place now and the grumbling is getting pretty loud.

The games were first held in 2002, to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung. The games were not held in 2003, 2004, and 2006. The government eventually came to believe that the games were good propaganda and a source of income. From 2007, on the "games" were held partly because foreign tourists were allowed in to see the performances (and pay top dollar for everything they needed while in the north). Over 100,000 foreigners have paid to view a performance of the games, while over 12 million North Koreans have attended as well. North Koreans know what is going on here, that there kids are being tortured and exploited to earn more foreign currency for the national leadership. North Korea is trying, with some success, to attract more Chinese tourists for the games.

The Torture Games by James DunniganMay 25, 2012

The Torture Games
by James Dunnigan
May 25, 2012