A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea

by Masaji Ishikawa

The following year, 1959, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Korean Red Cross Society secretly negotiated a “Return Agreement” in Calcutta.

The whole system was based on the “Four Military Lines.” The key tenets were “arm the entire people,” “fortify the entire nation,” “build a nation of military leaders,” and “complete military modernization.” So various militias were formed.

April 15, 1964, was Kim Il-sung’s birthday, therefore one of the year’s biggest holidays.

The Juche farming model essentially treated rice farming like factory mass production.

Cinemas and cultural facilities hosted memorial gatherings.