Riight, north korea is a very oppressive country and they violate human rights, so why are they allowed to compete? Countries like Russia aren't allowed to.

[+] dessalines@lemmy.ml -24 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Source? And preferably not one from the country that murdered 1 out of every 5 civilians in the DPRK a few years ago?

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 14 points 3 months ago (3 children)

The people who manage to escape NK are a pretty good source. Also, 2 wrongs don't make a right. It's perfectly possible for both the US and NK to be in the wrong.

[–] carl_marks_1312@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago

The people who manage to escape NK are a pretty good source.

I agree. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V4Hnl7J9H4

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)

1st link:

Defectors can expect to receive the six-figure payout if they cross the border with intelligence that helps enhance South Korea's security.

That... is actually very reasonable, and does not support or diminish your argument.

2nd link: I'm sorry, but DPRK news room doesn't exactly scream unbiased.

3rd link: The tone and channel name seems comedic at first glance, but I'll watch it and get back to you. Plenty of comedians doing real journalism these days anyway, so that shouldn't be a mark against him.

[–] carl_marks_1312@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago

Loyal Citizens of Pyongyang A documentary on the world of defectors and South Korean Intelligence (National Intelligence Service, formerly known as the KCIA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V4Hnl7J9H4

The originally posted documentary is soft-censored behind an age-confirmation verification

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 0 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Paid testimony is bribery, its not reliable.

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

That specific BBC article is what I was talking about. It's not publicly available testimony, it's information gathering by the SK state about NK from defectors.

[–] gnutrino@programming.dev 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You should move there and see what it's actually like.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

[–] gnutrino@programming.dev 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Again, you should go and report back what it's really like.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

People have literally done that (and continue to do so). Their stories get censored by western media for not being anti-communist enough.

[–] gnutrino@programming.dev 2 points 3 months ago

Send us a postcard

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

So, I watched that third link in its entirety. It was pretty interesting. I think the core idea is that NK isn't some absolutely insane bizarro land, which I actually agreed with beforehand. It did not disprove the fact that NK is an authoritarian dictatorship. The only thing it did prove (which again, I knew about beforehand) is that western media likes to exaggerate the faults to hyperbolic levels. I honestly think that the average north korean would live a better life without the Kim family (or any other family regime) ruling over them. This doesn't mean that they force people to have specific hairstyles at gunpoint or execute politicians for slouching during speeches (as the video joked about), but they still direct a large portion of the states wealth towards friends and family.

I think you should really honestly consider the fact that two wrongs don't make a right. NK and the USA do terrible things. Instead of litigating which one is worse, maybe we should focus on how to make better alternatives, like you've done with this alternative to Reddit.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml -5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The people who manage to escape NK are a pretty good source

Journalists pay defectors for stories. No effort is made to verify anything they say. This practice is considered wildly unethical in any other context. They're not credible. But just the content should be enough, do you really think North Koreans pull trains from city to city? That the children eat rats who eat children? That they build fake towns with fake schools, presumably the fields are tended by fake farmers?

It’s perfectly possible for both the US and NK to be in the wrong.

So why aren't you asking why the US is allowed to participate when they commit far worse atrocities?

[–] Barbarian@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

To all of those stories, they seem like strawmen. I've not heard anything that ridiculous. Just that NK is an authoritarian regime that rewards friends and family of the regime at the expense of the well being of the populace. Kinda like a red veneer over Saudi Arabia, similar system.

So why aren't you asking why the US is allowed to participate when they commit far worse atrocities?

I didn't even ask why NK isn't allowed to participate. Why are you giving me an argument I didn't make?

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 months ago

To all of those stories, they seem like strawmen.

nvm then, I'd assumed you were referring to those absurd stories that get republished by otherwise reputable news sources every few months.

I didn’t even ask why NK isn’t allowed to participate.

Apologies, I didn't realize you weren't the guy who started this comment chain.

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