김돼지가 Brutally 철권을 휘두르면서 북한동포들을 손안에 올려놓고 죽이고 살리고 하는 악마짖을 한지도 벌써 10년이 되여, 그의 나이가 이제 37세를 넘기고 있다.
지난 5년동안 문재인 대통령의 알게 모르게 퍼다준 돈으로 핵무기를 더만들고, 휴전선155마일에 해방이후 만들어 설치해 두었던 방어설비를, 그럴듯하게 문재인과 합의하여 거의다 철수시켰지만, 김돼지쪽은 겨우 GP Sentry 4개만을 철수하는것으로 퉁치는 능력(?)도 발휘했었다.
애비 김정일이 죽었을때다.
평양시내의 길거리는 통곡하는 주민들의 울음소리로 하늘을 진동했었고, 교복을 입은 학생들은 무릅을 꿇고 좌절감에 빠진 모습들이었다. 여자들은 김정일의 사망에 가슴을 치면서 통곡하는 사진들이 전세계로 타전되기도 했었다.
100% 통제를 받는 북한매체는 "친애하는 김정일 동지"께서 69세를 일기로 세상을 떠났다고 발표했는데 그날이 2011년 12월 19일이었다. 전세계의 북한 전문가들은 이소식을 듣자마자 작업실로 돌아가 그들이 모아두었던 김정일에 대한 파일들을 뒤지기 시작했었다.
그때 김정은이는 겨우 27세였었다. 그는 위대한 계승자로 선전하기에 바쁜 북한이었었다. 그러나 아무도 그가 정권을 이어 받을 것이라고는 생각하는 사람들은 거의 없었다. 사회적경험이 전무하고 또 그의 나이로 봤을때 그가 과연 김일성 왕조를 이어갈 인물이라고 생각이나 했었을까?
많은 북한 전문가들은 군부쿠테타가 일어나던가 아니면 북괴 엘리트 구룹들이 정권을 승계받지 않을까라고 예측을 하기도 했었다. 그러나 그예상은 완전히 빗나갔었고 그는 철권을 휘두르는 독재
자로 등극을 했다. 김정은이는 그의 위치를 단단히 확보했을뿐만 아니라, "김정은 사상"을 주입시키는데 어려움이 하나도 없이 새로운 역사를 쓰기 시작했다.
그는 그의 정적들을 제거하는것으로 통치를 시작한다. 수백명을 숙청시키고 동시에 그의 존재감을 세상에 내비쳤었다. 4번의 핵실험, 100번이상의 탄도미사일 발사 그리고 미국대통령과 회담까지 하면서 전세계의 스포트 라이트를 받았다. 그러나 그의 끝없는 핵무기개발로 북한 경제를 파탄시키고 주민들은 굶주림에서 헤어나지 못하고, 지금은 그가 정권을 받았을때보다 더 전세계로 부터 고립되여 있다. 이렇게 계속되면 주민들의 김정은이의 통치하에서 주민들의 삶은 어떻게 될까?
북한을 탈출한 10 여명의, 그중에는 북괴의 외교분야에서 최고직을 했었던, 인물도 포함되여 있는데 이들을 보면서 김정은이가 통치하는 북한의 암담한 상황을 유추해석할수 있을것 같다.
당시 학생이었던 '김근혁'군의 설명에 의하면 그의 아버지가 사망한날 하마트면 살해될뻔 했었다고 전한다.
"상황이 매우 위태로웠었다. 그러나 나를 포함한 모든 사람들은 오히려 기뻐했었다"라고 회상한다".
신참내기 김정은이는 스키와 농구를 좋아하는 신세대 였기에 새로운 아이디어와 변화를 많이 가져올것으로 기대를 했었다.
"우리는 김정은에게 많은 기대를 했었다. 그는 유럽에서 유학을 했었기에, 그의 통치철학은 우리가 살고 있는 사회와 별로 다르지 않을거라고 생각을 했었다"라고 그는 설명이다.
북한의 앨리트 집안 태생인 '김금혁군'은, 북한에서는 오직 선택된 가족들만이 가능한 유학생활을베이징에서 하고 있었다. 베이징에서 생활하면서 그는 북한밖의 세상은 굉장히 잘살고 있다는것을 알게됐고 동시에 인터넷을 통해 그의 조국, 북한에 대한 뉴스를 탐구하기 시작 했었다.
"처음에는 내눈을 의심하면서 믿을수가 없었다. 나는 서구의 나라들이 북한실정을 거짖으로 폭로하는것쯤으로 생각했었다. 그래서 나의 심장과 머리에서는 생각이 두갈래로 나뉘어 지기도 했었다. 내머리에서는 절대로 그런 뉴스에 현혹되지말라고 했고, 내심장에서는 더 많이 보고 듣고 북한밖의 세상을 더 많이 봐라"라는 것이었다.
인구25백만의 북한 주민들은 철권통치하에서 북한밖의 세상돌아가는것에 대해 거의 다 막혀있어, 북한밖의 세상사람들이 북한을 어떻게 평가하고 있는가를 상상도 못하고 살아간다. 또한 주민들은 김정은리더는 특출한 인물로 초능력을 소유한 인물로 모든 주민들의 충성을 받을 오직 한분만 존재하는, 우리에게는 선물과도 같은 고귀한 분이다라고 쇠뇌교육을 시키고 있다. 금혁군에게는 이젊은 김정은이가 정권을 계승했다는것은 배고픔의 연속일 것임을 반증하는것이다라고.
그러나 다른 사람들에게는 의문을 자아내고 있었다. 평양의 권력층사이에서는 김정은이가 북한을 통치하기에는 합당치 않은 꼬마일뿐이라고 한숨들을 쉬었었다.
전직 쿠웨이트 대사였던 '유현우'는 BBC와 회견에서 그의 동료들은 통치권이 아버지에서 아들로 승계되는데에 분노를 금치 못했었다고 설명했다.
"나는 처음에는 탄식을 금치 못하면서 "또 아들에게 권력승계라고? 북한주민들은 세속적인 정권승계에 지쳐가고 있고, 특히 앨리트구룹에서 그현상이 두드러졌었다. 우리 앨리트 구룹은 뭔가 새롭고, 지금까지는 못봤던 '뭔가 지금까지와는 다른 세상이 오지 않을까?' 라는 생각을 갖고 있었다''.
김씨왕조는 1948년 이래로 북한을 통치해오고 있다. 북한주민들은 혈통은 매우 신성한것으로 쇠뇌교육을 받아왔었고, 이방법이 김씨왕조를 합법적으로 인정케 하는 방법인것이다.
"이러한 참상은 어쩌면 영원히 '친애하는 동지'라는 칭호를 사용하게 될수도 있것다라는 봉사를 하면서 살아가야 하는게 아닌가? 또한 27세의 꼬마가 나라를 어떻게 통치하게 될것인가? 정말로 어리석은 짖들이다"라고. 탄식했었다.
2012년 그가 주민들에게 연설하면서, 김정은이는 다시는 "배가고파 허리띠를 졸라매는 일은 절대로 없을 것이다" 라는 맹세를 하기도 했었다. 북한은 1990년데에 죽음을 동반한 기근으로 수만명이 굶어 죽었던 고통을 당했었다. 그의 연설내용으로 봐서, 김정은이는 식량부족이 괴로움을 끝내는 것쯤으로 모두가 기대가 컸었다.
해외주제 외교관들에게는 국제적 투자유치를 열심히 하도록 명령을 하고 국내에서는 많은 변화가 있을것이라고 기대감을 주기도 했었다. 함경도지방 출신의 운전수 '유성주'씨는 수퍼마켙에서 북한산 제품들이 있음을 감지했었다고 한다.
"놀랍기도하고 자존심이 생기기도 했었다. 북한산 제품들은 실질적으로 중국산제품보다 맛이 더 좋고, 또한 포장이나 공급면에서도 월등하다. 사기진작을 불어넣어 주는 순간이었었다.
김정은의 주민들 생각하는 듯한 발언은 북한주민들을 위협하는 연설이었다고 생각되지는 않았었다. 특히 그의 고모부 '장성택'은 막강한 파워를 누리면서 세력을 늘려가고 있었다.
평양에서 북쪽으로 중국과의 국경지역에서 무역업을 하는 '최나래'씨는 장성택이가 새로운 리더가 되지 않을까?라는 생각까지 했었다고 한다.
"많은 우리친지들은 중국과 문호를 개방하고 그렇게 되면 중국과는 자유롭게 여행을 할수있을거승로 기대를 했었다"라고 기억을 더듬었다.
"우리는 만약에 장성택이가 정권을 이어받아 북한을 통치하게 되면, 북한의 경제사정이 훨씬 좋아질것이라는 기대를 했었다. 물론 이러한 기대를 밖으로는 발설할수는 무서워서 하지는 못했지만, 우리는 많은 기대를 하고 있었다". 그러나 이러한 소문들은 철퇴를 맞을수 밖에 없었다.
어느날 갑자기 '장성택'은 "인간 쓰레기요 개보다도 못한 사람이다"라는 꼬리표가 달리는가 싶더니, 당과 통치권을 넘봤다는 이유를 부쳐 바로 붙잡아 총살시키고 말았다. 바로 젊은 김정은이는 그의 잔인함을 거침없이 보여주기를 주저하지 않았었다. 바로 대숙청의 신호탄이었었다.
It's 10 years since an untested 27-year-old took power in North Korea and in that time few world leaders have generated as many headlines. But what has it been like living under Kim Jong-un?
The sound of wailing filled the streets of Pyongyang.
Students in their school uniforms fell to their knees and appeared inconsolable. Women were pictured clutching their hearts in despair.
The tightly controlled North Korean state media had announced that Kim Jong-il, their "dear leader", had died at the age of 69. It was 19 December 2011.
Around the world, Korean analysts rushed to their desks to pull out their files on one man.
Kim Jong-un.
At the age of just 27 he was the so-called Great Successor. But few thought he would succeed at anything. How could a society which rewards age and experience be ruled by someone who had neither?
Many predicted a military coup, or a takeover by North Korean elites. But the world underestimated the young dictator. Kim Jong-un has not only cemented his position, he has ushered in a new era called "Kim Jong-unism".
He began with a purge of his rivals and hundreds of executions and then turned his attention to foreign affairs. Four nuclear tests, 100 ballistic missiles fired and the international spotlight at talks with the US president.
But his relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons has come at a cost. North Korea is now in crisis, poorer and more isolated than when he took power.
So what has it been like to live under him?
Ten North Korean defectors - including one of his top diplomats - reflect on 10 years of Kim Jong-un.
A new start
Student Kim Geum-hyok did something that could have got him shot the day Kim Jong-un's father died. He threw a party.
"That was so dangerous. But we were so happy at the time," he says.
For him, a young new leader, notably one who loved skiing and basketball, raised the prospect of fresh ideas and of change.
"We had expectations about Kim Jong Un. He had studied abroad in Europe, so maybe he would think in the same way as us," he said.
Geum-hyok was from an elite family and at the time was studying in Beijing, a privilege only a few are afforded in North Korea.
Life in China opened his eyes to a more prosperous world and he searched the internet for news about his home country.
"At first, I couldn't believe it. I believed Western people were lying [about what N Korea was like]. But my heart and my brain were divided. My brain said you don't need to look, but my heart wanted to look even more."
The 25 million people of North Korea are tightly controlled so most have little or no idea of world events, or how their country is thought of by the outside world.
They are also taught that the leader is a uniquely gifted and an accomplished divine being that deserves their ultimate fealty.
For Guem-hyok, the succession to power of this young man represented something that had been in short supply.
Hope.
The doubters
But others were sceptical. In the corridors of power in Pyongyang there were whispers that Kim Jong-un was a privileged child unfit to rule.
Ryu Hyun-woo, the former North Korean ambassador to Kuwait, told the BBC that his colleagues were exasperated by the leadership being passed from father to son.
"My first impression was 'sigh, another succession?' North Koreans were getting tired of hereditary succession. Especially among elites, we wanted something new and novel, 'Shouldn't something different come?' is what we thought."
The Kim family has ruled North Korea since it was formed in 1948. The country's people are taught that the blood line is sacred. It is a way of legitimising the dynasty.
"I heard things like, "so we're gonna serve the dearest forever, right?'
"What would a 27-year-old know in terms of running a country? It's absurd."
A promise
In a speech in 2012, the new leader pledged North Koreans would never have to "tighten their belts again".
For a country that had suffered a deadly famine in the 1990s which cost hundreds of thousands of lives, it seemed that their new leader wanted to end their food shortages and their suffering. It was a huge moment.
Foreign office officials were ordered to facilitate more international investments. And some within the country noticed changes too.
Driver Yoo Seong-ju from a province on the east coast of the country says he started noticing more things in supermarkets that had been made in North Korea.
"To our own surprise and pride, North Korean food products were actually better than Chinese ones in terms of taste, packaging and in supply. It was actually quite an ego boost."
The purge
Kim Jong-un's good wishes for his people did not extend to those he considered a threat.
In particular his uncle Jang Song-thaek had amassed a powerful network of allies.
Hundreds of miles from Pyongyang in the north of the country near the border with China, trader Choi Na-rae was wondering if Mr Jang could be the new leader of the country.
"Many of us hoped the country would open up with China and that we could travel freely abroad," he remembered.
"We thought if Jang Song-thaek would have succeeded in taking power, he would have brought a lot of economical change to North Korea. Of course we couldn't easily speak this out loud but we did have those expectations."
This kind of rumour had to be quashed.
Jang Song-thaek was labelled "human scum" and "worse than a dog" and then executed for allegedly undermining the "unitary leadership of the party".
The young leader was showing his ruthless streak.
Taking control
Dozens fled across the border to China and eventually to South Korea to try to seek refuge from the purge. Kim Jong-un decided to try to prevent further defections. Border security was tightened like never before. A barbed wire fence went up with traps on the ground underneath.
Ha Jin-woo managed to get around 100 people out of North Korea during his time as a broker.
"The country has a separate border security force. They are told to just shoot and kill anyone that tries to cross the border and they won't be held accountable for it."
"I was very scared when I first started but I had this sense of duty. Since I was young I had a lot of doubts about North Korea. Why am I born here to live like less than an animal with no rights and freedom? I had to risk my life to do this job."
But he was eventually a marked man and had to flee. His mother was locked in a prison camp and the brutal treatment there left her paralysed.
This haunts Jin-woo who barely remembers his mother's voice.
Mr Popular
Despite the crackdown on dissenters and defectors, King Jong-un was trying to appear more accessible, more modern and more friendly than his father.
He married a fashionable young woman, Ri Sol-ju. He was photographed hugging, waving, smiling at visits to various towns and villages. Riding roller coasters, skiing, galloping on horseback.
The couple toured cosmetic factories and showed off luxury goods.
But for ordinary North Koreans, trying to be more "modern" was forbidden.
Yoon Mi-so wanted to follow trends she had seen on smuggled South Korean DVDs. She was desperate to wear earrings, a necklace or even jeans.
"I once was once caught for not abiding by these rules and was put on a public shame stand, where a bunch of people would just verbally criticise me until I cried. They'd say "you are corrupted, how are you not ashamed?'"
Hyun-young was a singer, just like Kim Jong-un's wife. But all her songs had to glorify the North Korean leader. She tried to rebel, but was persecuted.
"I've never once been freely allowed to do what I artistically wanted to do. There was so much regulation and confinement in the music of North Korea that I suffered a lot.
"The government controls this because they are afraid of foreign influence. These tight regulations show they are not confident in their own regime."
At least seven people have been executed in the past decade for watching or distributing K-pop videos from South Korea, according to a recent human rights report.
Kim Jong-un has described these foreign influences as a "vicious cancer".
And trouble was not far away.
Tick tick boom
Each ballistic missile test made headlines globally but inside the country they did not foster national pride in the way intended.
"People would say that they are still building weapons by squeezing blood and sweat from the people," says one defector.
"We didn't consider it a victory. We thought 'Wow, they spent so much money on all those tests. All the money we earn for them is going to that,'" says another.
Around 2016 in the foreign office, Ambassador Ryu was given new orders. The focus was no longer just on business.
"We were to explain why North Korea needs nuclear weapons, the purpose and justification."
The hope was that by diplomats talking about it, the idea would become normalised within the international community.
It didn't work out like that.
Rocket Man's big gamble
Escalating threats between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un ended in the ultimate diplomatic show.
The dictator so often caricatured as a fat spoiled baby in western media was confidently striding alongside the US president, sharing the stage.
North Korean newspapers plastered the handshakes in Singapore on the front page.
But sanctions to curb the country's nuclear programme were beginning to bite. Although awed by the image, the reaction in villages outside the main city of Pyongyang was muted.
"We had no ability to analyse the meaning of it. We just couldn't fathom how that meeting could lead to improvements or something like that," says trader Choi Na-rae.
But there was no deal and ambassador Ryu believes it was all a show to gain some relief from sanctions.
"The North can never give up these weapons because it views them as vital to the survival of the regime."
Covid crisis
Worse was to come for Kim Jong-un.
When the Covid pandemic hit neighbouring China in January 2020, North Korea closed its borders. Not just to people, but also to trade.
Food and vital medicine piled up at the main entry point of Dandong, unable to get through. More than 80% of the country's trade comes from China.
"Since Covid, a lot has changed," says Ju Seong who was a driver in North Korea. He has managed to speak briefly to his mother near the border with China.
"The economy is shrinking, prices have hiked. It has become so much harder to live. My parents seem to find food but the price is just too high. It's very stressful. The situation seems severe."
There are reports that some are starving.
Kim Jong-un himself has described it as a "great crisis' and even shed tears in a speech. Unprecedented for a North Korean leader.
A former doctor there, Kim Sung-hui, says most medicines have to be bought on the black market.
Operating theatres regularly go without electricity and surgeons sometimes work with their bare hands as no gloves are available.
"When I see how different the two countries are on this peninsula, I hope North Korea can arrive at a future where the human rights of both the patients and the doctors are guaranteed."
North Korea is not equipped for a pandemic and the public health toll from Covid is unknown.
But it also cannot survive its current self-imposed isolation without significant harm to its people.
The cult of Kim
Some of our defectors were so emotional about the current situation in North Korea that they predicted a coup. But there are no signs this is even a remote possibility.
The cult of the Kim family has proved to be pervasive and remarkably stable. All predictions of regime collapse have been wrong.
After more than 70 years of being closed off to the world, most of my interviewees said their wish was for North Korea to open its borders, to allow its people to move freely. Many simply want to see their families again.
They are now free to raise their voices and tell their stories about life under Kim Jong-un. Those left behind are not.
"Singing for myself is something I have risked my life to do," says singer Hyun-hang. Those left in North Korea have to bury that in their heart till they die."
On the 10th anniversary of his rule, Kim Jong-un is in charge of a country in crisis. He has dozens of new nuclear weapons but his people are still going hungry.
A huge poster was put in the centre of Seoul in 2018 just after the South Korean president visited Pyongyang. It was a photograph of Kim Jong-un being shown how to put his fingers and thumb together in what has become the K-pop symbol for love.
I wrote at the time that with a click of those same fingers Mr Kim could change the course of his people.
He could offer them freedom. He has that power.
Instead, the 25 million people of North Korea are more isolated from the world than ever.
All these interviewees risked their lives to leave North Korea and now live in South Korea and the US. Some of their names have been changed to protect their families
Illustrations by Gerry Fletcher
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