Well, I couldn't address everything in my review. Those things are covered in the book, of course.
I wasn't wondering why the starving population didn't rebel. I understand that phenomenon well enough. My observation was that the defectors who made it out and now knew the truth still often felt vestigial loyalty to North Korea, and even a desire to return.
In some cases this was because, as Demick points out, many of them thought that Kim Jung Il's regime was on its last legs and that they'd soon be able to return to a different country.
Others react with the natural defensiveness all people feel for their own, the phenomenon of knowing perfectly well how screwed-up your own family is but even though you know that Uncle Bob is a lousy drunken creep, you'll get pissed off when an outsider says it.
Still, there were many heartbreaking ironies in the book illustrating just how deeply the North Koreans have been inculcated in the philosophy of Juche. My impression is that while East Germans for the most part knew they were living in a totalitarian police state and that West Germany was much better off, many North Koreans have truly been convinced that as bad as they may have it, the rest of the world has it worse. That's what makes North Korea different than many other dictatorships, the degree to which its leaders have successfully brainwashed the populace.
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I wasn't wondering why the starving population didn't rebel. I understand that phenomenon well enough. My observation was that the defectors who made it out and now knew the truth still often felt vestigial loyalty to North Korea, and even a desire to return.
In some cases this was because, as Demick points out, many of them thought that Kim Jung Il's regime was on its last legs and that they'd soon be able to return to a different country.
Others react with the natural defensiveness all people feel for their own, the phenomenon of knowing perfectly well how screwed-up your own family is but even though you know that Uncle Bob is a lousy drunken creep, you'll get pissed off when an outsider says it.
Still, there were many heartbreaking ironies in the book illustrating just how deeply the North Koreans have been inculcated in the philosophy of Juche. My impression is that while East Germans for the most part knew they were living in a totalitarian police state and that West Germany was much better off, many North Koreans have truly been convinced that as bad as they may have it, the rest of the world has it worse. That's what makes North Korea different than many other dictatorships, the degree to which its leaders have successfully brainwashed the populace.