On a trip to visit family in Seoul in April, I was approached by a man and a woman who claimed to be North Korean defectors. They presented me with a DVD that recently came into their possession and asked me to translate it. They also asked me to post the completed film on the Internet so that it could reach a worldwide audience. I believed what I was told and an agreement was made to protect their identities (and mine).
Despite my concerns about what I was viewing when I returned home, I proceeded to translate and post the film on You Tube because of the film’s extraordinary content. I have now made public my belief that this film was never intended for a domestic audience in the DPRK. Instead, I believe that these people, who presented themselves as ‘defectors’ specifically targeted me because of my reputation as a translator and interpreter.
Furthermore, I now believe these people work for the DPRK. The fact that I have continued to translate and post the film in spite of this belief does not make me complicit in their intention to spread their ideology. I chose to keep posting this film because – regardless of who made it – I believe people should see it because of the issues it raises and I stand by my right to post it for people to share and discuss freely with each other.
According to Sabine the above is the formal statement she gave to Federal Police on 16 June 2012.
Sabine: I have translated this film, laid in the English voice over and subtitles, and on legal advice have blurred the identity of the presenter and/or blacked out certain elements.
the most saddest story of all sad stories, korean story..I almost cannot blame NK for taking the road of terrible hatred and vengeance (their leadership). But in the end, it must be noticed that that its terrible hisory cannot justify what NK government does to its people. There is like only 1 allowed ‘thought form’. On the west there is illusory democracy, but at least the idea of democracy is allowed to be thought. They may try to condition you not to think at all, but they may not openly forbid you to think. You may resist in many ways. In NK you may not. I mean NK government is making fools out of its people like no other government is. They were told, for instance, that some birds took the dying body of the great leader to heaven, when he died, and even sent a journalist to try to take photos of it. They have no idea what is going in in the outside world. They have no internet, by Christ, NO INTERNET!!!! North korea is still the one place in the world where i would least like to be. And the thing with their hate. The lullabies they sing to their children are about killing the nasty Americans and stuff. Its morbid. Given what americans and japanese did to them tho, its pretty much understandable. Understandable, but still unjustifiable. If they had it their way now, they would kill every american and every japanese they could find (think they wouldnt kill civilians??) which would inspire more vengeance in the future. Such is the pursuit of vengeance on any level.. it always creates moar destruction and evil than it destroys.
So yeah, there isn’t much untruth, but the irony becomes overwhelming. I whish my thoughts could affect them, so i could send them thoughts of forgiveness and such stuff.
Minus the odd bit of North Korean propaganda – The best documentary I’ve seen in years!
fantastic documentary. really have a hard time disagreeing with anything it says.
Great! Make sure you share it!
Great! Make sure you share it!
Propaganda has existed in the east for almost the same amount of time as in the west. This video is propaganda because it is presented with socialism being favored over capitalism.
This was an interesting documentary.
But the details behind it are sketchy at best. I’m sorry but 2 random strangers came up to you in Seoul and handed this video to you because of your reputation as a translator? Is your name Rosetta Stone or something? That is the dumbest story I’ve ever heard. Unless you’re willing to show proof, I am going to continue to believe there were no 2 random strangers and that you are the perpetuator of this propaganda.
I feel pretty confident that it is a mockumentary. It’s format is just a little to perfect.
some points were good but keep in mind, it was most likely given to the translator by the DPRK in order to turn the people of Europe and America on there governments, So in effect it is Propaganda about Propaganda, I realy hope people know about the immense propaganda that goes on inside North Korea, but I do agree that every country is involved in this mass sale of fear and profiteering but it also INCLUDES North Korea. good doc all the same
Everything was truth documented, except the inward look of propaganda used in the North Korea. Do they dare introduce democracy themselves? I am definitetly not defending democracy, nor extreme socialism. Maybe the balance is in between, but corporatism is not the answer to world peace. Capitalism -> consumerism -> imperialism -> exploitation -> nationalism -> fascism -> propaganda -> exploitation -> consumerism -> capitalism … and it goes on, and on, and on …
Wonderful documentary! Hilariously ironic, chillingly thought provoking if this information is new to you. It is always interesting to see America viewed through a lens other than its own. As was mentioned, there are obvious biases and omissions, such as Russian and Chinese imperial actions and propaganda, and the North Korean ideological masturbation.
If you buy into consumerism, democracy, and believe you are a free citizen of your country then watch this and learn.
The aware and learned, however, will find nothing new here.
P.S. Canada, this documentary’s message applies to you too.
…consumer slaves lol. Nobody forces you to buy anything. Look at the amish ffs!
‘This narcissistic parasite is called Paris Hilton’. Spot on.
This documentary made me feel awful, in a good way. There are so many things we need to change as a species…
starting with the western civilization and the 1%
By far, the best documentary I have ever watched.
Jordan is the land of palestines. Palestine is not a country and have never been….
oh shut up israel was not a country neither they just had no right to kill people anf force them to live their homelands ..
Wonderful!!! A real must see documentary.
Wow a propaganda film made about propaganda. There are points I’ve agreed with in this, ‘The wicked Japanese’ cirtainly wasn’t one of them. The crescendo at the end of Korean patrioc rhetoric was amusing irony after a whole film about western propaganda.
I think it’s worth a watch, and facinating if you consider it for what it is.
My, thoughts exactly! the whole documentary was such a dose of reality and then they top it off with that End bit. well i guess i just restated what you said less articulately, but i totally know what you mean!
“a propaganda film made about propaganda”…..never mind. Does it really matter if 99% of this video is spot on true? The USA makes propaganda everyday with their nightly news channels, right? I am tired of the finger pointing. North Korea, is it fucked up? I’ve never been there. The USA, is it fucked up? Certainly, I’ve lived there for 43 years and know for sure that it is ONE-FUCKED UP-MORALLY BANKRUPT-STOLEN NATION-WAR MACHINE-EMPIRE OF WHITES. This was a very informative video for the layman who wants to get a bit of their veil lifted from their eyes.
As I said before I’ve agreed with points in this film. But there
are almost amusing contradictions.
Religion is unbelievable (I
agree) yet ‘Our Dear Leader’ (who’s now died) has a deity like
persona. No mention of Chinese human rights violations. It talks
about censorship however censorship is rampant in North Korea.
How
many people in South Korea want to see a united Korea? Do they want
it united under ‘Our Eternal President’ it doesn’t say, or have any
polls about it.
In fact read the beginning of the
film:
‘These revelations are the direct
result of the
miraculous visions of Our Eternal President who, in his
eternal
wisdom, commissioned intellectual observers to Seoul for
evidence
collection…’
Much of the content of this film is mentioned
by people from around the world including the west. Historically
things have been recorded otherwise points made about these matters
wouldn’t have any credence or evidence. I doubt the ‘Great Leader’s’
visions could have been recorded in such a wealth of available video
footage. I’m not defending atrocities in the world, just considering
the amazing fascinating irony of a propaganda film about
propaganda.
As in my original comment. It’s worth a watch, and
fascinating if you consider it for what it is.
my thoughts exactly, NK is massively infamous for there censorship and for propaganda, watching the state TV of the funeral of there leader looked staged with how much crying and trowing themselves on the ground went on, either very brainwashed or threatened to show support in front of the cameras….of course the dangers of this documentary is under-educated people now might refer to NK as some form of freedom nation, propaganda should just be accepted its everywhere and I dont see how any body could stop/want to stop it.
Right….I understood your first comment. But, I think it’s a bit petty and pointless to point out that it is coming from North Korea, which happens to be hypocritical for pointing the finger, but who isn’t? I am certain that 99.99% that have watched this took the “Eternal President” slant with a mere grain of salt. It is laughable. But what’s not laughable is the message about The USA’s propaganda. THAT, my friend, is what is important here, not the obvious irony about North Korea’s finger pointing. Case closed.
P.S. Jack Meoff IS my real name. You can’t imagine the abuse I took because of it when I was a child. 😉
The fact that the majority of it is true is what makes it good propaganda. If it was full of lies, it would be extremely easy to deconstruct. They’re not trying to confuse uneducated, gullible people here. They’re trying to make a point, and to make their point they tell the truth, bending the truth, telling half-truths, and occasionally making up “truths”.
What should scare people here has nothing to do with the lies, but the way they present the truth. Watch it and compare to other such films more familiar to you. Do you see any resemblances?
The essentials of how propaganda works is all in this video – including the North Korean’s own censoring of one N. Korean psychologist’s name. I especially like the finger-pointing at Americans and the consumer society. It is a real hoot and also worth the time to watch.
right….americans don’t point fingers…..they point guns.
BTW, the face of the Korean psychologist was blurred and his name removed at the translators behest. Or were you sleeping?
A brilliant outside look on our own society, worth every second of screentime!