Here’s another reason why ‘Beyond Utopia’ is problematic.
Caleb Mission, the Christian missionary organization featured in the documentary, requires North Korean defectors to sign an agreement that they will attend classes on Christianity “in exchange for being rescued.”
Those who violate the terms of the agreement must pay the organization US$14,000 (20 million won).
Pastor Seungeun Kim, the founder and president of Caleb Mission who is portrayed as a hero in the film, said his group “will rescue only those who are willing to study the Bible.”
“It may look wrong to the outside world, but the reason why we ... help North Koreans escape is because we want to talk about Christianity,” he said.
One defector “was asked to repeat some scenes [of her escape]” for videos used for fundraising until the organization was satisfied with the shots taken.
“Being stateless in a third country, she just had to accept what she was told to do, just because she was an escapee,” her cousin said.
As others have noted, Beyond Utopia brings up questions about power dynamics. “Unequal power relations undergird these rescue activities in which defectors are entirely reliant upon brokers, missionaries, smugglers, and others for food, shelter, and security.”
Furthermore, the film fails to recognize the role that the United States plays in contributing to the conditions that force North Koreans to flee their homeland.
That’s why “rescuing” North Koreans is not the answer. Insead, officially ending the state of war on the Korean Peninsula by replacing the armistice with a peace agreement would go much further to improve the daily conditions of the North Korean people.
Links in bio
#endthekoreanwar
#koreapeacenow