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Ben Contreras .

THERE was a time when the issue of North Korea was being discussed on Facebook — how its regime has been treating its own people, how it is being ruled by an alleged madman, and the supposed threat it has been posing because of its nuclear weapons, etc. — that I took the side of North Korea.

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While we cannot ignore the negative reports about the regime of Kim Jong Un or his father and grandfather, we certainly cannot also rule out the possibility that some of the negative reports could be mere black propaganda.

The world, as in the case of a small unit of organization, is still led by the strong and mighty who could and may use their great influence to exact obedience from smaller nations.

Without going into history, we make judgments based on what we see at face value, and conclude that communist countries are bad. Because we are so used to a democratic life, we readily accept the idea that communism is bad.

A communist country has its reason for being one, and only its people can understand and may agree or disagree. Beyond its border, we can only watch and rely too much on available information.

China has been a communist country until today. It is said that Mao Tse-Tung killed hundreds of thousands of his own people. Perhaps, more! But for a huge nation like China with a population of more than a billion, she needs a unifying force or figure to unite it amid the threat of being divided.

China has a history of dynasties and when betrayals led to one from another, taking a toll on innocent lives. The Chinese credited Mao Tse-Tung for unifying China, Deng Xiaoping for opening China’s gates to the world and the leaders after them for what China is today.

Korea is a divided nation, torn apart by an internationally imposed demilitarized zone. The South has the backing of the West, but it was its own people and industry that made it what it is today. And North Korea lags behind.

To say that North Korea is evil is subjective. A leader has a responsibility to his/her nation and people. How these responsibilities are executed can be presumed as the best options available.

Killing one’s own people will always look bad but I have a different view on that. For me, it’s like having cancer in one part of my body that needs to be removed or else it will spread to other parts, and threaten my life.

So what if North Korea is developing nuclear weapons? North Korea has the right to protect itself. Some would say, “A nuclear weapon in the hands of a crazy man (referring to Kim Jong Un)? That’s dangerous.” Really? And when the great nations of the West have hundreds or thousands of nuclear weapons, is that not dangerous?

If my neighbors have guns which could threaten my family, shouldn’t I get one, too?

The world just witnessed the historic meeting of leaders of a divided nation. The international community has a responsibility to make it fruitful and its unification successful the way West and East Germany did.

Politics will always attempt to prevent unification especially so when certain vested interests are threatened. But let us all look at the positive sides. After all, the North Koreans are people, too, who dream of a better life, and with freedom.

I wish the Korean people a better and peaceful life.

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