In the South Korea of 1979 there is discontent. Traffic jams, pollution, inflation, no middle-class. In October President Park is assassinated by a South Korean. One can only imagine the delight being experienced by the North's reigning leader, Kim Il Sung.

It isn't over yet. As the new President of the South begins a "crackdown" to regain order in his country, citizen movements rise creating havoc. 200 such "rebels" are killed in a massacre at Kwangju, May, 1980. North Korea once more is on full alert. Is this their opportunity?

Eventually stability returns, and to strengthen things further, in 1981 Ronald Reagan comes to power in the United States. Though the South's new leader can be called a dictator, Reagan gives him his unqualified support. Kim Il Sung's "window" is being shut in his face.

Meanwhile, throughout the 70's the North tries to speed ahead of the South on borrowed money. Lacking the moral conscience and the ability to repay, Kim soon gains a bad reputation, one that has stuck until this day.

A visitor to North Korea in 1979 is made to feel that the country is prospering. But not everything is shown. That too remains a policy to the present time. There are still portions of the country that cause websites like my own to come under question. Seeing children marching to well-organized picture-perfect schools every morning, one would never know that just "up the road" is suburban Hades, AKA the "hidden gulag" where multiplied thousands suffer as slaves and help keep the economy afloat.

One thing that Martin does see on his 1979 visit is a great majority of women in the workforce. That makes sense, because the men are serving the country in the military. Women are not needed at home, because the State takes care of their children almost from birth. Seems that America is heading that same general direction. May the Church rise up here and tell the people of God that in His order of things, women are liberated to stay home and raise a family! We've had enough of the pseudo-liberation of women.

History of North Korea to be continued...