[Opinion] Poor “Arirang”

100,000 people are on stage. When 20,000 perform the card section, the other 50,000 perform gymnastic and concert acts. 30,000 are assistant staff in charge of directing and music. 200,000 are in the audience. This is the outer look of North Korea’s pride: her “Arirang” performance. It was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest group performance dance in the world.

But North Korea is silent on the hardships of the tens of thousands of children who have to practice painfully for more than five months to perform the card section.

Formal performances of Arirang began in 2002. This year is the third time it is being held. Following the first phase of performance, which is staged from April 14 to May 5, the second set is held though August 1 to October 10. The performance is relevant to the national celebrations of North Korea. In 2005 it was held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from the Japanese colonial rule and the establishment of its Workers’ Party, and the first performance of this year was to honor the 95th birthday of the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung (April 15) and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of its People’s Army (April 25).

Most of the audience members are North Koreans, but they also invite foreigners for profit. In 2005 they invited South Koreans on a large scale. South Korean government responded to this, and 7,400 people traveled to Pyongyang. The cost was 1,100 dollars for a one-night trip to Pyongyang, including watching the Arirang performance, and 1,500 dollars for two nights. Most of the 11 million dollars North Korea earned was from the pockets of South Koreans. The price this year is 100 euros for a 2nd class seat (about 130,000 won).

North Korea put off the second inter-Korean summit to October citing the flood damages, but the Arirang goes on unhindered. It is not understandable because the residents mobilized from regions nationwide are the labor sources that ought to be busy for the recovery from flood disaster. Some say the performance is for earning foreign money, but this view is not persuasive since North Korea did not invite group audience from South Korea. What’s left is political cause. Who would dare to assert to stop the performance full of content praising Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il? In a comment by Madeleine Albright, the then U.S. secretary of state, who watched the special performance in October 2000, we can see the reason why the performance should go on. She said, “I saw for the first time 100,000 dancing in perfect order. Only a dictator can make it possible.”

Bhang Hyeong-nam, Editorial Writer, hnbhang@donga.com