North Korea

Eleven years in the service of Kim Jong Il

Earlier, it was his Job, the life of General Kim Jong Il to protect. Today, Lee Young Guk for the human rights in his home country and reports from the time as the Bodyguard of a dictator.

He came so close as hardly anyone. Sometimes, Kim Jong Il, only a few metres away from Lee Young Guk. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, it belonged to Lee for the bodyguard of the later North Korean leader, moved to the immediate environment of the most Powerful in the country. His is a story of a man who is on a functioning cog in the System to critics of the regime.

Lee now lives in the South Korean capital, Seoul. He travels around to tell his story. So as of this Tuesday (23.02.) in Geneva. Since joined the 54-Year-old at this year’s Menschenrechtsgipfel on, with a clear message in their Luggage. Lee’s goal is to be on the serious human rights Violations in North Korea closely and the reigning dictator, Kim Jong Un before the International criminal court to bring the son of the man he once was with his life protected.

As Lee in the elite circle of the Kim-bodyguard was called, he was still a student. In all schools there was at that time a large-scale selection process, to be the bodyguard for the son of founder Kim Il Sung to put together. In extensive Tests were all candidates on the heart and kidneys checked. Your physical Fitness played as important a role as the character. “Most importantly, however, was the family Background,” said Lee. “And it goes specifically to the question of whether it is in the relationship, political prisoners were, or a family member, after South Korea had fled.”

Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1994 until his death in 2011

Small talk with the dictators son

Lee Young Guk agreed to everything. And after a year it was clear: He had the position for sure. Then there have a special pre-race training for the Job, and a kind of brainwashing is given, he says. “We have been told to believe, what a gottgleicher man Kim Jong Il. In my head he was a great Person.” But as he then face-to-face as compared to have been made, whether the impression is quite different. Kim, at that time not yet 40 years old, was very energetic and downright hilarious. “He pressed vulgar. It was not at all the man I had expected.”

It is not uncommon to have been that Kim is with him and the other bodyguards, a conversation began. “He chatted with us and asked for example, whether someone is cold.” The Bodyguards would have, in turn, to the attention of your “protégé” gebuhlt. It had been a real battle to his favor. The bodyguards, whether it be for a North Korean relations went well, they were supplies that had to be different, as large parts of the population not suffering from Hunger. “Kim Jong Il hung on his bodyguards. Last but not least, because of his private life from the Public abschirmten and also ensured that not his Power was in danger.”

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The other face of

But with all the preferred treatment, the Bodyguards enjoyed, whether the fear is also always a constant companion. Fear of doing something wrong and wrath. Because even a small error had serious consequences, also for the whole family, Lee says. Kim is a very stimmungsabhängiger man. “He was very cruel and knew no mercy. When people behind his back talking to or about him laughed, then he let them disappear overnight. Also his faithful ones.” Check the statements of Lee, however.

Lee always looks down when he speaks. Not in the eyes of his Gesprächpartners. And he uses his hands while Talking. They are almost constantly in motion. Even killed someone he did not on behalf of General Kim Jong Il, he says. “It was my job to protect him. For the Killing of others were responsible.”

A Case Of Conscience

In 1988, ended his time as a Bodyguard. He had his Job spaces, not because it’s not good to have done, but because of his Cousin’s position as a personal Chauffeur Kim Jong Il had received. Two members of the family simultaneously in the direct service of the Kim’s, that was forbidden. For the first Time in over a decade came Lee out again from Pyongyang, out of the haze of the ruling family, out from the Golden cage in which he has more than a decade had spent. Not even contact to his family he was allowed in this time.

He would have been appalled through the poverty in the country. “I saw that virtually nothing had changed in the outside world while I was gone. That it is the people still as bad as it was before, that you are hungry, have suffered or even died of hunger.” Also skepticism about the own leadership was in him came up, for the first Time. “It was out in the media and by the Propaganda always presented, as would Kim with his starving people cry. It was called, out of compassion with the people would voluntarily not eat.” Actually had the Kim’s in the lap of luxury lived, surrounded by luxury goods. Lee’s voice sounds pressed, as he told me.

Kim Il Sung (l.) and Kim Jong Il

From the bodyguard to the political prisoners

After leaving the bodyguard of General Kim Jong Il worked for Lee in a low Position for the government. He used his professional past, to out of the country. Yet always, he enjoyed privileges, because he is the son of Kim Il Sung had worked. In 1994, he got a visa for a China visit, wanted to from there on to South Korea to flee.

But the Plan went wrong. Lee was betrayed by a man, of him actually support promised to him, but instead, the North Korean authorities sold. So he tells it. He has been to North Korea brought back and landed in the camp in Yodok, the so-called Camp 15.

“The prisoners there were treated like animals,” he says. And then corrects: “no, worse than animals.” He had mice, and snakes need to eat in order to survive. Because food have hardly given. “And every two weeks were rows of prisoners were selected, which then were executed. We had to watch maybe ten feet away.”

A total of four years and seven months he spent in prison camp. Then he was released. “In a renewed attempt to escape, I have not even thought of.” Too deep to sit the experience that he is in the prison camp had made.

But then it came differently. His house was bugged, been, every step was monitored. And one day, had the security services tried to arrest him. About the reasons, he says nothing. Although he was handcuffed and wore, whether he was able to get rid of tear and over the border to China to flee.

A new beginning in Seoul

Since may 2000, is Lee Young Guk in South Korea. Only a few dozen kilometres separate him from his home country. Up to now he has fear of the North Korean Regime, even when Menschenrechtsgipfel in Geneva, he was wondering whether he was being tracked and bugged. “But I don’t want them to dominate,” he says.

That is why he speaks. Perhaps, also, to the own past, to process. Only about a subject he would not speak: His family in North Korea. There is the fear then it is too big.