On April 18^th, NKnet invited former gulag prisoner Mr. Kang Chol-hwan to speak about recent political and social developments in North Korea. Kang is known well for his book “The Aquariums of Pyongyang,” in which he described his experiences growing up in a North Korean political prison camp. Rather than talking about his internment at the Yoduk political prison camp, Kang provided the audience with an insightful narrative on North Korea’s development over the past 20 years.

Early on in his remarks, Kang reminded the audience of Hwang Jang-yeop’s story - a high ranking cadre who defected to South Korea in 1997. Since Hwang had been a high-ranking government official at the time of his defection he had been well aware of the dire economic climate in North Korea, fearing that the country would be pushed to the brink of collapse in only two or three years. Through his defection, Kang explained that Hwang hoped to prepare the South Korean government for the collapse of North Korea and to facilitate a peaceful reunification of the two Koreas. However, these fears never materialized and North Korea managed to endure despite all odds.