““This is the year of agriculture,” he announced in 1992. “The nation must realize the people’s century-long dream to eat white rice and meat soup, wear silken clothes, and live in tiled-roof homes.” Trouble was, I’d heard it all before. The very same speech. Way back in 1961. Not long after I’d moved to North Korea. The very same idiotic speech! The same shameless lavish self-praise. But Kim Il-sung had never fulfilled any of his promises. Not one. He promised us “paradise on earth” and instead consigned us to its very opposite.””
