North Korea's Efforts to Create Sports for the Disabled: A Shift in Human Rights Strategy?

Photo Credit: Global Blessing Homepage

North Korea, a country often associated with a disturbing record on human rights, was found to have previously made efforts to form a soccer team for individuals with disabilities. The unpredicted action of events raised questions about the motivations and underlying reasons behind the country's cooperation. Looking at North Korea's history of neglecting disabled individuals, the surfacing of such initiatives appears to be out of place. An article written by Dr. Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings and Dr. Danielle Chubb on disabilities, international engagement on human rights, and humanitarian issues in North Korea, discusses the parallels between capitalist framings and those employed in North Korea. Through correspondence, Dr. Zadeh-Cummings (Assistant Professor of International Relations and Humanitarian Action, University of Groningen) was able to elaborate more in detail about the following article.

"In the latter, barriers to partaking in contribution to the country/service to the regime can result in the value of people with disabilities being overlooked. In the former, bodies whose labor did not generate profit were not valued. In both cases, barriers to participation and ideas of what kinds of bodies produce 'valuable' work, as well as the underlying assumption that bodies should be 'productive' to be valuable, are harmful to people with disabilities and society more broadly," she said. As such, this research aims to look into the possible factors driving North Korea's unfathomable decision to support and promote sports for people with disabilities.

North Korea's Human Rights Record 

It is widely acknowledged that North Korea faces significant criticism regarding its human rights practices. Reports and testimonials from defectors and international organizations have shed light on its ongoing violations, political repression, limited freedoms, and harsh living conditions. Furthermore, disabled individuals in North Korea have often been overlooked, as evident by their absence from the official census. The reality makes the focus on creating opportunities for disabled individuals through sports somewhat bewildering. Dr. Zadeh-Cummings further explained, "The social model focuses on how society creates barriers for people with disability. How and by whom these barriers are created can be a politically sensitive area of exploration. This is a core limitation of the social model of disability in the DPRK."

Collaborating with Global Blessing 

Global Blessing, a small international NGO based in South Korea, successfully collaborated with North Korea in ways that more prominent NGOs have struggled to achieve. In 2012, North Korea reached out to the UN to raise awareness about people with disabilities. This opened up an opportunity for North Korea to host an event on the UN's International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Lee Min Kyo, a South Korean man and the director of Kazakhstan's national disabilities soccer team then, was invited to participate. Inspired by this experience, Lee made multiple visits to North Korea, persuading the directors at the Chosun Federation of Disabled Sports to create a soccer team for athletes who had hearing and speaking disabilities. 

Promises and Possible Motivations 

Lee Min Kyo convinced the directors that supporting North Koreans with disabilities would contribute to North Korea. He also pledged efforts to train the team to participate in the Asian Games. In 2013, Global Blessing successfully established the Chosun Longah (North Korean word for mute/deaf) Football Team, with Lee as the head director. Despite challenges such as canceled games due to the Hong Kong demonstrations and the COVID-19 pandemic, the NGO provided soccer equipment, arranged training abroad in Brazil, Sydney, and Sao Paulo, and continued to foster connections between the international community and disabled individuals.

One possible explanation for North Korea's recent involvement in creating sports for people with disabilities might have derived from the country's desire to enhance its standing in the world concerning human rights and perception of co-operating within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). North Korea may have aimed to counter negative perceptions regarding its treatment of its disabled population. Participating in disability sports may be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to project an image of development and compassion while deflecting attention from the country's more urgent attention requiring human rights issues. 

Some regard North Korea's establishment of a soccer team for the disabled to be driven more by propaganda and symbolic gestures rather than a genuine commitment to disabled rights. Given the regime's history of utilizing various means for political ends, skeptics question whether these initiatives bring substantial improvements in the lives of disabled individuals. This viewpoint emphasizes the need for in-depth analysis to evaluate the government's level of dedication and whether it extends beyond merely outward activities.

Implications and Future Prospects

When asked for suggestions on how the international community would be able to provide assistance and guidance to North Korea in making gradual changes for the disabled, Dr. Zadeh-Cummings responded with a quote by Jasmine Barrett, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne: "We cannot underestimate the blood, sweat, and tears of people with disabilities themselves and their supporters that have gone into writing the new disability legislation and getting it passed by the Supreme People's Assembly."

In evaluating North Korea's progress in enhancing disabled rights, the international community's involvement is fundamental. While uncertainty surrounds North Korea's intentions, the partnership between Global Blessing and the country provides potential benefits for disabled individuals. Through sports, people with disabilities can enjoy improved physical and mental well-being, increased confidence, and social acceptance. However, ongoing monitoring, verification, and transparency are necessary to evaluate the sustainability and effectiveness of these initiatives and their broader implications for disabled rights in North Korea. Despite differing viewpoints on North Korea's motives, further research is needed to understand the driving factors behind their actions and to assess the actual impact on disabled rights. The international community's response and ongoing engagement will shape the perception and potential outcomes of North Korea's endeavors in improving disabled rights.

By NKR Intern Haewon Son

***The views expressed herein belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of NKR or the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies.

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