RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – It seems that some foreigners are growing tired of the international community’s casting of North Korea as the outcast on the block. Hoping to change its undesirable reputation, a group called the Korean Friendship Association (KFA) has been running a YouTube channel focused on portraying the nation in a positive light.
Instead of showing the various problems of the Hermit Kingdom, the KFA attempts to portray the nation as advanced, happy and free. But, there are many issues that prevent the KFA from achieving its goal, such as the language barrier between itself and its international audience – not to mention by the country.
There are technical issues as well. While it translates written posts, most of its videos are only in Korean. Further, The KFA’s work is plagued by inconsistencies, including the claim that the group is it is impartial in nature. This is contradicted by the fact some of its articles clearly side with North Korea.
The group is made up of a variety of non-North Koreans, with the goal of bringing an alternative viewpoint of North Korea to the outside world. But it is unlikely the KFA will be able to convince its audience, since many Western news outlets draw attention to the human rights abuses taking place in North Korea.
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