As a country, North Korea is not completely open yet. Its government is often considered as an authoritarian system, therefore there is no democracy within. However, the construction in that country is rapidly growing, considering the fact that hundreds of buildings can be completely built and constructed within 2 years only.
“As I have seen, the key is that they really focus on [building] something,”, said Berlian Napitupulu, the Indonesian Ambassador for North Korea, in front of the students of International Relations department, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UNPAS. The students fulfilled the hall of R. Suradiraja UNPAS, Jl. Lengkong Besar, Bandung, in Friday, December 6th, 2019.
Although having been authoritatively governed, Napitupulu said that people’s daily life in North Korea was really safe. Their traffic was orderly as well.
The lecture held entitled “Indonesia-North Korea: Cooperation Goals”. It was officially started by Dr. M. Budiana, SIP., M.Si, the Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UNPAS. Other than the Indonesian Ambassador for North Korea, the lecture was also attended by several teachers of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UNPAS, including Dr. Yusa Djuyandi (as interviewees) and Dr. Ade Priangani (Head of International Relations department). The lecture was hosted by Drs. Sigid Harmurti, M.I.Pol.
The Dean also sent his gratitude to all interviewees. “Specially to Mr. Berlian Napitupulu. He came along and fulfilled our invitation to join the lecture in the middle of his busy schedules. We would like to thank you very much. What he has explained before really meant to us,”, said Budiana. “As an ambassador, there are indeed some precious experiences during his duty work. I would like to tell the students to listen to his explanation carefully.”
On that occasion, the Dean also handed Mr. Napitulu a souvenir placard before the lecture began.
Furthermore, Berlian Napitupulu did not say much about North Korea because the country itself, as mentioned before, is not completely and publicly open yet. We should stay careful and cautious about that. However, seeing these facts, it is also possible for Indonesia to make an international cooperation with the country.
Indonesia itself has begun its relation with North Korea since 1962. In 1964, the first president of Indonesia Soekarno has once visited North Korea, when Kim Il Sung was still the president.
In the explanation, instead of telling more about North Korea, Berlian Napitupulu said a lot more about the situation in several countries, such as Canada, South Korea, Russia and the Philippines. What he said was of course based on his job and duty as a diplomat who often visits thoses countries in the world. What he said was more like a comparison for Indonesian people.
In Canada, for example, the circumstances are very safe. A house should not need to be fenced off. “A fenced house is only for Governor General,” he continued. Canada occupies 16 million square kilometers and its people is only 30 million. The country has many natural resources. It is different with South Korea where the plantation area is about 20 percent only. South Korea has neither natural resources nor iron mine, but it has successfully produced the 3rd largest number of steel in the world.
According to Napitupulu’s explanation, South Korean highly honored education. Teachers have always been in the highest level of degree. Therefore, the teachers are very appreciated of what they do to the country. Other than that, the people have always been finding themselves competitive, so that they are very energetic. It is because of they have always been feeling cautious and alert of people in North Korea, its brother country.
Furthermore, Napitulu continued, “Russia is a vast country with seven time zones. It takes up to nine hours if we fly from Moscow to Vladivostok, even though it is in the same region of the country,”. Russians are willing to learn more specific on something. Their will to learn science is really high until they become expert in their field. In Russia, Medical Science is not part of a faculty anymore. It becomes a university and transportation as well. Its only one weakness lays on its nationalism that often leads them to a war.
When Gorbachev, as a highest leader, applied the theory of Glasnost and Perestroika (political openness and economical restructurisation), Soviet Union was divided into 16 countries which also often leads them to a war for quite long time.
The similar condition also occurred in Mindanao, Philippines. It has been facing conflicts for a long time as well. However, the Filipinos has high self-confidence and great ability to tell facts. Therefore, the story of their country and nation could be more interesting to pay attention to.
Napitupulu continued that those good things from other countries should surely be the example to develop our own country [Indonesia]. “Today, Indonesian economy lays in the 15th in the world. In 2030, Indonesia must be in 4th world position.”. he said again.*** (TS)
