Gout v. Malnutrition: Taking a Look Inside the 'Hermit Kingdom'

Kim Jong Un is the infamous leader of North Korea, a country nicknamed by many news outlets as "the hermit kingdom" for its isolationist policies towards the rest of the world. However, Un has recently been thrust into the spotlight for a completely different reason. According to various sources, Un has been afflicted with an "uncomfortable" illness. Un's latest public appearance was Sept. 3, 2014, where he was seen with a visible limp.

Since then, experts have speculated that the illness may be gout. According to news.com.au, "Gout is often caused by obesity, a high calorie diet, drinking and a lack of exercise. Genetic factors also play a big role." Michael Madden, an expert on leadership in North Korea, stated: "Based on his gait, it appears he has gout – something due to diet and genetic predisposition that has affected other members of the Kim family." International Business Times editorialist Jeff Stone wrote in an article commenting on Un's health that his illness most likely stems from being overweight, caused by what Stone states as a lifestyle of "cheese-eating and smoking."

Gout also has a variety of other names, ranging from "the disease of kings" to "rich man's disease." Historically, this disease has been linked to upper-class men and women such as Pope Gregory I, Louis XIV of France and many other indulgent rulers, since only they could afford gout-causing luxuries such as cheese and alcohol. Although the disparity between classes in western cultures has gradually decreased, allowing gout to be a common ailment for anyone, this is not the case for North Korea. In North Korea, Un is the sole member of the upper class with a net-worth of five billion dollars, whereas the average North Korean citizen makes $1,800 a year. Approximately 12 million people live in extreme poverty.

However, no North Korean has ever complained about this egregious difference in income. The reason is that North Korea has a history of "brainwashing" its citizens in order to maintain complete control as well as instill a state of fear among the people. Some North Korean refugees have reported that their academic curriculum was centered around skewed information based on "the Great Leaders" Kim Jong Il and his son Un. According to North Korean refugee Ki Joo II, who had served eight years in the North Korean army, 30 percent of his studies in grade school had been about the Kim dynasty. He was taught in elementary school that those with money and land were enemies, and when he witnessed his first public execution, Ki Joo II reports that his first thought was: "He committed this crime, he threatened our paradise, he should be punished."

The North Korean government heavily monitors social media and uses it as a means to instill a cult of personality. Hyeonseo Lee, a North Korean refugee, spoke at a TED Talk​ in February 2013 about her experience in the mysterious country. As a child, Lee's family was lucky enough to have enough money for food and shelter. She was taught that North Korea was the greatest nation on the planet and that Japan, South Korea and America were all enemies.

At the age of 11, Lee witnessed her first public execution, just one of the many tactics used by North Korean authorities to scare its citizens to abide by the state laws. However, in 1995, during North Korea's infamous great famine, Lee's life changed irreversibly. Her mother had brought home a shocking letter from a coworker's sister reading: "When you read this, all five family members will not exist in this world, because we haven't eaten for the past two weeks. We are lying on the floor together, and our bodies are so weak we are ready to die."

Having had a sheltered and biased education at the time, Lee was in disbelief since she had no idea anyone in North Korea was suffering. A second incident, however, would soon change Lee's perception of her country. On her way to a train station, Lee witnessed the corpse of a woman on the ground, with a child in her arms "just staring helplessly at his mother's face." This incident, Lee stated, is something that "can't be erased from my memory."

In spite of her turbulent childhood, Lee and her family managed to flee North Korea across the border. Lee is "confident that [America] will see more and more North Koreans succeeding all over the world, including the TED stage." Lee is incredibly lucky to have been able to flee safely. However, millions of other North Korean refugees have not been so lucky.

It is quite a dramatic difference when the citizens of a country are suffering from malnutrition while the leader of that very same country is suffering from a disease caused by over-indulgence. The difference is that if a North Korean citizen were to die, it would have little to no impact on the political and social situation of the country. On the other hand, although a disease such as gout is not fatal, if combined with other physical ailments, Un's condition may prove more serious as he ages. What is the possibility that Un may die prematurely due to his health?

If this scenario were to occur, it could possibly bring about a complete overhaul of the North Korean government, as Un does not have a heir. In addition, Un does not have any close subjects who he can knowingly trust with some of his responsibilities, since those who are in power are frequently switched. According to The Inquisitor, "Un has replaced his defense minister five times in his three year reign, same with his various chiefs of the general staff." The world can only speculate what North Korea's next steps would be in the case of the end of the Kim dynasty.

If something were to seriously disrupt Un's rule, such as a sudden medical emergency, it could lead to a massive power struggle and anarchy within the North Korean political system. Since the majority of the country's decisions have been made by a single ruler's opinion, that power would be given to those who served under the Kim dynasty. However, with differing opinions and no hierarchy, the country would be left in a weakened state, setting the stage for a possible overhaul by South Korean military. In the case of North Korea's collapse, the end result would "almost certainly leave the country controlled by the South Korean government in Seoul. Should North Korea collapse, the South Korean government would almost certainly ask those American troops to stay, and maybe even to move up to the Chinese border." In the end, should such a drastic event play out, the repercussions seem positive to say the least. ​

– Jesse Wang is a College freshman from Audubon, Pennsylvania.

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