by Joseph Yun Li-sun

The musician was the first pianist of the Pyongyang Symphony Orchestra, but fled after realizing that North Korea "is the only place in the world where art is exploited for repression." Engaged in the battle for human rights in his country of origin, he performs "to show that our people do not hate each other."

Seoul (AsiaNews) - On this earth, "there is one country where you can't sing the song you want to even though you have a mouth, listen to the music that you want to even though you have ears, and play the music that you want to even though you have fingers. That is North Korea." With this sentence, the North Korean pianist Kim Cheol-woong yesterday closed his concert at Haechi Hall in Seoul, organized by the Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea as part of a fundraiser.

During the concert Kim, 39, told the audience about his life as a musician in his country of origin and why music can become a tool for the reunification of the two Koreas, "the only path to peace in Asia" . The musician, who comes from a family of Pyongyang elite, did not hide the privileges of his birth: "If you do not come from the highest ranks of society, in North Korea you can not even think of becoming an artist."

However, Pyongyang's cannon of art is very different from that of the rest of the world: "When I was in third grade, I had to learn to play a song called 'revolutionary army game'. Over time I was told what to play and what not to play, when and how to play it. I became the first pianist of the State Symphony Orchestra, but I had to play only military and patriotic melodies. And just for our leaders. "

One night, he decided to play another piece and, believing that he was alone, he launched into a version of a piece of jazz by the French composer Clayderman: "They took me to the National Security Office. There I was forced to 'confess' and write self-critique to 'denounce bourgeois activity'. I realized that I had to leave and I ran away. "

His escape was not easy. Like many other North Koreans, he decided to cross the Tumen River and enter China illegally: here he was forced to work as a servant to a Chinese family in the area, who did not report him to the authorities [Beijing and Pyongyang have a repatriation agreement for exiles - ed] in exchange for his servitude.

The first time he set eyes again on a piano was in an old Christian mission in China: "It was in terrible condition, but it was wonderful. Out of the 88 keys, 50 did not make any sound. Nevertheless I played it and I started to cry" . In 2001, he succeeded in reaching South Korea since then he has been teaching music at the conservatory and is committed to human rights in North Korea.

"In Pyongyang, there is no concept of human rights - said Kim before taking leave of his audience - and I knew I had to do more to raise awareness worldwide about the situation. I want to let people know that there's nothing wrong between North and South Koreans, there are just differences. Being different is very different from being wrong. Through music, I want to focus on the similarities.  I hope to succeed in doing this. "

 

• korea
• north
• south
• muscian
• peace
• reunification
• pyongyang
• regime