Kim Pyeong-gang, a witness who lived in Punggye-ri, North Korea, shares her personal experiences.
On the upcoming broadcast of Channel A's entertainment program ‘Now We Are Meeting’ (directed by Kim Gun-rae/written by Jang Joo-yeon, hereafter ‘Iman Gap’) on the 31st at 10:40 PM, we will hear the story of Kim Pyeong-gang, who directly experienced the realities of the hidden land, Punggye-ri.
On this day, Iman Gap will explore the village of Punggye-ri, where unimaginable nuclear tests are taking place. In particular, it is reported that Kim Pyeong-gang, a living witness from this village, will appear on Iman Gap to reveal the secrets of Punggye-ri, raising expectations. In fact, Kim Pyeong-gang was said to have grown up as the ‘perfect daughter’ of well-off parents.
Moreover, her father was a film director who directly planned North Korea's representative film ‘Nation and Destiny’. She followed her father around from a young age, treating movie theaters and filming locations as playgrounds, and she even worked as a broadcast writer for the Korean Central Broadcasting Committee, following Kim Jong-il's handwritten instruction to study at the Pyongyang Theater and Film University.
Additionally, high-ranking officials, including Jang Sung-taek, often visited her home. She recounted her childhood stories of playing with Jang Sung-taek, referring to him as ‘Uncle Jang Sung-taek’ without hesitation, which surprised other cast members. The reason she ended up in Punggye-ri, despite having such an enviable family and career, was due to her first love, who was so handsome that he could be called the ‘North Korean version of Cha Eun-woo’. The story of how Kim Pyeong-gang, a golden spoon from Pyongyang, ended up in the rural village of Punggye-ri will be revealed in detail during the broadcast.
Having fallen deeply in love, Kim Pyeong-gang traveled all the way to Punggye-ri for secret dates and, despite her parents' opposition, quickly completed her marriage registration. One suspicious point was that she could never find out her husband's occupation. Her husband only revealed that he worked as a researcher at the ‘Defense Science Institute’ and avoided detailed questions, adding to the mystery. As she moved to Punggye-ri, where her husband worked, and enjoyed a happy newlywed life, she gradually began to sense something strange.
At some point, the military completely took over Punggye-ri, establishing restricted zones throughout the village, and rumors began to circulate about the construction of a missile base. Subsequently, a mysterious illness dubbed ‘ghost disease’ began to spread in Punggye-ri, with people suffering from an unknown ailment appearing. Kim Pyeong-gang's husband also rapidly deteriorated in health, with his skin peeling off like scales and sores spreading all over his body. It was reported that birds fell from the sky and dead fish floated on the water, adding to the shock. The shocking tragedy that unfolded in the once peaceful village of Punggye-ri will be examined in detail on this day’s Iman Gap.
As if that weren't enough, the worst economic crisis in North Korea, known as the ‘Arduous March’, swept through, leaving Kim Pyeong-gang with no time to mourn the tragedy of Punggye-ri. Ultimately, she struggled to make a living by going on a work assignment to Beijing, escaping from a North Korea filled with dying people. After leaving North Korea and experiencing a new world in China, she ultimately decided to defect. After a series of twists and turns, she came to South Korea, where she learned that all the strange phenomena she witnessed in Punggye-ri were due to nuclear tests. The most shocking revelation was that her husband was actually working at a nuclear test site.
Meanwhile, even after she arrived in South Korea, nuclear tests in Punggye-ri continued unabated, reaching the sixth round. Concerns about a potential seventh nuclear test have been consistently raised, and in June, allegations emerged that contaminated wastewater was being illegally discharged into the West Sea from the uranium factory in Pyongsan, North Hwanghae Province. Although these allegations were ultimately dismissed as baseless rumors, the anxiety surrounding them was not easily alleviated, given the nature of the North Korean regime. On this day’s Iman Gap, a professor specializing in nuclear medicine and experts will analyze the recent allegations regarding the discharge of nuclear wastewater in detail.
The story of Kim Pyeong-gang, who directly experienced the realities of Punggye-ri, can be confirmed on August 31 at 10:40 PM on Channel A’s ‘Now We Are Meeting’.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
