What Kim Jong Un should learn from Castro

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro who led the Cuban socialist revolution died at the age of 90 on Friday. After toppling down pro-American dictator Fulgencio Batista in January 1959, he took the thrown for 49 years until he officially stepped down from his national posts in 2008. Once a man who led the socialist revolution and anti-Americanism in the Central America with his comrade Che Guevara, most of the socialist figures who marked the history in the Cold War passed away along with his death.

Castro held tight to all the top spots including the Communist Party, the legislative and the administrative branches until he succeeded his position as the head of the administrative body to his brother Raul Castro in February 2008. Though his alleged achievements such as universal education and medical coverage gained somewhat success, Castro also suppressed human rights by executing 500 public officials who worked for the Batista regime. Castro’s suppression was severely criticized even by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump who condemned the deceased by saying, “Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.” During his lifetime, Castro argued that “history will absolve me,” but it is up to the next generation to comment on his past deeds.

Castro kept close ties with North Korea, as he already received free 100,000 rifles and ammunitions from Kim Il Sung when he visited Pyongyang in 1986. Kim Jong Un also immediately sent a telegram of condolences to Cuba. Still, neither did Castro pass down his power to his son and grandson, nor did he force his people to worship him like Kim Il Sung. In the 1990s, he even gave way to the global market by expanding foreign direct investment, decentralizing national corporations, and deregulating self-employment. When times were hard due to economic sanctions from the U.S., not only the Cuban public, but also their highest leader and elites shared the pain. A striking difference compared to North Korea where only the privileged survived and the public were left to die of starvation during the “North Korean famine.”

After decades of hatred, the U.S. and Cuba announced their normalization of diplomatic relations in December 2014. U.S. President Barack Obama visited Cuba this March, and held a summit in 88 years. The death of the late Cuban leader sheds some positive light on reform and open-door policies mainly in the economic sector. Furthermore, negotiations on other diplomatic ties will also speed up. While most socialist nations are partially adopting market economy and is heading towards a more open society, North Korea is still taking a backward step. Kim Jong Un should learn lessons from Castro who realized the reality too lately, and contemplate upon how long he can hold on to his regressive policy.

eligius@donga.com