The Accusation

The Accusation is a deeply moving and eye-opening work of fiction that paints a powerful portrait of life under the North Korean regime. Set during the period of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's leadership, the seven stories that make up The Accusation give voice to people living under this most bizarre and horrifying of dictatorships. The characters of these compelling stories come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from a young mother living among the elite in Pyongyang whose son misbehaves during a political rally, to a former Communist war hero who is deeply disillusioned with the intrusion of the Party into everything he holds dear, to a husband and father who is denied a travel permit and sneaks onto a train in order to visit his critically ill mother. Written with deep emotion and writing talent, The Accusation is a vivid depiction of life in a closed-off one-party state, and also a hopeful testament to the humanity and rich internal life that persists even in such inhumane conditions.

作者簡介

潘迪Bandi

　　1950年出生於北韓，也是目前唯一仍然生活在北韓的作家。出於安全考慮，真實姓名並未公開，潘迪（반디）是他的化名，引用自韓文「螢火蟲之光」（반딧불），期望這本書也能像「螢之光」一樣，為身處於暗無天日的北韓人民帶來一絲光明。

　　韓戰期間，他曾隨家人遷居中國，之後返回北韓，立志成為作家，在擔任工人之餘，利用閒暇時間寫作。20多歲時，文章即獲刊於北韓雜誌，後並成為北韓官方認可的「朝鮮作家同盟」中央委員會會員。

　　1994年金日成死亡時，北韓發生嚴重饑荒（北韓國內稱之為「苦難的行軍」），潘迪的許多親友相繼死去，也讓他決心揭發北韓當局試圖隱藏的真相。

　 　潘迪期盼透過文學超越國界的力量，讓世人能夠正視北韓社會的現況。他在交出自己的手稿時表示：「我的作品若能在南韓出版，我便心滿意足了！」而他的夙願 在二○一四年得以實現，並引起美、英、法、德、義、瑞等歐美各國激烈競價。一如前蘇聯異議作家、諾貝爾文學獎得主索忍尼辛的經典巨著《古拉格群島》，《控 訴》的問世，勢必將成為見證人性光輝和文學良心的不朽之作！

　　---中文作者簡介擷取自中譯本《控訴》，平安文化出版

　 　Bandi, a name derived from the Korean for “firefly,” is a pseudonym for a writer who is still living in his homeland of North Korea. The Accusation is his only published book to date.