North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in economics from a Malaysian University, amid grumbles from critics who denounce his ruling tactics.
Privately run HELP University met public criticism after performing what they called a "simple ceremony" in early October at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, according to the Associated Press. The North Korean ambassador in Malaysia accepted the award at the conferment for Kim Jong-un.
Following the event - which was not heavily covered in the Malaysian media but was briefly noted by state-run Korean Central News Agency -citizens responded with backlash on social media. U.S.-based magazine Foreign Policy wrote a blog post that commented on the curious nature of the award.
University president Paul Chan responded to these critiques shortly after the decision to give Kim Jong-un a Dr. title, saying that the choice was meant to build "a bridge to reach the people," and that "a soft constructive approach" was necessary to initiate a relationship with Pyongyang.
"To help [North Korea] in the way we do, it is a road untraveled, but we hope our first small crucial step will contribute to peace and prosperity for all," Chan wrote in a statement.
The university president also said that Kim "makes untiring efforts for the education of the country and the well-being of its people."
But some Malaysians weren't happy about the honorary doctorate degree awarded to the leader of the DPRK - user Nick Lim posted on the university's Facebook page that the decision was an "insult to the academia." Alumnus Daniel Wong wrote that he was "ashamed to have graduated from this institution," AP reported.
North Korea is an enigmatic land that has sealed itself off from most foreign nations - economic data has gone unreleased for decades and nearly all international trade has ceased. The Associated Press reported that North Korean citizens suffer food and power shortages frequently. Meanwhile, the global community has scrambled to find middle ground to walk with Pyongyang.
The central South Korean bank wagers the North's average standard of living as based on the gross national income was $1,250 per person in 2011. Compare that figure to the $23,400 Koreans in the South spend a year to live.
But Pyongyang has recently demonstrated attempts to bolster its economy while still maintaining state control. Officials in North Korea have said that economic development is a pressing issue that must be addressed, but that it lies on a level playing field of importance with the nuclear weapons program that has led to years of sanctions and isolation, AP reported.
HELP University is a noted Malaysian institution well-known for its business and psychology programs.
