Friend: A Novel from North Korea

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The Superior Court was nestled between mountains on the outskirts of the city. A line of tall fir trees guided the road up to the gates of the courthouse. Through the gates, a vast, serene courtyard welcomed visitors. Surrounded by coniferous trees, the courtyard provided ample fresh air to visitors contemplating the long flight of broad steps to the courthouse. The large windows, regal columns, and tall doors gave the building a majestic entrance. Although the Superior Court handled unsavory civil and criminal cases, the monumental facade of the building gave an impression of both grandeur and quiet dignity.

Many people in the city neither knew the location of the Superior Court nor knew of its existence. Those who abided by the law or lived in a harmonious family had no reason to come here.

Distress weighed on Judge Jeong Jin Wu as he stared at the divorce petition on his desk. Much like a fisherman trying to untangle knots in a fishing line, Jeong Jin Wu was upset by the burden of having to deal with another family’s misery.

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