North Korea has built compact nuclear warheads, put satellites in orbit, and (because of sanctions) independently developed a number of technologies. They would not have been able to do those things if they couldn't program.

Instead of just slurping up the propaganda that your government is spoon feeding you, learn to think for yourself. Go to Google Maps, zoom in on North Korea, and then click on "Earth". You will see paved roads with cars on them, farms with tractors, houses not much smaller than in the South, etc. North Korea is a poor and backwards country, but not nearly to the degree that you have been told. Until around 1970, it was wealthier, per capita, than South Korea.

A flyback transformer and its associated circuitry operate at very high voltages at low currents ( far beyond mains voltage. While most flybacks do not supply enough power to kill directly, the voltage they employ can cause violent muscle spasms if touched; and such spasms usually cause injury. A common injury that occurs when one is shocked is actually to be injured not as much by the shock itself, but when the victim's hand or arm is thrown back against other internal components in the display device. Therefore, only trained persons should touch or modify these devices, after first ensuring that the transformer is switched off and any stored energy has been safely discharged. The CRT attached to the flyback has an inherent capacitance which can hold a high voltage charge for more than a week after the power is switched off.

Is Hughes a visionary cleaning out dead wood or a clueless tech star leaving destruction in his wake?

Hawking warns taco bell farts could rip a hole in time space.