TimeOut

Disclaimer: this post is about the trip to a hermit kingdom and I try to describe it as accurate as possible. To do so, I must gingerly touch on a delicate subject of politics and ideology. Although I promise to touch it as gently as I would touch my watches. If the esteemed moderators feel that at any point the discussion veer to the extreme, kindly nudge us back to neutrality.

I just went to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea aka North Korea and came back alive . Actually it's not as scary as what people/media describe. Although there are basic rules that you must follow when travelling to North Korea:
1. Thou shall not walk on your own and must travel within your group and must follow the itinerary to the minute.
2. Thou shall not take pictures of the local people, the army, and other sensitive places (such as empty highways) and others pictures that might diminish the pride of the nation.
3. Thou shall respect the Great Leaders: Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. No gossiping about their lives.
4. Thou shall not bring strong binoculars, gps, or hand phones. You must surrender these items at the custom and will get it back when flying out of the country. You may make phone calls at the hotels but prepared to be eavesdropped. No internet.
5. Thou shall not mingle with local people and get too close with the tour guides.
6. Thou shall be prohibited from exchanging foreign currencies to domestic one.
7. Thou shall not leave the hotel compound.
8. Japan and USA are the sworn enemies of North Korea and you must enjoy their propagandas . But they accept US dollars nonetheless. Chinese RMB and Euro are the main currencies for foreigners.
9. As in this hallow hall of this great website: no discussion about religions and politics .
And we broke all the rules (except rule #4, #7, and #8) and made it out alive .

North Korea is a country stuck in the 60/70’s. All the buildings, the mindset, the ideology are a representative of the cold war era. Whereas China was able to wriggle out of the communist ideology, North Korea still believes in empty ideology, propagandas and slogans. Rather than communism, red juche Confucianism is more accurate to describe North Korea; red: communism; Confucianism: deep fanatical respect for elders and leaders; Juche: independence and self reliance. Fortunately (with a sense of irony), Mao Ze Dong managed to burn the elites and scholars, eradicate Confucianism, and instilled radicalism during The Cultural Revolution. And fortunately, out of this chaos, the great little leader, comrade Deng, managed to steer back the country to common sense and openness. The absence of those radicalism and pragmatism leaderships, plus the strong fanatical respect for the leaders, makes North Korea what is today.

There are only roughly less than 20.000 tourists going to North Korea annually, with Chinese tourist consisting 90% of the total. So many of the tourist places are not crowded, in fact in certain places, our group was the only tourist there. Air Koryo, North Korea’s airlines flying Soviet’s planes, travel 3 times a week to Beijing and 2 times a week to Shenyang. Air China flies several times a week to Pyongyang from Beijing. The airport is mostly empty as it receives less than 20 flights per week. In fact when we were departing from Pyongyang, we were there before the staff came!

Our group consist of 12 people, and for this amount they assigned 3 (three) tour guides! And we were never alone for more than 30 minutes before any of our handlers magically appeared by our sides . Some of questions the tour guides asked us: what do you think of our country; a lot of people said we have nuclear weapons, what do you think of it; what do think about the ideology of our leaders. And they will spit propaganda as fast as Hublot spits its limited editions: America is a liar and evil nation; it splits Korea into 2. We suffered greatly under the occupation of Japan, and they killed many Koreans. Kim Il Sung liberated us from the Japanese and managed to push back American imperialism. Dear leader Kim Jong Il likes fishing but he is too busy to do it.
 
The salary of the tour guides is only RMB 200 (roughly US$30!), but they get free basic clothing and food, free medical, and free education. Housing is rationed, with army and famous people more equal than others.

So how does the itinerary look like?
Day 1: arrive North Korea and surrendered your phones at the airport; watch Arirang Mass Games (a celebration of nation show with more than 100.000 performers).
Day 2: Pyongyang city tour. Kumsusan Memorial Palace (Mausoleum of Kim Il Sung, the largest of such place in the world, where you must bow down to the remain of Kim Il Sung); Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery (where you must buy a flower and bow down in front of the statue of Kim Jong Il’s mother); metro stations (100 meters deep); USS Pueblo (captured American spy ship); a visit to a foreign bookstore where you may buy the ideology books of Comrade Kim (both the father and son), marvel at their great thinking and educate (brainwash) yourself; Kim Il Sung Square;  a walk in Moran Hill; Juche Tower.
Day 3: Drive to Panmunjom (DMZ area);  a visit to Koryo museum in Kaesong, buy ginseng and bear’s bile. Back to Pyongyang, watch the famous acrobatic show and visit Mansudae park (a place where Kim Il Sung was born and learned).
Day 4: Arc of Triumph (taller than the one in Paris; Fountain Park; Mansudae Grand Monument (Giant statue of Kim Il Sung, where you have to bow down to it and must take full picture of the statue when photographing); drive to Myohyang mountain area: Visit International Friendship Exhibition (halls of gifts to comrade Kims); go to local Buddhist temple (complete with monks and devoid of local people or any other tourists); walking in the mountains (and secretly mingle with locals).
Day 5: fly to Shenyang and back to (greater) freedom of speech, internet, and Blackberry.

And what do I think about the trip? Go now for it may change (more tourists, reunification with the South, or other factors), the people (including the tour guides and the driver) are nice and friendly, the services are much better than China in the early 80’s, must experience the last authentic cold war era in the world and enjoy their propagandas, the sceneries are beautiful, temporary abstinence from wireless communication is good.

Some of the pictures are taken secretly and in haste. Pardon the quality. For good quality pictures of The Mass Games, just google it.

Part 1 of 5. Be patient for the next installment (I have to swim with the kids )

cen@jkt

This message has been edited by DRMW on 2010-08-20 19:08:25 This message has been edited by DRMW on 2010-08-23 23:13:30

Hello cen@jkt!

This seems like a fascinating trip to N. Korea where many have not visited.  Glad you got back in one piece and I'm very eagerly awaiting the rest of the pics!

-MW

A place that few have ever been..

Contrasting condition of the country.

I couldn't take the pictures of the guard, but I could take pictures of the doors .

This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-20 20:18:19
This message has been edited by DRMW on 2010-08-20 20:25:17 This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-20 20:39:40

It's all about Kims

 

The sworn enemies can be nice too










This message has been edited by DRMW on 2010-08-20 20:52:13

Great pics too.

cheers

PAt

Enjoy.

 

Hope you enjoys.

cen@jkt

It remains me of my years growing up in communist Czechoslovakia, but our street were not that clean and empty.

Excellent report, enjoyed and studied each picture. Thank you, something you don't see every day.

Carl

interesting & thought provoking. Empty highways,few cars,electric buses,no wireless connectivity,no crowds,(no MacDonalds) - can't be that bad.

Thanks for the report.

Fernando

There is a wireless communication and internet facility there, but only for the few 'selected' locals, like tour guides and officials.

cen@jkt

... this country has been lot of negative and cold impression to people especially to those are westerns. recently TV news report also reported some tours started to this place, and people started changing their impression.

although from your pics, the cool feeling is still there, but at least they allow more other outsides to visit their country. it seems a good place for travel or holiday too.

wonder how easy and do you advise we can go by free and easy by ourselves?

anyway, thanks for this excellent report which is eye-opening to me.

stefan

You only go in a group. You will be asigned tour guides. And you still have to bow down to Kim family

cen@jkt

A fascinating report. With pretty good photography too!

- SJX

your tour guide . Just pay my ticket, and my bag is packed.

cen@jkt

1. The reason our group didn't break rule #7 was not to trouble our guides. They would be in deep shit if we leave the hotel compund and wander by ourselves.

2. Everyday the guides must write report regarding our activities. Ignore it.

3. The guides spied on each others .

4. At the end of our trip, as we got to know them better, they opened up and allow us more freedom. Me and my friend 'got lost' in the mountain and dip our bodies in the nice clean pool created by cascading waterfall. One of the guides found us but didn't scold us, instead he also dip his foot into the water and allow us to take pictures with locals.

5. They may be naive, but they are not stupid. They know the situation of the country, but feel the need to protect it also from the barrage of criticism from the world.

6. The loyalty to the leader, especially to Kim Il Sung, is not fake. Many people, before going to work or school, will drop down to pay respect to Kim Il Sung giant statue. And I saw many volunteers cleaning up the place.

cen@jkt

This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-21 01:43:28 This message has been edited by cen@jkt on 2010-08-21 01:45:22

I've never been to North Korea, and I haven't seen much other than what's on TV and in the news.  Thanks for sharin your photos and experience of North Korea with us. 

 

First report I've seen from North Korea, so thanks for bringing us a glimpse of it.

Cheers,
Anthony

excellent off the cuff report. like the photos of the metro and great title!!

The virtual voyage......

Very interesting.....

Although I doubt that you could return, as I am certain that the regime does
follow what is posted on the net for them....

Your photos are very interesting and are indicative of the suffering there...

I am curious of the abundance of lighting in the metro considering the power shortages....

Also how was the food there... And also the beer that you tasted judging from your photo....

Your experience reminds me of my trip to Albania about 20 years ago....

Thanks for sharing...

Cheers

Although I doubt that you could return, as I am certain that the regime does
follow what is posted on the net for them....

A: no problem, cen is not my legal name . No plan to go back there in a short time anyway.

Your photos are very interesting and are indicative of the suffering there...

A: what suffering? They're poor, but not unhappy. There are also suffering in my country or in China, Japan, and USA. Don't always believe the media hyperbole and stereotyping. Went back home and read news about N.Korea, and laugh my ass off. Apparently the news were written by somebody that never went there.

I am curious of the abundance of lighting in the metro considering the power shortages....

A: power shortage only happens at nite. But when I was there, 'some' of the lights were still on until around 10pm. And then it's pitch black. 

Also how was the food there... And also the beer that you tasted judging from your photo....

A: Food sucks, the quality of the rice wasn't good. As in other poor places, anything with fat dangling on the meet is indicative of good food and prosperity. But the beer was enuf to make me

In my DMZ photo, those 2 heads belong to Japanese Korean. And the army guide welcomed them with open arms and took pictures together. As long as you play tourist, the regime will let you live .

cen@jkt

for your reply.....

In the western media there are reports of food shortage etc...

It is great to hear that they are not unhappy....



Cheers

they only took me to 'happy' places

cen@jkt

You are indeed International man of Mystery cen

my first "virtual" visit to N.Korea and what I can say afterwards is I want to go there

although you are constantly under surveillance looks like you can have some decent rest there

lacking all the goodies of modern civilization

Thank you so much for sharing

best

Damian

 

 

 

Where the captured of American spy ship is glorified! A poor small country that dares to defy the mighty.

Where the planned economy and the last glory of communism still exist! A nice hotel in the middle of nowhere, complete with revolving restaurant! I wonder what they would see at nite... 

 

Where a little country pushed to the corner, turned itself against the world, but still dared to flip its middle finger to the rest of the world (that's me taking the call of wild, giving sign to my friend who tried to take my picture )

cen@jkt

Luckily the N. Koreans didn't catch you marking your territory in pic#3! 

-MW

what great statement shot...awesome

great photo journal...loved it...very interesting

What a great post, i see that my repley is a bit late, but remember we talked about this country a while ago.
many things you said, i see with other trips i made, to Myanmar, eastern europe about 1 year after the fall, or even China 15 years ago.
I understand your reason, not to show picture's of faces of the locals, but was it even possible to make picture's of them, easy or very difficult? i really need to see this country with i own eyes.
Thanks for this great and very intresting post.

best,

Michel
 

It's the guide that will make it difficult! And you don't want to provoke the guides, not inside their country .

You should go now, for I think it will change fast. Myanmar under current regime or the next one, will be almost the same for us tourists. But North Korea not under Kim family will be radically different.

cen@jkt