Globerovers Magazine, Dec. 2017

Feature Article 10 A Glimpse into the Hermit Kingdom of North Korea

North Korea, also referred to as the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) is the world’s most secretive and most isolated nation. Visiting it is like nowhere else in the world. While some nationalities have been banned from visiting, either by their own government or the government of the DPRK, all foreign visitors must travel with a DPRK government-sanctioned travel agency. Travelling here is expensive, restrictive, and can be risky. Globerovers Magazine took the risk and returned safely with interesting stories and photos!

ARTICLES + PHOTOS

Hill Tribes of Myanmar’s Shan State

In the far eastern part of Myanmar‘s Shan State is an area known for its volatile history. As exploring the hills surrounding the town of Kyaingtong is relatively safe now, we took long hikes in all four directions to visit the friendly, and o en remote, hill tribes such as the Akhu, Akha, Wa Ann, and Ann people.

Africa’s Most Southern Point

Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa, is where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. is treacherous coastline with its rocky shoreline is the graveyard to countless ships. e area o ers many traveller delights that include lighthouses, shipwrecks, and the quaint settlements of Gansbaai and Baarskeerdersbos.

Bali - The Island of the Gods

Located along the southeastern tail of the Indonesian archipelago, Bali has a predominantly Hindu culture with hundreds of Hindu temples. Add to this the peculiar Balinese architecture, active volcanic mountains, and rugged coastlines with black-sand beaches, and you have some incredible places to explore!

PHOTO ESSAYS

Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula

Exploring Unexplored Timor Leste

Vintage Cars of Uruguay

SPECIAL FEATURES

Sensible Travel Gear

Tasty Traveller’s Treats

Postcards to Mom

CONTRIBUTIONS

Cosy Peggy’s Cove, Canada

House Sitting - World of Opportunities

Traveller Memorabilia to Envy

Harmful Impact of Wildlife Selfes

Travellers in the Spotlight

Book Reviews

TOP LISTS

10 Weird Facts about North Korea

9 Amazing Travel Experiences in Bali

13 Travel Tweeps to Follow

IN THE NEXT ISSUE Indonesia

Active volcanoes, hot springs, deserted beaches, colourful tribes, ancient ruins, wildlife, and jungles. Indonesia has it all. We set out to explore the islands of Java (east side), Bali, Lombok, East Nusa Tenggara, and the Komodo Islands.

Juche Ideology Tower Pyongyang, North Korea

THE FRONT COVER:

Statues at Mansudae Grand Monument, Pyongyang, North Korea.

Globerovers Magazine

is currently a biannual magazine, available in digital and printed formats. We focus on bringing exciting destinations and inspiring photography from around the globe to the intrepid traveller.

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Editor‛s Message

“Not all those who wander are lost”. J.R.R. Tolkien John Tolkien (3 Jan 1892 – 2 Sep 1973), an English writer, poet, philologist, university professor, and author of ‘The Hobbit’, and ‘Lord of the Rings’.

Dear Readers,

In this 10th issue of Globerovers Magazine, we are pleased to bring you a variety of exciting destinations and other reading enjoyment.

e feature destination is the secretive ‘hermit kingdom’ of North Korea. Come along on the journey as we enter by train via the Friendship Bridge at Dandong city in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province. From here we continue south by train to Pyongyang for a few days, and then southwards by car all the way to the world’s most forti ed border, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), separating North Korea and South Korea since 1953.

We visit the Indonesian island of Bali, known as the ‘Island of the Gods’, and spend a few days with the friendly hill tribes in the far east of Myanmar’s Shan State, close to the borders with China, Laos, and ailand. We also explore shipwrecks, lighthouses, and a small town at Africa’s most southern tip.

We have Photo Essays of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Uruguay, and one of the youngest independent countries in the world: Timor Leste (East Timor).

A special thank you to our sponsors and also to our contributors who we introduce on page 5. A very special word of thanks to Janet-Lynn Vorster, our chief contributor and proofreader, for her meticulous work.

Lets connect on social media and visit www. globerovers-magazine.com. For easy access, scan the QR codes on page 7.

Feedback: editor@globerovers.com. I travel so you can see the world!

Peter Steyn PhD Editor-in-Chief

and Publisher

Copyright © 2013-2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly prohibited without the prior written approval of the publisher. The publisher does not take responsibility for any potential inaccurate information herein.

THE FRONT COVER

Kim Il-sung (L) and Kim Jong-il (R) statues at Mansudae Grand Monument in front of the Korean Revolution Museum, Pyongyang, North Korea.

CONTRIBUTORS

All words and photos by Peter Steyn, except where otherwise indicated. A very special thank you to our awesome contributors in this issue. Without you, Globerovers Magazine just wouldn’t be the same! Thanks!

Janet-Lynn Vorster, Cape Town, South Africa (page 92)

Janet is a numerologist by profession, and journalist, editor and photographer by hobby. She is the proud mother of three grown children and granny to three grandchildren. Janet is the Southern African editor as well as chief proofreader for Globerovers Magazine.

Beth Sharpe, Toronto, Canada (page 178)

Beth is the communications director for World Animal Protection in Canada. An avid traveller, she is always looking for animal-friendly ways to view wildlife. Top trips include whale watching on Canada’s coasts, snorkelling in Tahiti, Belize and the Caribbean, supporting a dog vaccination clinic in the Philippines, and bird watching in Costa Rica.

Jonathan Maister, Toronto, Canada (page 64)

Jonathan is a Canadian-based writer who has travelled extensively, particularly in Canada. His areas of interest are ecology and history, and he makes a point of including these elements in his writing. He is also immersed in the sports medicine world as a therapist, and has contributed extensively in that domain as a lecturer and author.

Vanessa Anderson, Living Around The World (page 130)

Vanessa is a full time international house sitter and publisher of House Sitting - The Ultimate Lifestyle Magazine. With her partner, Ian Usher, they travel the world as digital nomads, working remotely and looking after other people’s properties and pets. They prefer to explore the world, living as locals for extended periods in different countries.

Rudolf Nägele and Jean Jaspersen-Naegele, Thalfingen, Bavaria, Germany (Page 172)

During their travels, Rudi and Jean have built up an incredible collection of ethnographic items which they proudly display throughout their home. Globerovers Magazine visits them in Bavaria to talk about their amazing collection that spans many cultures of the globe.

Additional Contributors:

A very special thanks to our interviewees in the “Travellers in the Spotlight” section, Alesha & Jarryd, Jack & Aimée, and Christian & Yvonne. Thanks also to our authors Marion Halliday and David Noyes for their book interviews.

The Globerovers‛ World

Globerovers Magazine was created by Peter Steyn, an avid explorer who is constantly in search of the edge of the world. He will always hike the extra mile or ten to get as far off the beaten track as he can. It is his mission to discover and present the most exciting destinations for intrepid travellers. He has visited 119 countries (including territories: Greenland, Hong Kong, Macau) and is poised to explore Africa & the Pacific Islands in the coming months. Peter’s home is wherever he lays down his cameras.

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DESTINATIONS IN THIS ISSUE

ALASKA, USA Page 46

CANADA Page 64

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URUGUAY Page 162

SOUTH

BALI,

NOTE: This article is purely based on the experience of a traveller’s short visit to North Korea. A visit that was very restricted to what government “minders” were allowed, and instructed, to show, and discuss. Foreign travellers have no freedom to travel independently. Pyongyang is for the elite and is most likely not representative of the suffering of the poor and oppressed outside the capital. Views and opinions in this article are therefore not representative of the situation in all of North Korea.

North Korea

A Glimpse into the Hermit Kingdom

It has taken me almost a month since returning from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) to start writing this article.

All this time I have been mulling over how to start this very rst paragraph in which I should explain why I visited this country. I am not sure if I should write purely about my travel experiences, or tell it like it is - everything I was told by my local guides (referred to as the “minders”), my experiences, and my thoughts.

I know that whatever I write, there will be critical comments and various opinions of support and opposition - the latter mainly from those who have never been to North Korea to have rst-hand experience connecting with the locals.

I am also fully aware that should I be honest, I could never go back to visit North Korea. Even worse, should I speak out too harshly, North Korean agents may arrive on my doorstep! I decided to be honest and objective

and should not be held responsible for reporting my experiences.

I know it was probably not the wisest, politically correct, or safest decision to visit this oppressive country, but I knew it would enrich my understanding of humanity, or rather bizarre human behaviour.

But wait. Can I really promote the rest of the world we happily travel and declare it a perfect place where there is no injustice, no oppression, no selfserving politicians, or ruthless dictators? Of course not!

In the eyes of the world’s oppressed, those living in war-torn regions such as Syria and Yemen, and the millions around the world living in extreme poverty, there certainly are places worse o than North Korea. At least North Koreans have free education, free housing, free medical services, and free indoctrination from childbirth! Violent street crime is largely non-existent. While none of these perks are glamorous, they must sound like bliss to the suffering millions around the world.

A “hermit” country wilfully walls itself off from the rest of the world. North Korea is a “cult hermit dictatorship” due to its excessive admiration for the Kim Dynasty enforced on its people.

Let’s not forget North Korea’s lack of freedom of speech, freedom of travel, and freedom in general. Let’s not forget the thousands of people in North Korean prison camps, subjected to torture and inhumane treatment for trivial infractions against the state. As has been widely reported by defectors previously employed at these camps: in some instances entire families across more than one generation are imprisoned as a result of the “sins” committed by a single family member.

Yes, we know there are many North Korean prison camps, but then again, America’s prisons are over owing and lled beyond capacity, and so are the inhumane prisons of South America and many other parts of the world. I know things in North Korea are more brutal and unfair than most everywhere, but that should not keep me away from visiting North Korea.

RIGID PRE-APPROVED ITINERARY

I knew in advance that our itinerary would be set up by a state-controlled tourism agency with little or no exibility without special permission. For every place I wanted to visit which was not on the pre-approved itinerary, my minder had to make a telephone call to get permission, which was sometimes rejected for some odd reason, or no reason.

I knew we were not allowed to wander o on our own, but if those were the rules then I knew I would abide by them. I also knew that I would be shown but a mere glimpse of life in North Korea; that I would only be exposed to a fragment of the realities.

I wasn’t taken to visit the poorest in the countryside, but I reminded myself that travel agencies in most countries prefer not to show you the su ering of their people. So why should it be any di erent in North Korea? Many of us have visited the USA and never been taken to the slums of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and many more places. e North Korean agency was doing the same, showing us the better part of their country.

VISITING A BRUTAL REGIME

Some people argue that travellers visiting North Korea are a vital source of funding the regime’s sinister plans, which reminds me of many countries around the world we then should boycott if we follow this logic. Just think about the many corrupt and brutally oppressive governments in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Yet we still travel

to these places with no regrets or guilt. While North Korea is one of the most brutal regimes, it is certainly not the only one. Where do we draw the line on the brutality scale, and how do we decide which not to visit?

I was well prepared for my visit to North Korea, having read many accounts from journalists under cover, defectors, and a few travellers who wrote about their experiences.

Visiting North Korea is like no other place on earth. Not only is it a bizarre experience, but it is also very exciting!

I also read articles by those who have never been to North Korea but still felt obliged to write about the “facts” of North Korean life, most of which are totally incorrect and merely negative propaganda against North Korea.

I read statements such as “don’t try to take a picture of people walking along the roads outside of Pyongyang. If you’re caught with one of those pictures, it’s literally like a foreign agent committing espionage against the DPRK”. I found statements like these blatantly untrue, though they may have applied in the past.  ese kinds of statements underscore the importance of visiting a place before forming your own opinion.

A LIFELONG DREAM

Growing up in the 70’s, I was hooked on the encyclopaedia series called “Children of the World”. I could stare for hours at photos of far-away places that I knew nothing about. As I grew older, I increasingly read the stories about these far-away places and developed a special interest in those places deemed “o -limits”, “out-of-bounds” and even the dystopian societies where people lead dehumanised and fearful lives.

I’ve always wanted to visit places where the fewest tourists venture. I have travelled through Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, and many other places where even the most rugged travellers are hard to nd. I have always come back safely and very enriched by what I have learned and experienced.

I am not a politician and have never wanted to be a politician. I don’t really care if my travels are politically correct or not, because how do we judge, and how should we judge without rst-hand experience? I am purely a traveller interested in travel journalism, reporting on places and people for the bene t of fellow travellers. I believe the only way to understand people and their lives is to live it with them, even if only for a very short time.

As this is who I am, I had no second thoughts about visiting North Korea to meet the people, and to experience whatever experiences were bestowed upon me.

Known for its extravagant military parades and well-coordinated mass dances, Kim Il-sung Square is the heart of North Korea. Buildings around the square include the Korean National Art Gallery, the Korean Central History Museum, and the Grand People’s Study House.

Korean Art Gallery, Kim Il Sung Square.

MASS DANCES

North Koreans love (or are forced to love) their mass dances. This one was on National Day, September 9th, 2017.

The 53-story Mirae Unha (or Galaxy Tower) is located on Scientists Street, home to scientifc institutions of Kim Chaek University of Technology and their employees.

MIRAE UNHA TOWER

The “Snow Falls” dancing women statues at Mansudae fountain-park.

Kim Il-sung Stadium.

Mirae Unha Tower (53-story) on Mirae Scientists Street.

HERMIT KINGDOM OF KIM IL-SUNG

Eternal President Kim Il-sung is revered with unrivalled fear and passion.

To gain any understanding of life in North Korea, you rst need to understand its early beginnings. Enter the Hermit Kingdom of Kim Il-sung and its Juche o cial state ideology which wilfully walled itself o , metaphorically and physically, from the rest of the world.

e o cial website of the DPRK explains Juche as “the principle of independence, self-reliance and self-defence, defending the country’s sovereignty and dignity rmly”.

e government also describes Juche as Kim Il-sung’s “original, brilliant and revolutionary contribution to national and international thought”. ey even live by their own Juche calendar! is year is not 2017, but the Juche year of 105, which is the 105th year a er the birth of Kim Il-sung.

ETERNAL CULT LEADER

Paramount to life of all North Koreans is President Kim Il-sung. eir lives revolve around this man. Since childhood they have been indoctrinated that this man is their father, their hero, their god, their everything.

We know his original name was Kim Song-ju, born 15 April 1912 in Man’gyŏndae, near Pyongyang, Korea, which is now North Korea. However, he grew up in China’s Manchurian region in exile a er the Japanese invasion and was later trained by the Russians and climbed to the rank of major in the Soviet army. In 1948 he was installed by the Soviets as the communist president of North Korea.

Much of the propaganda revolves around him. He is known as the superhero “who drove out the Japanese from Korea, and then valiantly staved o the invading American forces who retreated to the south in defeat so that the Koreans in the north could live a free life”. As these stories are told by the minders and museum guides, President Kim is portrayed as having done all of this almost single-handedly!

In the predawn hours of June 25, 1950, Kim Il-sung launched an invasion across the 38th parallel into South Korea. He invaded with the backing of the Soviets, who eventually obliged a er several of his unsuccessful attempts to convince Joseph Stalin to support his invasion.

In this attempt to extend his rule southwards, he was repelled by the combined American military and the United Nations forces from some 21 countries.

Only through overwhelming support from China’s military was he able to repel a retaliatory invasion of North Korea by the forces from the south.

e fact is that Kim Il-sung started the Korean War which ended in a stalemate in 1953. is is contrary to North Korea’s propaganda that the Americans started the war and destroyed their land and its people.

rough his brutal propaganda machine, he continued to rule unchallenged for 46 years over one of the world’s most isolated and repressive societies.

Kim Il-sung remained President of North Korea until his death in Pyongyang on 8 July 1994. However, he is still o cially the President and the Great Leader! In 1998, the o ce of living President was eliminated as Kim Il-sung was bestowed the title of “Eternal President of the DPRK”. His birthday is a national holiday, called the Day of the Sun.

Anecdotes of Kim Jong-il

Book stores in Pyongyang are stocked with books written by their leaders. Herewith a few anecdotes of Kim JongIl’s life which minders and guides like to tell their foreign guests:

• The frst time General Kim Jong-il picked up a golf club, in 1994, he shot a 38-under par round on North Korea’s only golf course, including 11 holes-in-one. He then decided to retire from the sport for ever.

• Kim Jong-il wrote six full operas in two years, “all of which are better than any in the history of music”.

• Kim has the ability to alter the weather simply through the power of thought.

• As a junior high school pupil in Pyongyang, he corrected and chastised his teachers for their incorrect interpretations of history.

Sculptures at the Korean War Museum.

Kim Il-sung died on 8 July 1994, at age 82, but still holds the title of “Eternal President” as “he is eternally with us and will never leave us!”

THE KIM DYNASTY

The threesome: President Kim Il-sung, General Kim Jong-il & Marshall Kim Jong-un.

President Kim Il-sung (“the Great Leader”) and his successors General Kim Jong-il (“the Dear Leader”) and current Marshall Kim Jong-un, created and perpetuated a dictatorship of the most extreme kind. eir cult following is beyond anything Soviet leader Joseph Stalin or China’s Mao Zedong could have envisioned for themselves.

Kim Dynasty

hood. ey have no comparison from which to become despondent, so what they have is what they perceive life to be! ey live in a world which they assume is normal: a world of total dedication and devotion to the Kim Dynasty, and should they deviate, an entire family across several generations are doomed to hard labour in a concentration camp.

The Kim dynasty, offcially called the Mount Paektu Bloodline, strictly enforces a cult of personality tied to their state philosophy of Juche.

e Kim family created a true hermit kingdom with people totally devoted to them and their ideology, a country closed o to the world keeping both the outside world and its own people completely in the dark about one another.

Whenever the topic of the Korean War was discussed (which was very frequently), our guides and minders reminded us of the brilliant ideas and philosophy of their eternal leaders, and their braveness in driving out the Japanese and the Americans.

LIVING IN ISOLATION

It is true that the majority of the North Korean people know of nothing else other than what they have been taught since child-

It is quite upsetting that people are forced to live in such isolation in this day and age. Most of us live in societies where we have freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of expression, access to information, and thus freedom to think for ourselves. We can realise our aspirations and make informed choices. ese freedoms just don’t exist in North Korea.

North Korean people are not allowed to think for themselves and must strictly follow the government propaganda. However, people don’t seem to care because they don’t know of a better life.

For the average citizen, it is a crime against the state to even watch a South Korean movie, or have exposure to anything not explicitly approved by their government. But it happens, and increasingly people are starting to realise that North Korea is not the utopia that they are being forced to believe.

Murals inside the Pyongyang metro trains.

Propaganda against the buildings.

Propaganda at apartment blocks.

Street propaganda. This fnger means “only one united Korea”.

EMBALMED BODIES OF THE ETERNALS

Kim Il-sung died in 1994. His son, Kim Jong-il, followed him in 2011.

eir embalmed bodies, similar to those of Lenin in Moscow, Mao Zedong in Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, each lie inside a clear glass sarcophagus on display at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a massive mausoleum located near the northeast corner of Pyongyang.

e Kumsusan Palace is by far the largest mausoleum dedicated to any Communist leader and is the only mausoleum to display the embalmed body of more than a single leader. is palace used to be Kim Il-sung’s o cial residence but a er his death, Kim Jong-il changed it into a mausoleum at a cost estimated to be well over $100 million. Some estimates put the cost as high as $900 million!

STATUES AND PORTRAITS

ere are over 500 large statues of Kim Il-sung all over North Korea, and when including the smaller statues and busts, they add up to around 35,000, though no o cial gures are available.

e side-by-side portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are prominent in public transportation halls, hanging at every North Korean train station and airport, and inside

Mansudae Grand Monument

The 22.5 metres tall statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. On the wall behind the statues is a mosaic of the Paekdu Mountain located on the border between North Korea and China, the reputed birthplace of Kim Jong-il.

The monuments show the Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Struggle (right) and the Socialist Revolution (left).

the trains.  ey are also placed prominently at the border crossings between China and North Korea.

Every family has their portraits as a centrepiece in their home.

Apparently, Kim Il-sung epithets include Superior Person; Brilliant Leader; Unique Leader; Great Leader; Guiding Sun Ray; Shining Star of the Paektu Mountain; EverVictorious Iron-willed Commander; Great

Man Who Descended from Heaven; Great Man Who is a Man of Deeds; and Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradely Love. Kim Jong-il has an even longer list of epithets!

One of the most revered places in North Korea is the Grand Monument on Mansudae (Mansu Hill) where the two 22.5 metres tall statues of Kim Il-sung on the le , and Kim Jong-il on the right are located.

On any given day, in particular on auspicious days, it is traditional for North Korean newlyweds to pay their respects and lay owers at the feet of the statues immediately a er their wedding.

Everybody, including foreigners, must bow in front of the statues. When taking photos, both statues must be in the photo and no part of the statues are allowed to be le out of the photo!

The Journey

THE CHINA GATEWAY

The main gateway to North Korea is the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge in Dandong.

Planning a trip to North Korea is easy, as long as you have the money to show. It’s not a cheap destination as independent travel is not allowed. All foreign visitors must book through a North Korean government approved tour company and stay with the tour group at all times.

I chose a travel company based in China who works with a local company based in Pyongyang. As there is no private company ownership in North Korea, I assume the local company is fully owned by the government.

DANDONG THE GATEWAY

My journey to Pyongyang started in the beautiful Chinese coastal city of Dalian, from where I took a modern fast train to the city of Dandong situated on the southeast corner of the Liaodong Peninsula.

My rst foray outside my totally fake-

named but comfortable “Riz Carlsen Hotel”, was to walk a few blocks south to the shores of the Yula River. is river forms the international border between China and North Korea. Looking across the river into North Korea revealed, to my disappointment, no highly forti ed fences, no visible presence of guards with machine guns, and no boats patrolling the river. It all seemed so peaceful.

At the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects China’s Dandong with North Korea’s Sinuiju, the river is less than one kilometre wide. Constructed by the Imperial Japanese Army between April 1937 and May 1943, the bridge was bombed several times in 1950/1 by the Americans during the Korean War.

to as the “Broken Bridge”, it starts on the China side and tourists can now walk on it up to about halfway across the river where it comes to an abrupt halt. e Korean side remains destroyed, laying rusted in the waters below.

NO MAN’S LAND

Early the next morning we gathered outside the Dandong Central train station to meet our fellow travellers, a group of eight adventurers from around the world. We were all excited, yet sublimely scared.

Here we noticed several North Korean men, dressed in their brownish safari suits, each wearing their red and gold lapel pin bearing the faces of the two dead leaders. I would soon nd out that the leaders were “not dead, but are eternally with us!”

e bridge was rebuilt a er the war and now carries both automobile and rail tra c. Next to it is an older bridge, built between May 1909 and October 1911. is older bridge was not rebuilt as the Koreans wanted to keep it as evidence of the “brutal American attack” on their infrastructure. Referred

It was the usual scramble at the Chinese immigration checkpoint with o cials yelling at their subjects. A er much pushing and shoving we successfully passed through the immigration.

Once in No Man’s Land, it was just a matter of time before we entered the “abyss of North Korea”, which felt like I was putting my head into the jaws of a crocodile! But, fear not, I thought. I’m here to experience and try to understand a very di erent world!

At the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects China’s Dandong with North Korea’s Sinuiju, the river is less than one kilometre wide.

“ Leaving China and crossing into North Korea felt like I was putting my head into the jaws of a crocodile!”

TRAIN JOURNEY TO PYONGYANG

Order a North Korean beer from the trolley ladies, sit back and take photos!

Within minutes of the train leaving China’s Dandong station, it crossed over the SinoKorean Friendship Bridge, and not long a er we pulled into North Korea’s Sinuiju station.

PORTRAITS AND OFFICERS

For the rst time we saw the two big portraits of the “eternal leaders” hanging above the train station’s main doors, and we realised that we were indeed in North Korea. During the 90 odd minutes that our train waited at this station, several immigration and customs o cials came into the train to survey us, and eventually took away our passports.

Some asked us to take out any books and electronics we had. We were warned upfront not to bring in any religious materials or

travel guidebooks of North Korea, in addition to obscene materials or anything critical of the country and its leaders. As we obliged, we passed the rst test with a sigh of relief.

e o cials were all in an upbeat mood and light-heartedly joked around with the tourists. It was a pleasant surprise to meet them and to see their smiling faces, and I think we all realised that these people are, a er-all, not that much di erent from us, except that they live in North Korea!

BEER AND RICE FIELDS

As our train rolled southwards for the next ve hours towards the capital, Pyongyang, a festive atmosphere built up among us travellers. We ordered North Korean cup noodles, North Korean beer, North Korean soju rice wine, and even joked around with the friendly North Korean ladies pushing the food carts. We handed them some of our candies brought from our homelands which they happily accepted.

e train tracks passed miles and miles of rice and corn elds, all draped in lush green and golden yellows. Hard to believe that another food shortage is predicted for the coming winter. Although, when considering that the North Korean population is about 25 million, that only 20% of the country consists of arable land, and the limited food imports, then it is not hard to realise that a very good harvest is required to feed all the people.

e train passed several small lakes and many small canals, so a water shortage was not evident. We also passed small villages, shanty towns, dilapidated buildings and road crossings where we got quick glimpses of the locals on their bicycles.

e scenery reminded me somewhat of what China must have been like in its early days of revolution: ox and carts, and collective farming.

Every train station we passed displayed the portraits of the two eternal leaders above the main entrance. Every few miles I noticed a single soldier standing guard in a tiny fortress-like shelter right next to the railway tracks and I can only speculate as to their purpose.

Automobiles of any description were rare and whenever we saw one it was likely driven by a government o cial. is was a real glimpse into how some of the population live outside of Pyongyang, and all along we took photos through the train windows without any interference from any of the North Korean agents on board.

This is probably one of the most thrilling train rides in the world as you travel deeper into the secretive state of North Korea. Beer is cold and cheap so sit back and enjoy the scenery outside the window.

Dandong to Pyongyang

Dandong, China, train station.

The Journey

The Train Journey

Dandong (China) to Pyongyang (North Korea)

WELCOME TO PYONGYANG

The frst sight that announced our arrival in Pyongyang was the many tall buildings.

And so we arrived at the busy main station of Pyongyang, a beautiful building which appears even more beautiful when illuminated at night.

A festive atmosphere prevailed on the platform as we met our two local minders (guides). Both the young woman and man were friendly, good-looking, and so happy to see us!

We shook hands, exchanged names, and I was truly delighted to meet our friendly hosts. ey were quite di erent from what I expected: straight-faced, skinny, grumpy, expressionless, cold, older men uttering constant warnings not to break the rules.

We broke the ice! We were a happy bunch and all excited to learn more about this town and its people!

We le the train station, boarded our minibus, and drove to Kim Il-sung Square, our very rst attraction.

We passed several imposing and pristine buildings en route, built in the grandeur communist style reminiscent of Minsk in Belarus, and Moscow. ese included façades, theatres, statues, more statues, monuments, museums, and sports arenas including the May Day Stadium which is the largest in the world with a capacity of 114,000 seats. e

50,000-seat Kim Il-sung Stadium was in close proximity. All very impressive!

INFAMOUS KIM IL-SUNG SQUARE

Standing on Kim Il-sung Square was surreal. It was the stamp on our minds and the dawning of the realisation that we were now indeed in North Korea.

It was a similar feeling to what I experienced when standing in Moscow’s Red Square, or Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, though slightly di erent. It was less of a relaxed place where young people and tourists could hang around in the evenings. Kim Ilsung Square was void of people, and within a few minutes our minders led us away, back to our minibus.

PYONGYANG’S ELITE

We strolled along the Mirae Scientists Street which is home to the privileged teachers and scientists who live in fancy skyscrapers, including the rather bizarre-looking 53-story Mirae Unha Tower.

While the building looks very modern from a distance, once you are closer it seems rather depressing with a typical Soviet design behind the pretentious modern curves on the outside. While it was di cult to see if any lights were

on in the middle and upper oors, the lower oors appeared totally dark. My minder insisted that the building was fully occupied, but a few minutes later admitted that “many of the residents are travelling to the countryside this time of the year”. I smiled, and she smiled in return, as if she knew that I suspected otherwise.

What I found striking at night is that most residential buildings around the city had all their rooms illuminated. is indicated to me that people go straight home a er work, as there are few entertainment opportunities for the average person on the street. Restaurants are very limited, so people dine and entertain themselves at home.

As we drove past so many impressive buildings in Pyongyang, I realised that I needed at least a week to explore them all.

One of the frst things you will notice upon arrival in Pyongyang is that without exception, everybody wears a lapel pin above their heart depicting portraits of one or both the dead leaders. It seems that people with higher status can wear both portraits, while the rest are content with the portrait of either deceased leader.

They receive the pin at a special ceremony and must protect it and care for it, even placing it in its special container every night.

Foreigners may acquire such a pin if they attend “the special ceremony”.

Pyongyang is like no other city in the world. Typical Stalinist buildings, wide deserted roads with sparse traffc, and well-behaved people!

Views of Pyongyang from the top of the 170 metres Juche Tower.

Pyongyang

North Korea

The People

• Reunify the Korean Peninsula as soon as possible.

• Reunify without foreign interference.

• Death to “Imperialist America!”

• The military is cardinal.

• The Korean race is superior.

THE KOREAN PEOPLE

North Koreans are friendly, inquisitive, and there are no restrictions to talk with them

From the rst moment I interacted with the North Korean people such as the immigration and customs o cers on the train while stopping at the North Korean border inspection point, I was impressed with just how human they were. Not that I expected them to be “non-human”, but I expected rude and crude o cers.

Our minders became our friends. I looked at our minder, a young handsome man aged 27. As he was regurgitating the propaganda he had been well trained to do, I could not help thinking that he did not belong in this place. He deserved a life where he could follow his own mind and not that of the government. I even told him: “I hope one day you can live in Canada or Europe”, at which time he smiled. You could see just how much he wished it could come true.

Most of my verbal interactions while inside North Korea were with my local minders as well as my Beijing-based British tour guide who chaperoned us around.

While I had ample opportunities to mingle and talk with locals, their English was very limited, and for the safety of us all our conversations were limited to: “Hello, you have a beautiful daughter. How old is she? Does she like school?”

ey were not robotic communist soldiers. ey were people just like us. While we both live under very di erent governments, we were all just humans trying to make a living.

People on the streets and in the metro seemed unsure to interact, though when we made a rst move they seemed so happy. Our guides were extremely easy-going, very approachable, witty and caring.

GUARD YOUR MOUTH

Naturally, we could neither talk to them about everything we wanted to, nor attempt to inform them of the true facts behind the Korean War, or paint a rosy picture of life outside Kim’s Kingdom. We understood that they were just “captive soldiers within the regime” and they needed to walk a ne line as dictated by their superiors.

ey had to play by the rules since they would be in serious trouble should they not.

SMILING LIKE THEIR LEADER

On September 9th, the day of the Founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 1948, we walked through Moranbong Park where many locals were celebrating the festive day with their families.

ey were laying out their picnic tables, complete with barbecues, playing music, and even dancing to joyful patriotic tunes. All looking very content with life. We joined their dancing to the great delight of all. e ladies were totally in love with us guys dancing with them.

Milling around and interacting with the locals provided them with some reassurance that foreigners are not bad people. is was a positive start to what could be slow but positive change in this country. We could not help but wonder what they had been taught about Western people.

Whatever they thought aside, they were very welcoming and open to interaction with us. In the park, the locals were o ering food and alcoholic drinks to our group members, laughing and truly enjoying our presence and our interest in them. I could not help but think of the ever-present propaganda showing o the constantly smiling Kim Jung-un. His smiles must be either highly contagious or possibly pretentious.

While this is not a free country as we like to de ne human freedom, I did not expect to be riding with the locals on the metro, dancing with the ladies in the park, joking around with the school kids while taking sel es, or even shaking hands with soldiers at the Demilitarised Zone.

The “propaganda machine” is everywhere and the messages are clear:

The locals speak very limited English so that’s probably the reason why the minders don’t mind foreigners talking with them.

National Day Mass Dance

North Korea, Pyongyang mainly, is known for grand celebrations which include mass dances and military parades. This dance was held on September 9, 2017, the Day of the Foundation of the Republic, also called the Republic Day, or the National Day.

WHAT TO SEE

Pyongyang has no shortage of very impressive Stalinist architecture.

At the top of the attractions list is to watch a few local TV stations! All North Korean television stations are propaganda machines, promoting the Worker’s Party position and demonising all things Western. e typical programming includes news (watch out for the famous lady Ri Chu–hee), revolutionary operas, patriotic music, marching bands, army choirs, documentaries about the Worker’s Party, military parades, locally produced movies, and lately a lot of footage showing Marshall Kim Jong-un and his very happy and satis ed interactions with his subjects. I did not notice any TV commercials for products or services. During the weather forecast you will see one Korean country going all the way down to Jeju Island o the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula.

A trip to North Korea is not complete without the sites they want you to see: the showpieces of the regime, the points of hero worship such as Kim Il-sung Square and the towering statues at Mansudae Grand Monument where we had to bow in front of the statues of the two dead leaders. It was no big deal at all, so we just did it. e Tower of Juche with its stunning views over Pyongyang, the Founding Party Monument, the captured American spy ship USS Pueblo at the War Museum … so many places they wanted to show us! We ran out of time and could not see the War Museum, but our minders then arranged with the museum to open one hour earlier to accommodate my friend and I, and two people to show us the museum. eir agenda was obvious. As we started with a 15 minutes long propaganda video about “how the American Imperialists started the war”, I asked if we could skip the video and see more of the museum, but were told we had to watch the video.

Here’s a list of the not to be missed attractions in Pyongyang:

Mansudae Grand Monument

is is one of the most revered places in all of North Korea. People come from far and wide to pay tribute, bow and lay owers, at two 22.5 metres tall statues of Kim Il-sung

and Kim Jong-Il. On the wall behind the statues is a mosaic of the Paekdu Mountain located on the border between North Korea and China, the reputed birthplace of Kim Jong-il. e fact is that he was born in the Soviet Union while his father was in exile during the Japanese occupation of Korea. e statues are anked by monuments showing many soldiers, workers, and farmers, depicting the Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Struggle and the Socialist Revolution. e monument was rst constructed with Kim Il-sung, but shortly a er the death of Kim Jong-il his statue was added.

Kumsusan Memorial Palace of the Sun

Another highly revered place is the mausoleum where the embalmed bodies of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are laying in glass sarcophagi. is former residence of Kim Il-sung, the Kumsusan Palace, was converted by Kim Jong-il into a mausoleum at the time of his father’s death in 1994. Kim Jong-il’s body was added when he died in 2011. North Koreans come here en masse to pay their respects to the dead bodies of the eternal leaders. A visit here is easily one of the weirdest you’ll have anywhere in the world, even surpassing your visits to the embalmed bodies of Lenin (Moscow) and Mao Zedong (Beijing).

Dress codes, security, and behaviour rules are very strict. Prior to entry, you will be dusted o by both automatic shoe cleaners and a giant clothes-dusting machine to ensure no dirt is trampled into the viewing hall.

Pyongyang Arch of Triumph

Built in 1982, it is modelled a er the Arc De Triomphe in Paris, but at six metres taller makes this arch the second tallest in the world. It was built to commemorate and glorify Kim Il-sung’s role in the Korean resistance to the occupation of Japan from 1925 to 1945. Engraved in the middle of the arch is the revolutionary hymn “Song of General Kim Il-sung”,” which is recited on national television every day.

Kim Il-sung Square

Known for its extravagant military parades and well-coordinated mass dances we have seen on our TV screens, the large Kim Il-sung Square is not easily outdone by similar showcases of power in Moscow’s Red Square or Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. is is the heart of North Korea! Several buildings of notable signi cance surround the square, such as the Korean National Art Gallery, the Korean Central History Museum, and the Grand People’s Study House.

Pyongyang’s Arch of Triumph (60m) is 10m taller than the Paris Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile (50m), and is reputed to be the second tallest triumphal arch in the world, after Monumento a la Revolución (67m) in Mexico City.

Arch of Triumph.

Juche tower

A short distance from Kim Ilsung Square, on the west bank of the Taedong River, stands the 170 metres tall granite tower, named a er the selfreliance ideology of Juche introduced by Kim Il-sung. Constructed from 25,550 blocks (365 × 70: one for each day of Kim Ilsung’s life, excluding supplementary days for leap years) its top is capped with a 20 metres high, 45 tons, illuminated metal torch. It was unveiled to mark his 70th birthday in 1982. Take the elevator to the top (€5) for great panoramic views over the city. e elevator is operated by a lady dressed in a spectacular wide pastel coloured dress. e balcony at the top has open views without any glass, allowing for great photos of the city.

Other towers

Other towers worth visiting are the Tower of Immortality (the writing on this tower through the base of which tra c drives, pledges that the ”Great Leader Kim Il-sung and the Dear Leader Kim Jong-il will always be with us”), the Liberation Tower commemorating the Soviet liberation of Pyongyang from Japanese rule in 1945, the Sino-Korean Friendship Tower which is a television tower built as a gi from the Chinese to the DRPK, and the 1967-built, 150 metres high Pyongyang TV Tower, copied from the Ostankino Tower in Moscow, with a restaurant and observation deck at the top.

Inside the base of the Juche Tower is a wall carrying 82 friendship plaques from supporters and Juche study groups from around the world.

One of the many impressive buildings at Kim Il-sung Square.

The Juche Tower.

North Korea

Monument to the Foundation of the Workers’ Party

Built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the North Korean Workers Party in 1995, the monument is rich in symbolism: the hammer, sickle and calligraphy brush symbolise the workers, farmers and intellectuals. Each of these pillars stands at a striking 50 metres tall signifying the 50 years since the creation of the party.  e inscription on the outer belt reads: “ e organisers of the victory of the Korean people and the leader of the Workers Party of Korea!” All over the monument is symbolism about the history of the Korean nation and the birthday of Kim Jong-il. It appeared on postage stamps in 1995 and 2005 as well as on the current 50 Won banknote.

Grand People’s Study House

is massive celebrated library on Kim Il-sung Square is by far the country’s largest library with a total oor space of 100,000m2, complete with 600 rooms and the capacity to hold up to 30 million books. Constructed during 1982 in a traditional Korean style to celebrate leader Kim Il-sung’s 70th birthday, it was built with the intent of educating the entire populace, in particular on the topic of Juche studies! All Koreans over 17 years old are eligible to receive free lectures on various topics, even the English language.  ere are also computers to browse the North Korean intranet.

Ryugyong Hotel

Pyongyang’s pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel is one of the world’s most conspicuous construction project failures. Intended to be the world’s tallest hotel, it is now nearly as old as North Korea’s current leader Kim Jong-un, though nobody has ever slept here. Nearly 30 years since construction started, the glass pyramid looms dark and eerie in the Pyongyang night, with only a single red light at its apex blinking a silent warning to aircra . Standing 105 oors high, construction began in 1987 and was supposed to be completed in just two years.

For various reasons such as the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991, a major economic crisis, and then a famine that brought North Korea to the verge of collapse, the hotel remains nothing but an outer shell which was eventually completed in 2011. Our minder informed us that the hotel will “open soon”. With 360,000 square metres of oor space which will include apartments and o ces along with hotel facilities, it is

hard to imagine this hotel ever being lled to capacity. e hotel continues to be the world’s largest unoccupied building.

Chollima Statue

is impressive statue portrays Chollima, the Korean Pegasus, which literally means “thousand-mile horse”. It was built as a symbol of the speed and perseverance of North Korean workers. e symbol itself is of Chinese origin, a magical horse that is so fast, no man can mount it. It’s an example of how the North Korean state has incorporated traditional Asian myths into its cult. Kim Il-sung appropriated the myth in 1956 during the period of reconstruction following the Korean War. Known as ‘Chollima Speed’, it depicted the speed at which North Korean workers rebuilt their shattered na-

tion and constructed monuments to honour their leadership. His slogan was “Let us dash forward in the spirit of Chollima!”

Tomb of Tan’gun

e government announced in 1993 that its archaeologists had discovered the tomb of Tan’gun, the founder of the rst Korean kingdom. However, it wasn’t until recently that the North Korean historians “made the incredible discovery that revealed that Tan’gun was in fact a member of the Kim clan.” e pyramid-shaped tomb of King Tan’gun, located south of Pyongyang, is an impressive mausoleum that hosts the decayed bones of both the King and his wife. A small museum stands nearby, displaying artefacts from Tan’gun’s times, said to have been found in and around the tomb.

Monument to the Foundation of the Workers’ Party.

Grand People’s Study House.

Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum

e colossal War Museum is one of the most grandeur museums in the world, and perhaps the very best museum in Pyongyang. A er a long renovation, it opened its new doors in 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, to tell the story of the Korean people’s ght against foreign invaders. In the foyer stands a massive statue of a young Kim Il-sung, where he looks exactly like his grandson, Kim Jung-un. Or rather, his grandson is trying to look just like his revered grandfather! One of the many impressive displays are the 360 degrees

Unfortunately, no photography is allowed anywhere inside the museum. Outside the museum are many war-damaged American tanks, weapons and aircra , including the most prized capture, the USS Pueblo ship that was operated by US sailors who were held prisoner for 11 months before their release. e ship has been converted into a museum, and comes complete with a guide who has a triumphant Korean story about everything related to the capture of the ship.

Other notable museums in Pyongyang

include the Korean Revolution Museum, which despite its misleading name, is focused on documenting the death of Kim Il-sung, including a lm of the extraordinary public reaction to his death. e Party Founding Museum is a monument to the Fallen Soldiers of the Korean People’s Army. e Mangyongdae Revolutionary Museum and the Korean Central History Museum are all rather predictable with a large number of exhibits showing the struggle against American and Japanese imperialism and oppression. e Metro Museum depicts and glori es the roles of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in the construction of the Pyongyang metro.

diorama depicting the battle of Daejon and the captured American helicopter from the Korean War.

Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum.

The Ryugyong Hotel

Intended to be the world’s tallest hotel, this 30 year old building remains nothing but a shell. Standing 105 foors high, it is now scheduled to at last open its doors “very soon”, according to the minders. Until then, the Ryugyong Hotel continues to be the world’s largest unoccupied building.

North Korea

The Pyongyang Metro

For just 5 Won (less than 1 US cent), you can explore one of the world’s deepest subway systems (over 110 m deep) where it takes over three minutes going down by escalator to reach the platforms. On a busy day, it is reported that some of the busy stations transfer around 700,000 people. Daily ridership is estimated to be between 300,000 and 700,000, enough proof that Pyongyang is a bustling city.

The Gates of Pyongyang

Around Pyongyang, take note of the old city gates, including the Taedong Gate, Chilsong Gate, and the Potong Gate, constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. e latter was destroyed by American bombings during the destruction of Pyongyang in the Korean War, but was reconstructed in 1955.

Three Revolutions Exhibition

is enormous museum complex showcases the three revolutions of Kim Il-sung brought about in post-war Korea: the ideological, technical, and cultural.  e six halls detail advances across the board in electronics, heavy industry, light industry, agriculture and technology (advances appear to be fairly slim though, with all the technical exhibits looking more like a display of antiques).  e central building, a planetarium, has a shape resembling a spherical planet with rings around it, similar to the planet of Saturn; somewhat reminiscent of Florida’s Epcot Centre theme park.

Other attractions

Other attractions include the Mangyongdae Children’s Palace, Kim Il-sung Stadium, the May Day Stadium, Mangyongdae Funfair, Korean National Art Gallery and several theatres such as the Mansudae Art eatre, Pyongyang Grand eatre, Moranbong eatre, East Pyongyang Grand eatre, and the Pyongyang Circus. Don’t miss an acrobatic performance in the new Pyongyang Circus. e breathtaking acrobatic and trapeze acts are performed in front of a large screen showing the destruction of the Americans!

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas

A trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

If you have been to the South Korean side of the border, you will know the feeling of gazing over into North Korea; that feeling of “I so much wish I could visit that mysterious country, though it seems so impossible”. Once you are in North Korea and venture down to the DMZ, staring at South Korea, you will think out loud “Yes, and so here I am on the other side!”.

e narrative on both sides of the border is like black and white. ere are very di erent interpretations of the war that divided these two parts of the Korean Peninsula. As we did not see any South Korean soldiers on the other side of the dividing line, our minders reckoned that they are too scared of the North Korean soldiers to show their faces!

Between 1953 when the armistice was signed, and 1972, thousands of South Korean soldiers and agents infltrated North Korea. Since then, the north has secured the border to such an extent that this is now the most heavily militarized border in the world.

Standing on the southern side of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at the border, you expect to see heavy armoury on the north side, though nothing is visible. Similarly, standing on the north side of the border, there is no sign of the military, although tourists are strictly chaperoned into the information centre at the “Truce Village” and then to the JSA’s blue buildings, and swiftly back to the bus. There is somehow an eerie warlike-peace in the air.

The buildings on the North Korea side display a variety of paraphernalia used during the signing ceremony, with guides offering lots of demeaning comments about the UN and USA participation in the armistice signing.

The DMZ

Until 1991 the blue houses used to host negotiations between the two Koreas and the United Nations Command. The same room is used to show to tourists from both sides, obviously never at the same time!

North Korea

MY TAKE-AWAYS...

Based on my limited experience, here is my honest interpretation of North Korea:

Spending a few days in North Korea opened my mind to this reclusive society. While nothing totally surprised me, every day was packed with experiences I have never had anywhere else. Herewith a list of my observations, much of which were gained through my experiences and my interaction with our local minders, and guides in museums.

1. For the South Koreans, the war ended almost 70 years ago. It is nothing but history. ey moved on to become one of the most advanced countries in the world, exporting highly respected technology brands. On the other side of the 38th Parallel, the border between the north and the south, the war has never stopped. Every day the North Koreans ght the war mentally and emotionally, preparing for the day when they will once again physically ght the war. Reminders of the war, past and future, are everywhere: large billboards along the streets, in bookstores, on television, and I bet on all other media such as their own intranet (there is no internet as the rest of the world knows it), on radio, and everywhere else. eir mental preparedness is constantly indoctrinated by sound and vision across all available media. Everywhere you go, people are reminded that the Americans must be driven out from the south, and better yet, that the American homeland should be obliterated.

2. Propaganda focuses on the great leaders and their miracles, in particular Kim Ilsung. Propaganda about America starting the war is rife, and now North Korea is committed to destroying the “American Imperialists”. Propaganda abounds about the power of the North Korean military and how it will crush the Americans, propaganda about the happiness within the country - from the current leader Kim Jong-un to school children and families. Everybody is so happy in the utopian state of Korea.

3. ey believe in one Korea and never refer to North Korea and South Korea as separate and autonomous countries (even

though both the Korean countries were simultaneously admitted to the United Nations in 1991). All their maps, even their weather reports on television, show Korea as a single country. ey even provide weather for Jeju Island which is to the far south of the South Korean peninsula.

4. ey believe the southern part of Korea is “occupied by the American Imperialists” and the Korean people in the south are greatly su ering. When I told my minder that I have been to the “southern part of Korea” many times and had an o ce in Seoul, she was visibly shocked. Unfortunately I decided to ignore her and did not probe further to understand why she was so shocked. From what I have read, and discussions I had with South Koreans about uni cation, none were particularly excited about such prospect, for obvious reasons. My minder was in disbelief when I mentioned that my friends in the south were not keen to reunite with the north.

5. A strong mandate among the people is that the “occupying American Imperialists” in the south of Korea must be driven out as soon as possible, and without any foreign intervention. e Korean peninsula must be reuni ed under the leadership of the Kim dynasty.

6. ey are well prepared for the day of reuni cation. e road south of Pyongyang to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) at the border with South Korea, is referred to as the “road to Seoul”. A train station south of Kaesong City, near the DMZ, is referred to as “the train station to Seoul”.

7. Our minder explained that Kim Il-sung is the brain, while the people are the body that serves the brain. He is the father, who is loved and respected above all fathers!

8. e people are totally dedicated to their country and their leaders, alive or dead. Serving and respecting their leaders (the Kim Dynasty) is paramount.

9. ey are very proud of themselves and their “total homogeneous” society where foreigners are not allowed to marry Koreans. A racial pride which I have not encountered anywhere in the world. e product of a very successful propaganda machine and indoctrination since childhood!

10. Koreans are “totally unique” and don’t need the outside world. ey “don’t like foreign movies because of too much sex and violence”. ey also “don’t like foreign music, as it just does not appeal to them”. All in line with the Juche ideology of Kim Il-sung.

11. Our minder expressly stated that they have nothing against the American people as they had many visiting Americans who are “very nice people”, yet their propaganda is all about destroying America and the American homeland.

12. While war propaganda is everywhere, product and services advertising is almost non-existent.

13. Shops are limited, and foreigners are only allowed to visit selected shops, mainly bookstores (selling mainly propaganda but also art). ese dedicated “tourist shops” only accept foreign currency and prices are highly in ated. Only once did we visit a supermarket where we were allowed to change foreign currency such as USD, Euro, and Chinese RMB for Korean Won. We could then buy groceries with Won and a erwards switch it back to a

Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Struggle monuments at the Mansudae Grand Monument.

foreign currency at the same rate as we bought the Won.

14. Everybody wears a lapel pin above their heart with portraits of one or both dead leaders. ey received the pin at a special ceremony and must protect it and care for it, even placing it every night in its special container. Foreigners can get such a pin if they attend “the special ceremony”.

15. Even though Pyongyang is home to most of Korea’s elite, which means family of the government and military as well as intellectuals such as teachers and scientists, smart phones are hard to spot. In the metro, nobody is staring at a mobile phone. e internet is not accessible but Korea has developed their own internal intranet, a network limited to government-approved North Korean websites with, I can imagine, lots of propaganda.

Propaganda is everywhere.

Monument to the Three-Point Charter for National Reunifcation at the end of the Tongil Expressway outside Pyongyang.

Mansudae Assembly Hall.

Apartment building.

Entrance gate at the Korean War Museum.

Kim Il-sung Square.

North Korea

16. Photography is not much restricted and there was not one instance where my minder told me not to take a photo. Just remember, no photos of buildings under construction (because they are incomplete and not ready to be shown to the world), and no photos of soldiers (as they don’t like to be photographed). Also, no photos of poor people because “such photos will only be used to show North Korea in a negative way”. I never did have a chance to take photos of obviously poor people, except for the people along the train tracks which certainly did not look too well-o , though nobody stopped me from taking the photos.

17. When photographing any statues of the leaders, you are not allowed to only capture part of the statue, such as the bust or head. e entire statue must be in the photo-frame. While I played by the rules, nobody asked to see the photos in my camera.

18. While 1 USD gets you 1,180 Korean Won, a metro train ticket costs a mere 5 Won.

19. Many tra c intersections have full-time tra c ladies, impeccably dressed like sailors, complete with white gloves and robotic movements. Should they detect an o cial black car coming down the road, a swi and robotic salute will follow. Roads carry few vehicles, even in the city during rush hour. However, the tra c lady will always perform her duties with the greatest dedication, such intense movements that they change shi s every 60 minutes. On the very lonely road from Pyongyang to Kaesong City near the DMZ, such a tra c lady was spotted at an intersection in the middle of nowhere, apparently to direct tra c should an o cial enter the road from a nearby military housing complex.

20. Newspapers or any print media with a photo of the leaders (dead or alive) must be handled with great respect. ey can’t be torn, mistreated, or folded. Must be carefully rolled up. Not sure how you would discard of such a “holy” newspaper!

21. When you listen to the minders or museum guides talking about the miracles and achievements of their leaders, and the constant apologies they have received from the Americans a er their isolated intrusions into the north, you can’t help but wonder if these people know very well that they are telling lies but have no choice, or if they are so brainwashed that they truly believe everything they say. Its

hard to know as they seem so self-assured and spit out a slew of statistics and dates to support their claims.

22. Kids on the streets always wear their school uniform, which is the same for all school kids, complete with neck scarf. ey never seem to be relieved from portraying an image of kids going to school.

23. Some buses on the streets of Pyongyang have a long strip of stars that goes halfway or all around the bus. It was explained that the driver gets a star for every accident-free year of driving the bus. Obviously, some bus drivers have devoted their lives to the same bus, with a awless driving record.

24. Museums in Pyongyang are impressive, and that’s an understatement. e newly renovated and enlarged Korean War Museum, also known as the Victorious War Museum or Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and not to be confused with the Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities, is probably the most impressive museum I have seen in my life. As you walk in, you may think you are walking into a Saudi palace!

So elaborate and extravagant it is that even the North Koreans don’t allow photography. In the spectacular foyer is a massive golden-coloured statue of youthful Kim Il-sung, looking just like his grandchild, Kim Jong-un, who is now actively modelling himself a er his revered grandfather. e American “atrocities” are explained in the nest details, their captured warfare and soldiers with each “intrusion” concluded by an apology by the American Government, and rows of marble busts of Korean heroes who fought for the freedom of the Koreans in the north.

25. Around the city are many impressive and elaborate community buildings, sports facilities, theatres, museums, and even two round circus buildings. e playgrounds of the elite.

26. According to the North Koreans, there are 90 million of them: 20 million live in the north (North Korea), 50 million live in the south (South Korea) and 20 million currently live outside the country. “In total, we are 90 million people”, our minder reminded us.

After a few interesting days in Pyongyang, including a trip down to the DMZ on the border with South Korea, it was time to take the train back to China.

As our train crossed over the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge and into China, we all erupted into joyful cheers and applause. I have never been so happy to be back in Communist China, which suddenly felt like the land of boundless freedom!

Back at China’s Dandong Train Station I had the relative freedom to take fve photos of a group of soldiers, before they yelled “No photo!” at me. I then realised that China remains China, and that the sooner I get to a country of true freedom, the better. When I arrived in New York City, I pointed my camera at an unknown building and there it was: “No photos please”, a security guard kindly informed me.

Dandong, China, moments before “NO PHOTO!”.