Book Review

The last stop on the tour was the Sinuiju folk park. The park boasts activities such as shooting, swinging, and boating, as well as containing a mosaic on Korean history and several traditional pavilions. The park also appeared to be well used by the locals, each of whom sported a badge with KimIl-Sung’s face on it.

Sinuiju folk park is frequented by the locals. A mosaic on ancient Korean history.

Overall, I found Sinuiju to be a pleasant town and the experience fascinating. The people were warm and hospitable (even the border guard practised his limited English with us on the way out). The sights were not on a typical tourist’s itinerary, but they were each interesting in their own way. Although the tour was most likely highly choreographed, it was still fascinating to see daily life in North Korea and experience their culture. Moreover, it was interesting to see a town outside developed Pyongyang (where most tourists visit). We must acknowledge that there are two sides to every story and that there is more to North Korean culture than is often portrayed in Western media.