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. Travelling here is expensive, restrictive, and can be risky. Visit at your own risk!
PLEASE NOTE: This article is purely based on the experience of my 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.
Why Travel to North Korea?
- The low-down: North Korea is the world’s most secretive and most isolated nation. You may want to boycott it because of many reasons. Sure you should also have many reasons not to visit the USA, Israel, Hungary, and many other “bad countries”. Don’t play the convenient hypocritical political correctness card. Go see North Korea for yourself.
- The brightest highlight: It is a country like nowhere else and you will be safe if you follow the rules, and have more freedom than you expect.
- Intrepid destination: Absolutely. American citizens are barred by their own government from visiting North Korea, and all foreigners must travel in an organized group tour. Still, its a lot of fun with likeminded intrepid travellers.
- Globerovers score (10 is highest): It was a bizarre experience like I have not experienced in any other country. While expensive to visit, I returned with great memories and a ton of interesting photos and stories. I’ll score it 9/10.
Table of Contents
To visit or not to visit North Korea
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 first 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.
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.
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 first-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 self-serving 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 off 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.
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 overflowing and filled 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 flexibility 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 off 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 suffering of their people. So why should it be any different 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. The 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.
Visiting North Korea is like no other place on earth. Not only is it a bizarre experience, but it is also very exciting!
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.
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. These 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 “off-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 find. 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 first-hand experience? I am purely a traveller interested in travel journalism, reporting on places and people for the benefit 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.
The Hermit Kingdom of Kim Il-sung
To gain any understanding of life in North Korea, you first need to understand its early beginnings. Enter the Hermit Kingdom of Kim Il-sung and its Juche official state ideology which wilfully walled itself off, metaphorically and physically, from the rest of the world.
Eternal President Kim Il-sung is revered with unrivalled fear and passion
The official website of the DPRK explains Juche as “the principle of independence, self-reliance and self-defence, defending the country’s sovereignty and dignity firmly”. The government also describes Juche as Kim Il-sung’s “original, brilliant and revolutionary contribution to national and international thought”. They even live by their own Juche calendar! This year is not 2017, but the Juche year of 105, which is the 105th year after the birth of Kim Il-sung.
Eternal Cult Leader
Paramount to life of all North Koreans is President Kim Il-sung. Their 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 after 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 off 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!
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!”
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 after 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.
The fact is that Kim Il-sung started the Korean War which ended in a stalemate in 1953. This is contrary to North Korea’s propaganda that the Americans started the war and destroyed their land and its people.
Through 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 officially the President and the Great Leader! In 1998, the office 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.
The Kim Dynasty
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. Their cult following is beyond anything Soviet leader Joseph Stalin or China’s Mao Zedong could have envisioned for themselves.
The threesome:
President Kim Il-sung, General Kim Jong-il & Marshall Kim Jong-un
The Kim family created a true hermit kingdom with people totally devoted to them and their ideology, a country closed off 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 childhood. They have no comparison from which to become despondent, so what they have is what they perceive life to be! They 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, officially called the Mount Paektu Bloodline, strictly enforces a cult of personality tied to their state philosophy of Juche.”
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. These 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.
Embalmed Bodies of The Eternals
Kim Il-sung died in 1994. His son, Kim Jong-il, followed him in 2011.
Their 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.
The 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.
This palace used to be Kim Il-sung’s official residence but after 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
There 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 official figures are available.
The 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 the trains. They 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; Ever-Victorious 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 left, 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 flowers at the feet of the statues immediately after 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 left out of the photo!
The China Gateway
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.
Entering via the Dandong Bridge
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.
“Leaving China and crossing into North Korea felt like I was putting my head into the jaws of a crocodile!”
My first 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. This river forms the international border between China and North Korea. Looking across the river into North Korea revealed, to my disappointment, no highly fortified 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.
The main gateway to North Korea is the
Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge in Dandong
The bridge was rebuilt after the war and now carries both automobile and rail traffic. Next to it is an older bridge, built between May 1909 and October 1911. This older bridge was not rebuilt as the Koreans wanted to keep it as evidence of the “brutal American attack” on their infrastructure. Referred 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. The 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 find out that the leaders were “not dead, but are eternally with us!”
It was the usual scramble at the Chinese immigration checkpoint with officials yelling at their subjects. After 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 different world!
Train Journey to Pyongyang
Within minutes of the train leaving China’s Dandong station, it crossed over the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, and not long after we pulled into North Korea’s Sinuiju station.
For the first 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 officials 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 first test with a sigh of relief.
The officials 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, after-all, not that much different from us, except that they live in North Korea!
Beer and Rice Fields
As our train rolled southwards for the next five 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.
Order a North Korean beer from the trolley ladies, sit back and take photos
North Korean beer in the train Inside the North Korean train
The train tracks passed miles and miles of rice and corn fields, 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.
The 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.
The 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 official. This 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.
Welcome to Pyongyang
And so we arrived at the busy main station of Pyongyang, a beautiful building which appears even more beautiful when illuminated at night.
The first sight that announced our arrival in Pyongyang was the many tall buildings
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. They were quite different 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 left the train station, boarded our minibus, and drove to Kim Il-sung Square, our very first attraction.
Pyongyang is like no other city in the world. Typical Stalinist buildings, wide deserted roads with sparse traffic, and well-behaved people!
We passed several imposing and pristine buildings en route, built in the grandeur communist style reminiscent of Minsk in Belarus, and Moscow. These 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. The 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 different. It was less of a relaxed place where young people and tourists could hang around in the evenings. Kim Il-sung 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 difficult to see if any lights were on in the middle and upper floors, the lower floors 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. This indicated to me that people go straight home after 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.
The Korean People
From the first moment I interacted with the North Korean people such as the immigration and customs officers 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 officers.
North Koreans are friendly, inquisitive, and there are no restrictions to talk with them
They were not robotic communist soldiers. They were people just like us. While we both live under very different 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 first 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 fine line as dictated by their superiors.
They had to play by the rules since they would be in serious trouble should they not.
The locals speak very limited English so that’s probably the reason why the minders don’t mind foreigners talking with them.
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?”
Smiling Like The Dear 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.
They 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. The 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. This 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 offering 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 off 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 define 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 selfies, or even shaking hands with soldiers at the Demilitarised Zone.
My 26 Takeaways
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 was 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. They 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 fight the war mentally and emotionally, preparing for the day when they will once again physically fight 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.
Their 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 Il-sung. 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. They 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. They even provide weather for Jeju Island which is to the far south of the South Korean peninsula.
4. They believe the southern part of Korea is “occupied by the American Imperialists” and the Korean people in the south are greatly suffering. When I told my minder that I have been to the “southern part of Korea” many times and had an office 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 unification, 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. The Korean peninsula must be reunified under the leadership of the Kim dynasty.
6. They are well prepared for the day of reunification. The 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. The people are totally dedicated to their country and their leaders, alive or dead. Serving and respecting their leaders (the Kim Dynasty) is paramount.
9. They 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. The product of a very successful propaganda machine and indoctrination since childhood!
10. Koreans are “totally unique” and don’t need the outside world. They “don’t like foreign movies because of too much sex and violence”. They 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). These dedicated “tourist shops” only accept foreign currency and prices are highly inflated. 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 afterwards switch it back to a 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. They 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. The 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.
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-off, 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. The 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 traffic intersections have full-time traffic ladies, impeccably dressed like sailors, complete with white gloves and robotic movements. Should they detect an official black car coming down the road, a swift and robotic salute will follow. Roads carry few vehicles, even in the city during rush hour. However, the traffic-lady will always perform her duties with the greatest dedication, such intense movements that they change shifts every 60 minutes. On the very lonely road from Pyongyang to Kaesong City near the DMZ, such a traffic lady was spotted at an intersection in the middle of nowhere, apparently to direct traffic should an official 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. They 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 after 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. It is 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 a neck scarf. They 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 flawless driving record.
24. Museums in Pyongyang are impressive, and that’s an understatement. The 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 after his revered grandfather. The American “atrocities” are explained in the finest 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. The playgrounds of the elite.
☛ Read more: What to See in Pyongyang
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.
Goodbye North Korea
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!
☛ Read more: 10 facts to know before travelling to North Korea
Back at China’s Dandong Train Station, I had the relative freedom to take five 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.
Essential Information
Getting There:
The gateway to North Korea is Dandong, in southeastern Liaoning province, China. Most travellers get to Dandong by the overnight train from Beijing. A shorter journey by fast train is via Dalian or Shenyang. On the morning of departure, meet your fellow travellers and guides in front of the main entrance of the Dandong train station. It is possible to fly into Pyongyang.
Getting Around
Leave the getting around to your Korean minders, who will meet you at the Pyongyang train station and literally never let you wander too far out of sight. Just relax as they arrange everything: transport, sightseeing, food, everything. It may be the only trip in your life where you really don’t have to worry about where to go and how to get there. Sit back and enjoy!
Photography
Rules and regulations are fluid, so what is permissible now may be restricted tomorrow. Enforcement of the rules also depends on your minders and guides. The better the relationship you have with them, the more lenient they will be. Extra-long lenses (250mm+) are forbidden. Don’t take photos of the military or construction sites without permission.
When to Go
North Korea is known for grand celebrations which may include mass dances and military parades. There are many national holidays and festivals to choose from. Summers are very hot, and winters are brutally cold, though any time of the year is exciting!
Where to Stay
Choosing a hotel will depend on the budget option you choose. Tour packages vary from “ultra-budget” to “luxury”, as does the small selection of hotels permitted to accommodate foreigners. Neither the ultra-budget nor the luxury options are extreme.
Packing
Pack your cameras and smartphones and don’t worry about being searched. Don’t have questionable photos and absolutely no travel guidebooks of North Korea, or religious materials. Dress conservatively, but smart casual to visit Kumsusan Memorial Palace and Mansudae Grand Monument.
Dining Out
Restaurant selections will depend on whether you are on a budget or luxury tour. I experienced the “budget tour” and the food was perfectly fine. Again, you will just follow your tour guides and won’t have any opportunities to select your own restaurant or coffee shop, if you see any!
Train Journeys
The Korean State Railway covers 6,000 km of track. Your first taste will be the exciting five-hour journey from Dandong, China, to Pyongyang. You could arrange a chaperoned train journey to the northeast and then exit into Russia and continue onwards to Vladivostok, Russia.
Cost of Travel
North Korea is not a cheap destination as you will most likely book through a China-based agency with a representative travelling with you, alongside the local North Korean agency’s minders, car and driver, and museum guides. They all take a nice cut, passing on the costs to the travellers.
Further reading
- 16+ Unrivalled Attractions in Pyongyang, North Korea
- 10 facts to know before travelling to North Korea
- 88 reasons to visit North Korea – D.P.R.K. explicit
- Travelling to North Korea – Where Preconceptions and Reality Collide
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.