It
probably is the most isolated and closed country of the world. The place, where
in 21st century there is no public access to the Internet, TV sets
and mobile phones are still not very common. The time has stopped there around
30 years ago. On the other hand, it is one of the safest place for tourists,
because as being one you will not be left alone for a lone stroll in the city
and moving around the country is often accompanied by soldiers. Individual
travel is impossible. It doesn’t stop thousands of tourists from various
countries (mostly China) who every year visit this hermetic and the most
controlled country on Earth – North Korea.
When
you think about Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), you probably
think “nuclear missiles, extreme regime and poverty”. It’s definitely not the
most common tourist destination but at the same time DPRK is not listed as one
of the least visited places in the world. In mid-50’ the first Korean tour
agency was established, which until today arrange trips for Chinese and other
tourists. Entering the country is very much possible (some people think it’s
not; the problematic nationalities are American and South Korean), and
easy.
Currently
there are many agencies which arrange trips to North Korea. They have a variety
of options: from one day trip across the Chinese border, to two weeks tour
which allows exploration of the majority of the country. No need to mention
those trips are not meant to be cheap holiday. The most popular is 4 day long
trip which costs around $750 for non-Chinese tourist (they have it cheaper).
The price includes pretty much everything in pretty much the best places in the
country – representative hotels and restaurants, visiting showroom-supermarkets
(everywhere you and your travel mates will be the only people present). Going
to North Korea you will only see what the government what you to see – the most
beautiful and attractive places. All the rest (the real life, that is), is
carefully hidden from the sight.
We
go in 5 people group – surprisingly small. Usually one group consists of dozen
or more people, but since it’s winter, less people are interested. 4 Chinese
and me. The plan is 4 days and 3 nights in North Korea, which in reality are
limited to 2 and a half days of sightseeing and 1 and a half day of travel. We
take a train from Chinese border town of Dandong to the Korean capital –
Pyongyang. Before boarding the train travel agent gives us the passports (with
individual visas inside; very unusual sight as most of the tourist in big
groups get one group visa on a separated paper) and gives crucial hints what to do and what
not to do in the country. Forbidden is taking photos of soldiers and army
buildings, pointing at pictures of Korean leaders and taking photos where the
leaders are not fully exposed. There is a total prohibition of making jokes and
laughing at anything coming from Korea. Best option is to not ask any
uncomfortable questions.
There
are many North Koreans in the train we board from China but nobody gives us the
second look, which is as a bit odd for being a foreigner in such place and not
attract any attention. In just about 10 minutes after we leave China and cross
the bridge over Yalu River we arrive to the Korean side where for some reason 2
hour long stop is needed. We all expect detailed luggage, phones and cameras
check (there are many items and photos which cannot be taken into the country),
but finally the control turns out to be very brief check of bags and signing
immigration documents. In the evening we arrive to Pyongyang where we are
greeted by two tour guides – one for Chinese tourists, one English speaking for
me.
After
arrival we don’t have much time to waste so we directly go for a diner to one
of the most luxurious restaurants in the capital. It can easily capacitate
dozens of people but, as in many other places visited by us, we are the only
guests. Out 47-floor hotel has all the modern commodities (swimming pool,
conference hall, and the possibility of sending emails ) for its
guests. There are no people, though, to use them. Those kind of places are
unreachable for a regular citizen, who doesn’t even have enough money to buy
basic food (if there is any available at all). Only the elite people,
government officials, can enjoy the delicious food there or night life
activities.
The
second day of the trip the plan starts early in the morning. At 7:30 am we
leave the hotel and we get the first day light glimpses of the city. Typical
social realism architecture – massive concrete buildings, unbelievably wide
streets. From time to time we pass huge statues of national heroes and other
praise the revolution, the Party and the leaders. Always present elements of
the city are propaganda quotations of Kim Ir Sen and those encouraging the
citizens too fight with western imperialism. The lands out of Pyongyang are
never-ending crop fields, and not so common, located for from the main road,
villages.
After
the breakfast we go to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) – the dispute border
between North and South Korea. According to the tour guide’s words it is the
most dangerous place in the world. During 3 hour long journey we got passed by
just a few busses and almost none private car. There are more cars in Pyongyang
but it’s still a far cry from the regular traffic of other countries. Most of
the people use bikes or walk. In the capital there is a metro system and other
public transportation means such as trolleybus and bus. The latter seems to be
lacking basing on the long queues on the bus stops.
The
citizens strongly limited when it comes to travelling. In the capital only the
selected, elite people can live. The rest – 85% of the population live in towns
and villages. There are many checkpoint on the roads to control the validity of
travel permits for those who want to go to another town. Those who can’t afford
the bus need to hitchhike, use a bike or simply walk dozens of kilometers.
In
the city taking photos is generally allowed (respecting those few previously
mentioned rules), in the DMZ you can use your camera only in a selected spots.
In the zone there are more propaganda shops with souvenirs and snacks from
Korea. Being in those kind of shops is one of a very few chances to shop in the
country since the regular stores are unavailable for foreigners, who can’t even
use the local currency. Most of the stores and restaurants we can see from the
street have covered windows. In some of them you can see only the very basic
products but there is almost nobody shopping there. In a few tourist shops you
can buy exactly the same products: Korean postal stamps, country leaders’
biographies, flags, North Korean maps – with a territory including the South
Korean one. Everybody in the country “knows” that there is only one Korea and
the current division is American’s –their biggest enemy - fault.
During
the visit in DMZ we are accompanied by two soldiers who are tour guides at the
same time. They explain the history of the Korean War (1950 – 1953) and the
final agreement. It seems like the history presented by the guides is
“slightly” different to the one from history books found outside the country.
We hear about terrible Americans who attacked North Korea in 1950 and about a
heroic defense by the country’s citizens and finally, the first in the history,
defeating American army. In fact, it was North Korea which first attacked the
south and the treaty was signed partially because of the death of Joseph
Stalin, the change of American president and cessation of hostilities on both
fronts.
Every
North Korean citizen from since childhood is told to hate the USA. It’s USA which
is responsible for DPRK’s poverty (which is partially correct, because of the
economic sanctions), always present political unrest, war threats, and the wish
to control the world. Every Korean citizen has no doubt in the strength and
power of their country which, in case of war, would easily defeat the USA and
its allies. Watching local North Korean TV, we hear the news from other
countries which always show the wars, poverty, destruction and other
negativities. The information comes from Middle Easter and Asian countries. The
only footages from Europe, Canada or USA are an old documents about scientific
inventions (from ’90) or programs to study English (shown in a form of
instruction of operating machinery, full of technical vocabulary, not
necessarily useful in daily life). On the other hand propaganda films show
happy and peaceful life in North Korea, shops full of products and prosperous
factories and companies.
After
coming back from DMZ we visit the city of Kaesong, which is one of the UNESCO
sites in Korea (for example former Confucius Academy Songgyungwan, which
currently is transformed into a museum). The other place to visit by out group
is the birth place of the President of Korea – Kim Ir Sen. It’s a village house
in untouched condition. Probably because you can only visit/see them for the
outside, without touching anything.
For
the end of the day we got a new attraction – a subway ride. Among dozens of
functioning stations, tourists an only stop at two, which are the most
representative and definitely not the deepest ones. Korean metro system is
famous for being the deepest in the world because it also serves as an atomic
bomb shelter. From the other source I am told that only these two station are
available for tourists because they are the most beautiful and lightened (the tour
guide claims that every single station is decorated in different mosaics
representing core values of Korean citizens).
Near
many of the houses we can see solar panels, which, according to the tour guide
are the part of Korean policy of self-dependence (North Korea doesn’t need to
establish economical connections with other countries as it produces everything
what’s needed). In fact, the solar energy for many is the only way to lighten
their homes due to very common power shortcuts in the city. There is a famous
satellite photos showing North Korea as a dark spot surrounded with brightly
lighted South Korea and China. Pyongyang at night looks like partially
abandoned city. Sporadic light comes from governmental buildings, lights for
the statues of the leaders – Kim Ir Sen and Kim Jong Il or the flats of those
who can afford the others ways of getting power. Villages often lack even the
electric lines.
For
the third day of the trip to Hyangsan mountains is planned. It’s a famous
tourist attraction. We see one of the most representative Buddhist temples or
the place where all the gifts for North Korean government are kept. It’s a
highly secured monumental building which houses more than 160 rooms full of
presents from all three leaders of North Korea. Swords, vases, sculptures,
paitings, plants and animals (kept in botanic and zoological gardens), and even
an automatic weapons and a laptop – are all gifts from almost every world
country. The gifts from Poland are crystal vases presented by Wojciech
Jaruzelski and Edward Gierek.
After
we get back to Pyongyang we visit one of the public schools, where we
participate in a student’s art performance and have a chance to ask some
questions. Some as for many other parts of the trip, you are not really sure,
if what you see is authentic or yet another arranged actors show. On the
Internet, there are many examples (videos, hidden camera footages) of “actors”
on the streets who play roles of pedestrians, citizens or even doctors in fake
hospitals.
The
last day of our trip is a quick visit to the main city square and passing by
the monumental statues of Kim Ir Sen and Kim Jong Il. In the city we can see
people preparing for the 70th anniversary of the creation of Korean
army (8th February). Attendance in speeches and celebrations is
obligatory. Who doesn’t show up is immediately considered an enemy of the Party
and most likely sent to a labour camp. Similar punishment is implemented on
everyone who shows any sort of dissatisfaction about the country. In the DPRK
there is a law known as guilt by association (by being a family member of the
criminal). It mean that not only the actual person who breaks the law gets
punished but also his family; offspring up to the 3rd generation.
This kind of law successfully discourages from any sort of law breaking as it
could mean death of the family of the victim.
Before
the noon we board the same train which goes back to Dandong, China. Next 8
hours spent inside and nervous waiting for the border control of photos and
things brought back from the country. Yet, once again we are don’t get any
serious treatment and after filling up the exit form we are ready to come back
to China.
After
leaving the train station in Dandong everything which was unavailable in North
Korea is there. Bright neons, lights, loads of cars, people in different
coloured clothes, shops and supermarkets, food stalls. Something, which is
taken for granted in China, in almost impossible to get for North Koreans. The
latter ones still lack the basic things like running water, electricity and
food.
What
is also quite significant in North Korea is the fact that despite tragic
situation in the country, people from the elite lead totally normal lives
there. Fun parks, children playgrounds, museums, libraries and cinemas. There
is even newly built ski resort and aqua park. Luxurious cars rarely seen on the
streets of Pyongyang also belong to those from the elite.
Every
year the number of defectors from North Korea increases. They take a huge risk
crossing the border river and getting to China and then to the Embassy of South
Korea in Thailand where they can apply for the refugee status. Then they got
help to start a new life in the country. Thanks to those people we can find out
all of is impossible to see in North Korea by an outsider; all of what the
North Korean government tries to hide. On the other hand, increasing number of
smuggled western and South Korean films, TV shows and stories of those who have
been out of the country start to slowly open eyes of the North Koreans and make
them question the reliability and power of the Party. The knowledge is the
strongest weapon. Hopefully the time when North Koreans will have to strength
and opportunity to use it…
