The Hermit Kingdom - North Korea!

Alex and I hanging at the local gift shop with the happiest cashier ever!

There several reasons why people should not travel to North Korea, so why did we choose this place?   The truth is, I find North Korea to be one of the most curious places on Earth.  Also known as the Hermit Kingdom, they are closed off to most western countries, especially the USA.  For this reason, I find the country even more fascinating.  I want to go where few men have gone before.  I want to know if the negative press we hear is truth or propaganda.   

So how do we get there?  Well, Alex and I are both of Chinese decent...maybe we can pretend to be from China.  Nah, my Chinese is not fluent enough.  My last name is Ho, and it can also be a Korean last name... Also a bad idea since I don't speak any Korean.  We could hop the border and sneak in as Alex suggested, but I'm really not very agile.  Ultimately, honesty is the best policy.  We gained permission to enter North Korea by contacting a man named Alejandro, who is surprisingly a foreigner from Spain who works for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).  In fact, as far as we know, he's the only foreigner working for North Korea.  We informed him we were Geography students from America and National Geographic is funding our trip.  After numerous calls and security checks, North Korea granted our visit.  We flew to Beijing, China first and then connected to North Korea on a three hour flight.  I was very excited (and nervous) to be one of the few Americans to set foot in this country.  If we make it out alive, hopefully we gain some fame and recognition, but of course what's more important is that we see and learn a lot about this secret country! 

Travel Warnings: The US Department of State strong warns against the travel of US citizens to North Korea.  Since we're going anyway, we are being careful not to bring anything that could raise suspicion.  I'm sure there will be inspections.  We will also be under supervision by officers and travel guides for the extent of this journey.  I believe we are not allowed to talk to people or take photos without permission.  We're mentally preparing ourselves to be very cautious about what we say and do, mainly because whatever actions we take, or whatever comes out of our mouths, can potentially get us locked up in prison or worse.   

What to pack:  I presume customs will inspect our luggage to a certain extent, so don't pack anything that could raise suspicion.  The country has four seasons as it's a mix between continental and oceanic climate.  Since it's spring in Korea, I brought short-sleeved shirts but wore long pants.  I also brought a jacket, just in case. You can also bring your cell phone and buy a SIM card at the airport.

Exchange rate:  The current exchange rate in North Korea is 0.0011 US Dollar per one North Korean Won. Interestingly, the people of North Korea have very little need for currency because the government provides people their basic necessities, e.g., food, water, clothing, and shelter.  In exchange, they demonstrate honor and loyalty to their leader and country.

Day 1:  When we got off the plane, we were greeted by our guides.  The airport was actually bustling with sounds of people walking with their luggage, and the occasional sound of an airplane flying over us made it seem like North Korea was not as bad as they've been depicted. I envisioned North Korea to be a cold, dismal place where citizens are oppressed.  On our taxi ride, I saw several children walking happily alongside their parents. When I finally arrived at my hotel, I fell down on my bed and breathed a sigh of relief.  We made it!  Tomorrow is a new day. 

Day 2:  I wake up, and I'm ready to tour North Korea!  Our first landmark was the Grand Monument on Mansu Hill in Pyonyang, the capital.  The attraction is pretty much a large bronze statue of Kim Jung Il and Kim Jung Un.   Right when I took out my camera and took a happy selfie of me and the statue, I regretted it.  One of the officers next to me snatched my camera, but the guide told him to ease off. When I told them I will delete the picture, the officer reluctantly gave me back my camera and watched me delete the pictures.  Any pictures I took from then on was done by permission only.  The guide explained that the people of North Korea highly regard these statues.  It seems they almost worship them.  

Other than this incident, the residents and officers of the law seemed rather hospitable and friendly, but at times it definitely felt somewhat staged. I couldn't help but think they were watching over us like hawks, and we were literally accompanied every moment. Despite all this, we are still enjoying our time, and are ready to participate in more tours and attractions.  Our next stop was the North Korean Worker's Party Monument which is a building featuring a hammer, sickle, and brush standing 50 meters high, and it commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Worker's Party that was erected in 1995.

North Korean Worker's Party Monument photos

We then went to the south side of Pyongyang to see the Arch of Reunification which expresses the yearning to reunify North and South Korea.  I learned in school at one point some South Korean people were able to cross the North Korean border to reunite with relatives, which I found very human.    

Arch of Reunification photos

Day 3:  Today was as fun day by North Korea standards.  Yeah, we still had guides and officers watching our every move, but they weren't breathing down our necks like they were yesterday. I think they genuinely love their country and want us to enjoy it too; after all, we're kids!  We visited several recreational sites.  We went to an outdoor skate park in Pyongyang.  There were children there, who seemed just as fascinated with us as we were of them.  

Pyongyang Skatepark

We visited the Mansu Water Park just East of Pyongyang.  It was built in 2013 and the people there seemed to be having a blast.  According to our guide, the water park was built by the Korean Peoples' Army to demonstrate their service and their ability to do anything.

Mansu Water Park

I even got to personally interview a man who looked to be in his twenties, after my guide granted me permission (of course).  Unlike my guide, the man did not speak any English, so he translated for us. The man just finished his service for the Korean military and is currently studying at the University.  When I asked what he was studying, he glanced at us reluctantly and told us he's studying to be an automobile driver.  I think this means a taxi driver?  I asked him what his goals and aspirations are in life.  He glanced at me again hesitantly, as if he never thought about having goals and dreams, then, asserted his dream is to be an automobile driver and serve his great leader.  I got the sense that he may have longed for something more...or perhaps not.  Either way, it makes me feel a little sad.  I just remembered the North Korean class system called Songbun, which is based on their devotion to country, and I imagine being a driver doesn't place him at the top of the VIP list.   

Day 4:  Today is our last day.  Before leaving the country, I read there is a church in ChangChung, North Korea.  This contradicts what I've heard, as we've seen reports of people being persecuted for their beliefs.  I asked if I could attend service because I am Christian, but also I wanted to venture outside the capital.  They spent a few hours trying to see if this could be arranged.  However, they could not oblige, but I was surprised they tried or at least gave the impression that they did.  According to our guide, they do have some religious institutions, such a Buddhism and Catholicism, and I was curious how a predominantly atheist country practiced these religions in institutions that were government controlled.  All in all, we definitely found the country to be interesting and this visit certainly satisfied my curiosity!

Geographic Location:  Korea is located next to China and they are very dependent on China for most resources. The two countries are only separated by the Yalu and Tumen Rivers.  I heard people from China can actually drive to North Korea now.  I also noticed many products in North Korea were imported from China, and since China is globalized, I even saw glimpses of western brands, such as a Coca-Cola refrigerator inside the arcade!  I think China might be funding North Korea, not just because they are allies but because it gives them a means to control them as well.  Perhaps it is Korea's ticket to furthering their industrialization. 

Other observations:  I got a taste of the authentic foods of North Korea at Pyongyang Restaurant.  The food consists of rice, some marinated meat, and lots of sides mostly consisting of pickled vegetables.  People in North Korea never intentionally miss a meal. Between landmarks, we also checked out an arcade, we got ice cream from an ice cream stand, and visited local shops where there were few customers.  In fact, most were tourists.  I bought a load of souvenirs, mostly figurines, inexpensive jewelry, and other knick-knacks for my family and friends.