North Korea - Uniquely odd

North Korea is the last remaining communist country in the world and has had closed borders for 50 years, since the Korean War ended in a cease-fire.

North Korea's president is Kim il Sung (K-il-S).

and he is dead (has been for 11 years). This democratic (DPRK) country living leader is 'The General' Kim Jong il (the president's son) elected with 97% of the vote (foreign nationals can vote too). Everyone is taught to greatly admire him and learn about his 3 great strengths from school age. 90% of North Koreans wear badges with pictures of K-il-S showing their support for their great leader.
K-il-S has developed a system of self reliance called Juche which centres around the concept of self reliance both as a nation and as an individual. People are encouraged to take responsibility for things themselves and make do where they must and the communist party helps highlights their strengths, such as its advancements in technology.


It is difficult to understand without being there how different a country can become by closing its borders and implementing a radically different ideal. This is the capital city's airport departure board

- you don't see that very often!
The Korean war is also central to the whole way of life in the country and from the age of 5 children learn about the US imperialists and how this agressor is ruining their country bit-by-bit. The struggle against the US is incorporated into everything they do, circus, posters (which are everywhere in place of adverts),

theatre and conversational idioms, apportioning blame on the Americans for the ills of NK including being the obstacles in the way of unification with the South under the guidance of the Kim dynasty (The major goal for the NK people).
As such the people are an interesting mixture of happy & smiling and distrusting & weary of foreigners. Walking round Pyongyang (which doesn't happen for foreigners without being chaperoned) you see most guys wearing national dress like this:

and many women also wear amazingly colourful national dresses

Grr!
To describe Pyongyang (the model North Korean city), one would best describe it as Pleasantville before the kiss.

The streets are spotless, people work together and there are no advertisements whatsoever (apart from this one for a car called the peace wagon)

The idea of privacy is a bit alien to them. This is a public toilet

However North Korea holds the world's most amazing show; the Mass Games, which we were lucky enough to see.

Words cannot express how amazing it is to see 60,000 gymnasts and school children performing in unison (the perfect display of communism at work). Unfortunately most of our videos are 20Mb the best small one's we've got we've posted here



Web Movie
Download Quicktime to view video
click here for another
Thankfully any problems should be over soon as Edwin signs an agreement with a high up General just outside the NK de-militarised zone.