days in North Korea ... Pyongyang (平壤)....the real iron curtain country

[chanchiwai]

I never thought i have chance to visit, which i think should be the most sealed communist country in the world..i believe it should be the one & only one left in the planet...

Before i went, i tried to do some researches from internet so that i can be more familiar with it. Most of them are from China, i believe it is because they are "the only" brother...

I was told not allow to bring any tele-communication equipment, better not to wear jeans (US symbolic things), no english book, chinese books ok, not allow internet... cash only (USD, Euro, RMB)...

There are only 2 ways to go to North Korea, there is a flight direct from Shenyang (沉陽) to Pyongyang, 2 flight per week (Wednesday & Saturday); that's mean, you have to stay there at least a few days until you got a flight back. The other way in is through China border Dandong (丹东). I thought, well, just a few "really" day-off should be a good relax for me....i should enjoy it......but the truth is..... you never know.....

When I arrived Pyongyang airport, it is a really small & old airport...most passengers are from China & with a lot of goods (for sell?!)

During my days there, i did visit their tourist location ONLY (assigned), other than that, prohibited...and we have a "tour guide" with us to make sure we (strictly) followed. One thing that is true from internet research, once we arrived the first thing first needs to do is to donate flower & bow to their great president..Kim Il-sung (金日成). RMB50 for plastic flower selling in the statue area...

I didn't bring my 50D coz i afraid it will be gone forever....so only one simple for snapshot...
 

[chanchiwai]

Being the capital of the country, Pyongyang, i believe it should be the most prosperous of the country already....i found there are so many residential buildings, the citizens there is around 1 million something...not much; and it is very strict that if you live in one city, you may not allow to go into another city....coz when we are back to China through dandong, there are always solider with shoot gun guarding, unless you have permission otherwise, another prohibition....

When we arrived, it was almost time to celebrate the brithday of their great president born on 15 April, that's why all the public area are so clean and starting decoration...

[chanchiwai]

on the way to China, i further confirm North Korea is really poor, coz all the way are still argricultural land....or even rural area....

[chanchiwai]

the representatives to take care of us is the 2nd generation of a high rank official, his father accompanied Kim Jong-il (金正日) when they shooting South Korea a few month ago...

Also, each official will have their great president badge on their clothes to showing their honor to the country...i asked for a souvenir, the reply i got was we were not "qualified" to wear it...

Maybe because we are guests  , the foods we had are very very good, particular the ice-cream...much much better than Häagen-Dazs...

[chanchiwai]

the assigned tour guide (maybe more precise....guard); by law, each tour must have a guide accompanying...sometimes the ratio is 1:1

I met a Chinese guy from Beijing, he is doing some chemical industry in Pyongyang, his daily life there is hotel-> factory-> hotel-> factory-> hotel, whereas, our program in North Korea is factory -> hotel -> factory -> hotel

[chanchiwai]

we have to use our own money, either USD, Euro or RMB, but we are not allowed to exhange theirs. I have a chance to have a look of their currency, but not allow to exchange, nor keep it, nor even take pic....the highest amount is 5,000...the exchange rate is as follow..

the guy with us keep no money in pocket, maybe because he is high rank guy, each time he just need to give a kind of receipt / ticket to the restaurant, it works like 30-40yrs China when China use ticket for food and everything...

on the other hand, there are few transportation facilities, like bus, tram, train.... most people i saw, they go for work on foot everyday....

[chanchiwai]

Thank you very much for the story and report.

Just happened that in the last few months I have read two books about the Korean War. It looks like the North Koreans have yet to go out of the warring state of mind. The whole national policy and psychology seems still very much related and rooted from the war against Japanese occupation, then the war with the Americans.

Do you need a special invitation to go there? Can a lay person like me visit the country? I don't mind going there to see...

yes, we are invited to be there....

i know there is a kind of tour organised in HK or China...but detail & how i don't know....

All i can say is the 1st second i step into China territory (not to mention HK), i can tell what is freedom... 

if you ask me is it worth to go....i can't say; but i can tell they will show what they want to show....you can request something but 100% be denied...

[chin]

Thanks for the answer. I thought you were still posting pictures, thus I deleted my question. And now you are answering question that did not exist before your post.

Anyway, about the "not qualify to wear" point... it's interesting that for us living in a capitalism and materialistic world, the badge is just a piece of metal and tourist curiosity and not worth much. But for them it's a badge of honor or more like a badge of allegiance, worthy much beyond the value of the metal.

[kai]

Charles, it is such a good experience to visit 'North Korea'.  Are you buying from them or selling goods to them?  Seldom hear people doing business with them.   

[chin]

Charles, it is such a good experience to visit 'North Korea'.  Are you buying from them or selling goods to them?  Seldom hear people doing business with them.  

Maybe the best is to barter - Ginsen for whatever, such as tropical fishes?   At least you don't worry much about industrial pollution in North Korea.