Since WW2, Korea has been divided at the 38th parallel with the northern half being a harsh increasingly paranoid dictatorship while the southern half has developed into a modern democratic state with a high standard of living. Visitors to the so-called “Hermit Kingdom” are closely monitored by “guides” who are officially appointed and who vet all the actions of such visitors.
The fact that North Korea has been on a continual war-footing since the signing of the armistice in 1953 with South Korea has bankrupted the country. For 20 years famines have ravaged the countryside resulting to untold number of deaths.
Any Westerner who believes that a simpler less hectic pace of life is preferable to a typical western life style should attempt to live in this country. They will rapidly be disabused of their nostalgia for an alternative way of life as North Korea represents none of these.
The Jung dynasty has effectively controlled this country since the partition. In spite of North Korea’s official name being the Democratic Republic of Korea, like in George Orwell’s insightful book, Animal Farm, North Korea cannot be classified as democratic by any stretch of the imagination unless one’s definition of democracy represents voting for the only party permitted to contest the elections, the Communist Party of Korea.
For all of the above mentioned reasons, I have an enduring fascination with this nation in a time warp, a final example that communism is a failed ideology that has crushed people’s spirits and enfeebled their minds. Fortunately, the human spirit has coping mechanisms to endure such hardships.
Main picture: Electricity is still a rare commodity across North Korea, even in the capital of Pyongyang, where the city is shrouded in darkness at night.
North Korea has faced a dire food crisis over the past two decades, the ongoing impact of which is still visible on North Korean citizens
Over 1500 miles of North Korean coastline are surrounded by electric fences to prevent people from trying to flee the country.
Chronic shortages of food has made the population look food any where they can find it, including by collecting grass from parks.
Most agricultural production in North Korea has not been mechanized, meaning farmers are highly reliant on animals for a majority of their activities.
Virtually sealed off from the outside world, North Koreans have few – if any – encounters with other nationalities and races. This photograph captures the reaction of a group of people to seeing a Westerner.
Dubbed “The Worst Building in the History of Mankind” and the “Hotel Of Doom”, the yet-to-be-completed Ryugyong Hotel dominates the Pyongyang skyline.
One defining attribute of North Korean roads are the frequent appearance of giant roadside blocks, which contain debris and shrapnel to inhibit the mobility of tanks in case of a land invasion.
In addition to an active force of over one million, North Korea’s military has a reserve force of over 8 million men and women.
The Gallery of Art in Pyongyang deals with a mid-afternoon power outage.
Pyongyang is home to the world’s deepest subway system, which also doubles as a city-wide bomb shelter.
While education is hypothetically universal and mandated in North Korea, most farms are dependent on child labour.
Holidays in North Korea are a little different than most, as citizens are ‘asked’ to pay homage to the great leader at various monuments. The resulting lines can last several miles.
While North Korea nominally has one of the world’s largest armies, the reality is the North Korean government cannot adequately provide for over 1 million active personnel. Meaning scenes like the above — where soldiers trade labor for food or money — are quite common.
Pyongyang from above.
Western brands and goods are available to the elite in Pyongyang, where higher end items can be purchased only in Euros and Dollars.
In 1968, North Korea captured the USS Pueblo, an intelligence vessel that is now a museum in Pyongyang.
Apparently, in 1953, Zimbabwe’s economy was bigger than S. Korea. S Korea is now a powerhouse and a leading technology nation while both N. Korea and Zimbabwe have raced for the bottom with Zim winning hands down. According to UN in 2012 their respective GDP’s were:
S. Korea 1129b$
N. Korea 14.4b$
Zim 9.8b$