On the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone: Former US President Bill Clinton famously described the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as “the scariest place on earth” during a 2003 visit. Others have described it as the most dangerous spot on the planet… With descriptions like that, a visit is pretty much compulsory, no? The … Continue reading
Listen, forget about all of those grim, depressing pictures one sees coming out of North Korea for a minute… It’s not always like that. No place is grim and depressing all of the time. Keep reading this post if you need to be convinced… Having been under the close supervision of our North Korean minders … Continue reading
Bottles waiting to be filled and sealed at the Kangso Mineral Water Factory: The location of this factory in North Korea is not random. Hundreds of feet beneath the factory are large aquifers of pure water that have been naturally carbonated by carbon dioxide (CO2) trapped deep underground. The carbon dioxide is freed from carbonate … Continue reading
Opened to coincide with Kim-Il-sung’s 70th birthday in 1982, the Grand People’s Study House was constructed as a sanctuary of learning and and as a force to intellectualize the nation. Our minder explained that, specifically, this meant using the center to further one’s socialist training and to develop an even greater respect and love for … Continue reading
Formally known as the Tower of Juche Idea, the Juche Tower was built along with the Grand People’s Study House as part of the celebration surrounding Kim-Il-sung’s 70th birthday bash. Juche is the difficult to explain North Korean ideology developed by Kim-Il-sung that promotes a mixture of nationalism and self-reliance. A view of the Juche … Continue reading
North Korea’s largest square, named for the country’s “Great Leader” and founder, is a central focus of Pyongyang, much as Red Square is in Moscow or Tiananmen Square is in China. Accordingly, Kim-Il-sung Square is featured in many North Korean media releases and is the site of frequent military parades, demonstrations and events such as … Continue reading
An empty North Korean highway: One will see some cars and other vehicles in Pyongyang. I wouldn’t go so far to say that there is traffic, but one will at least look both ways before crossing a street in the capital city. This contrasts rather strangely with the countryside of North Korea where one can … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 