|
|
|
Post War North Korea
North Korea News
Loading...
|
|
On July 27, 1953, the was a final burst of firing along the line, then the hills were quiet. Both armies withdrew 2 kilometers, leaving a four kilometer wide DMZ.The Korean War was over.An official peace treaty, however, was never signed, and the two Koreas have technically been at war since 1950. North Korea had suffered an estimated 500,000 casualties and the country was devastated by American bombings. The North inherited a more industrialized country than the South, as the Japanese had located many industries in the North to help with the war effort. While many of these facilities were destroyed in the war, the basic groundwork remained.While the Chinese stayed out of internal domestic politics,they demanded management of the war. Peng Dehuai was reported to have said that the war was between him and MacArthur, and Kim Il Song had no part in it. This of course irked the supreme North Korean leader, and in the Revolutionary museum in Pyongyang today there is not a single picture of the Chinese contribution to the Korean War. The Chinese occupation force did not depart North Korea till 1958. American forces are still in South Korea till this day.
A huge oil refinery in Wonson bombed out in 1950. Much of North Korea devastated by American bombing.
rebuilding Pyongyang after the war After the war, Kim took control of North Korean politics, with the support of the armed forces, who respected his wartime record and long resistance to the Japanese. Pak Hon-yong, party vice chairman and Foreign Minister of the DPRK, was blamed for the failure of the southern population to support North Korea during the war and was executed after a show-trial in 1955. Pak had told Kim that 200,000 South Koreans would rise up after the invasion and overthrow the South Korean government.Most of the South Korean leftists who defected to the North in 1945–1953 were also accused of espionage and other crimes and killed, imprisoned or exiled to remote agricultural and mining villages.Most of the South Korean Communist were expelled from the party. There were some challenges to Kim Il Song's rule during and after the Korean War, but the coup leaders were disorganized. Kim systematically purged his political opponents to gain permanent and unlimited power. In theory Kim as premier reported to the legislature, in reality he was dictator, king for life, with more power than any Korean king ever held. He lived in luxury with at least five palaces in North Korea.The Workers' Party of Korea merged with other Korean Communist parties and has remained ruling party in the DPRK since its foundation. Badges and the Personality cult In order to maintain control and prevent dissent, North Korea a Confucian like rank system in which men were ranked higher than women,urban workers higher than farmers. The top and most trusted class is called the core class, mostly Korean Workers' Party members,government officials and families of those who fought alongside Kim Il Sung. The middle class is sometimes labeled the wavering class, they are not completely trusted but have committed no crimes against the state. the bottom class is called the hostile class. those thus labeled were often swept up in purges . There is also a vast network of secret police, with at least one or two in every work unit . The type of badge worn indicates a persons status and rank. Starting in the 60s and influenced by the Cultural Revolution in China, Kim was presented as the suryoung (수령), or the Great Leader and out did Stalin in the cult of Personality department .Every building,classroom and home has portraits of Kim Il Sung and his son and current leader, Kim Jong-il.Every North Korean student takes classes in Kim's life and the juche idea.
65 foot tall statue of Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang, if you visit North Korea your tour group will stop here first and place flowers at his feet. Constructed in 1972 and originally covered in gold leaf, but removed after objections by the Chinese.
The winner of the 2001 International Emmy award for Best Documentary Reconstruction The basic economic policy of Kim Il Sung was to give priority to the development of heavy industry. Consumer goods were to be sacrificed to concentrate on the development of heavy industry. Kim led a six member delegation to visit the Soviet Union from Sept 10 to 29 to meet with the new leaders after the death of Stalin and to secure a loan. Kim received a loan of one billion rubles for the reconstruction of Korea. Kim also led a delegation to Beijing and secured a loan of eight trillion Chinese yuan and previous Korean debts to China were canceled .The 1954–56 three-year plan repaired the massive damage caused by the war and brought industrial production back to pre-war levels. All industries were nationalized. However, most of the farmland was still privately owned, and Kim launched experimental cooperatives in November 1954. There was considerable resistance to this as there had been in Russia. However, the whole process was completed in two years. In 1955 Kim made his first speech about juche (주체 ), in part as a counterweight against the of the post Stalin leadership in the USSR to live in peaceful coexistence with the West. The concept of juche was based on self reliance- economic self-sufficiency,independence and self-reliance in defense. The militant nationalism of Juche views Korea as the chosen land and that civilization itself originated in Korea.This combined with the Three Revolutions (ideological,technical and cultural) became a guiding force in North Korea. Factory workers were grouped in production teams.This was followed by the five-year plan of 1957–61 and the seven-year plan of 1961–67. These plans brought about further growth in industrial production and substantial development of state infrastructure.
North Korean monument of the three revolutions in Pyongyang. Pyongyang was obliterated by American bombing raids and rebuilt. As a model city, the sick,elderly are moved out of the capital .
The Juche Tower in Pyongyang, taller than the Washington monument. North Korea uses the Juche calendar, beginning with the year 1912, the year of Kim Il Sung's birth This was followed by the five-year plan of 1957–61 and the seven-year plan of 1961–67. These plans brought about further growth in industrial production and substantial development of state infrastructure. The most authoritative map of North Korea on Google Earth map of North Korea
Growth in the 60s By the 1960s North Korea was the second most industrialized nation in East Asia, trailing only Japan. While a number of internal limitations appeared, such as in the production of consumer goods, the national standard of living was considered by many third-world nations as an alternative to the capitalist model of development sponsored by the United States. Building upon the ruins left by the Korean War, the North Korean economy by the late 1960s provided its people with medical care, universal education, adequate caloric intake, and habitable housing. By the early 60s, many thousand ethnic Koreans in Japan began to migrate back to Korea, North Korea, where they believed they had greater opportunities .
North Korean middle school in the 1980s
Juche
worker holding a book on Juche (주체) on a North Korean 50 won note Kim Il-sung promoted Juche ("self-reliance"), a slogan he began to develop in the late 1950s and which he ultimately made North Korea's official ideology, displacing Marxism-Leninism. The goal of Juche is to make North Korea strong enough to resist foreign invasion and capitalist intervention. The North Korean people were making use of domestic materials, technology, and innovations instead of becoming dependent upon those from outside the nation. Juche urged the North Korean people to resist foreign invasion by launching a series of mass-campaigns designed to strengthen the country economically, militarily, and culturally. Kim himself many visits to factories and farms to exhort the workers and farmers and give on the spot guidance, often on the most minute details. With the Chollima ( Chollima is a mythical horse common to Siberian cultures and originating from Central Asia. The horse is said to be too swift to be mounted ) movement started in Dec 1956 work teams who surpassed quotas were awarded the title Chollima workteams. By the time of the Fourth Party Congress in 1961 Kim could claim some successes: there was no longer any challenges to his position, there were no foreign troops in North Korea,the country under the five year plans was recovering while the South was in turmoil with a military coup and riots.
firearm instruction in a North Korean school in the late 80s
Rise of military,The Blue House raid, USS Pueblo The Soviet-Korean dispute led the Soviet Union to curtail arm shipments to North Korea and North Korea decided to build up its military on its own. At the 5th plenum of the Central Committee held in 1962 declared the goals to train the populace in arms through the Worker Peasant Red Guards and the Red Young Guards. Young children from seven years old to people in their late 60s were trained to handle guns. Underground factories were built. Machine industries were developed to produce modern weapons at great cost to the economy. the military allocation from the national budget jumped from 2.6% in 1961 to 30% by 1967.Relations with the Soviet Union improved and by 1965 modern weapons were exported to North Korea.Kim was disturbed by South Korea's decision to send troops to Vietnam. He considered sending his own troops, but the strained Sino-Korean relations at the time prevented this. He decided instead to launch commando raids in South Korea to encourage the South Koreans to rise up against their 'dictatorship.' A commando squad of 31 men entered South Korea near the border with Kaesong. disguised as South Korean soldiers, reached 500 meters of the presidential palace. All but one were killed.three days later the USS Pueblo was captured after being fired upon by a North Korean sub chaser, killing one US sailor. The Pueblo was ordered to following the North Korean ships, which it did. The ship stopped and was fired on again, killing another sailor.Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, Commanding Officer of the Pueblo, was tortured and put through a mock firing squad in an effort to make him confess. Eventually the Koreans threatened to execute his men in front of him, and Bucher relented. The remaining crew was released 11 months later and crossed the famous Bridge of No Return .The rise in power of Kim's comrades from the Japanese resistance days took North Korea to the brink of war with the commando raid against the South Korean leader, seizing the USS Pueblo and shooting down an American EC-121 spy plane, killing the entire crew of 39. To check their influence Kim had to purge most of his comrades from the partisan days.
Kin Il Sung and Ho Chi-Minh,1958 in Hanoi
North Korea without a guide 1989 70s economic downturn Due to a series of ill fortuned policy decisions concerning military expenditures and mining industries and the radical changes in international oil prices by the late seventies, the North Korean economy began to slow down. These decisions eventually affected the whole economy, forcing the nation to acquire external debts. At the same time North Korea's policy of self-reliance and the antagonism of America and its allies made it difficult for them to expand foreign trade or secure credit.
The Sino Soviet Split Another problem for North Korea in the 1960s was the Sino-Soviet split. In the early 60s relations with the Soviet Union soured as the USSR de-Stalinized and sought better relations with the West. As the Great Cultural revolution gathered steam in China in the late 60s, Chinese Red Guards hurled insults at Kim through wall posters and blasted from loudspeakers on the border, accusing North Koreans as being revisionist like Khrushchev,refusing to aid North Vietnam and ignoring the Cultural Revolution. Ambassadors were recalled from Beijing and Pyongyang.Throught these difficult times Kim was extremely careful to remain neutral.
Young Pioneer salute
The 70s Due to a series of ill fortuned policy decisions concerning military expenditures and mining industries and the radical changes in international oil prices by the late seventies, the North Korean economy began to slow down. These decisions eventually affected the whole economy, forcing the nation to acquire external debts. At the same time North Korea's policy of self-reliance and the antagonism of America and its allies made it difficult for them to expand foreign trade or secure credit.In the seventies the expansion of North Korea's economy, with the accompanying rise in living standards, came to an end and a few decades later went into reverse. A huge increase in the price of oil following the oil shock of 1974 hurt the economies of countries throughout the world, North Korea among them. By the mid 70s, North Korea faced shortages of food and fuel. As conditions worsened, unrest grew. Dissidents,usually with their entire family were sent to hard labor camps in remote areas. In the 1970s, South Korea passed the North in GNP. After the loss of Vietnam, President Carter advocated withdrawing US troops from South Korea, which shocked South Korea. In the end he was forced to abandon this plan in light of data that showed the North Korean military was much larger then previously estimated and the assassination of South Korean leader Park Chung Hee. Kim Il Sung, seeing the presence of American troops as the main roadblock to reunification, made energetic efforts to open direct negotiations. However, Kim did not want South Korea involved in the negotiations, which stalled the initiative. In the 1970s, South Korea pursued an nuclear weapon development program, afraid the US might abandon it as it had South Vietnam. In 1972, South Korea began working with a French company to develop fissionable plutonium. South Korea only stopped the program in the mid 70s under immense pressure from the US,which threatened to abandon the US-South Korean alliance if the program was pursued .
part of the massive 40th anniversary celebration in 1989
The Rangoon Bombing 1983
In Sept 1983 South Korean President ChunDoo Hwan visited Myanmar (Burma) with many South Korean officials. Chun was planned to lay a wreath at the Martyr's Mausoleum and North Korean army major Zin Mo had planted a powerful bomb at the spot two days earler. However, Zin detonated the bomb too early, missing Chun ( who escaped injury) but killing four members of the Korean cabinet,two senior presidential advisors and the South Korean ambassador to Burma.In total 17 South Koreans and four Burmese were killed and 46 were injured.
Before the bombing, reclusive Burma and reclusive North Korea had been the best of friends,each following its own distinctive form of socialism .Burma expelled all North orea diplomats and broke diplomatic relations with North Korea.Chinese officials refused to meet or talk with North Korean officials for months afterward.Japan had no diplomatic relations with North Korea imposed travel restrictions.America kept a naval battle group in Korean waters after naval exercises were finished. The Burmese police identified three suspects, a North Korean army major and two captains.One was shot to death two days after the bombing; suspect Kang Min-chul and the other remaining suspect tried to commit suicide by hand-grenade that same day, but survived, although Kang lost an arm. Kang confessed his mission and links to North Korea, an action by which he was able to avoid a death sentence and instead received life imprisonment. His colleague was executed by hanging.North Korea denied any links to Kang, who was sent to the infamous prison at Insein, north of Yangon.Kang died of liver cancer on May 18,2008.
The bombing caused outrage in South Korea. The North Koreans expected mass demonstrations if Chun were killed and some speculate commando raids were planned . The Korean minister of defense proposed bombing North Korea in retaliation, but Chun rejected this proposal and no retaliatory action was taken .
North Korean aid to the South, Talks resume
In 1984 North Korea announced it would send about 7,000 tons of rice,cement and other supplies to flood victims in the South, signaling a change with the North's reunification policy. Flooding had killed 190 and left 200,000 homeless. To everyone surprise, Chun accepted this offer.North Korea trucks entered the South, the first to do so since the war. the South proposed resuming the stalled Red Cross talks and start talks on economic exchange., leading to many meetings, leading to 35 South Koreans being allowed to visit family in the North and about the same number from the North to do likewise in the South.
Reaction to the 1988 Olympics and the KAL 858 Bombing
Kim Hyon Hee
1988 Olympics were an opportunity for South Korea to show it was no longer a poor war ravaged country and hoped it would give it the international prestige boost that the 1964 Olympics gave Japan. North Korea was furious that it had been shut out of hosting events and vowed to disrupt the games .On Oct 7,1987, two espionage agents planted a bomb on Korean Air flight 858, killing all 115 people on board. On of the agents, Kim Seung Il, killed himself with a poison pill. The other 25 year old female Kim Hyon Hee, tried to do the same but survived and was brought to South Korea. She was sentenced to death, but given a presidential pardon by Roh Tae Woo. She later wrote her autobiography entitled The Tears of My Soul and donated the proceeds to the families of the victims of Flight 858. She later converted to Christianity.The attack triggered new economic and political sanctions from the US and placed North Korea on the list of states supporting terrorism. Hyun Hee was taught Japanese by the kudnapped Japanese citizen Yaeko Taguchi, who was abducted in June, 1978 .
Hyun Hee reveals how she was recruited and trained, and provides details of the bombing
North Korean Nuclear Program
In the 1980s began to investigate nuclear energy to meet its energy needs. Work began on a nuclear reactor in the city of Yongbyon, sixty miles south of Pyongyang in 1982. The nuclear weapons program proved to be a valuable bargaining chip after the decline of the North alliances with China and the former Soviet Union.On October 9, 2006, the North Korean government issued an announcement that it had successfully conducted a nuclear test for the first time. Both the United States Geological Survey and Japanese seismological authorities detected an earthquake with a preliminary estimated magnitude of 4.2 in North Korea, corroborating some aspects of the North Korean claims. Mindful of the fall of Saddam Hussien, the North Koreas wanted nuclear weapons as protection from the US.One of the major developers of the North Korean nuclear program was Dr. Lee Sung Ki, who earned a Ph.D. in prewar Japan and defected to North Korea during the war.American nuclear weapons have been deployed in South Korea for three decades, with about 750 deployed in the early 70s. These were reduced in the carter years to about 250.by the time of the Bush Sr administration these had been reduced to about 100. Most of these a nuclear artillery shells. In 1991, the last of the nuclear weapons were removed.
news on North Korean missile launch
North Korea has also developed the Taepodong-1 missile, which has a range of 2,500 km, but it is not yet in full deployment. With the development of the Taepodong-2 missile, with an expected range of 5,000–6,000 km,North Korea could hypothetically deliver a warhead to almost all countries in Southeast Asia, as well as the western side of North America
In 1991 North Korea established a free trade zone in the cities of Rajin and Sonbong.In 1998, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung implemented the "Sunshine Policy" (햇볕 정책 ) to improve North-South relations and to allow South Korean companies to start projects in the North. Kim Jong-il announced plans to import and develop new technologies to develop North Korea's fledgling software industry
Flood and Famine
An estimated 500,000 to 2,000,000 were estimated to have perished in the famines following massive floods and drought in the 1990s and loss of aid from Eastern Europe,economic mismanagement and short sighted agricultural practices such as the overuse of fertilizer.1995 brought the worst flood of the century, with 18 inches falling in a single night in some locations. The UN gained access to previously restricted areas to deliver aid and found malnutrition rampant. A decade of hunger that has left seven year old North Korean children eight inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than those in South Korea . China, a traditional source of food was demanding hard currency and was importing food itself.
A montage of recent news footage of North Koreans attempting to get asylum in foreign embassies in China, as well as recent footage from inside North Korea. Many North Koreans enter China illegally and go to a third country through an underground railroad. According to Article 47 of North Korean law, the penalty for trying to escape North Korea is death. China does not recognize them as refugees and forcibly returns hundreds to North Korea despite signing the UN convention on refugees.
video in Korea on famine hit areas
There was an estimated 2 million ton shortfall in grain in 1994 and in 1995.North Korea appealed to Japan and South Korea for aid. South Korea delivers 150,000 tons of rice and Japan promised 500,000 tons . The US pleged $2 million in aid.However, this was not popular in the South as the North continued heavy military expenditures despite the disaster. True to its unpredicable character, the North Koreand suddendleny announced it would no longer abide by the Korea War armistice and sent 130 soldiers into the DMZ, where previously each side had only sent in 30 soldiers armed with pistols.These viloations stopped after 3 days.One the one hand, the then current president hoped this disaster would lead to the collapse of North Korea and the country could be united on his watch. On the other hand, the reunification of Germany had been much more expensive than planned, and it was feared to reunify with the North would be prohibitively expensive.
In Sept, 1996, a North Korean submarine became stranded in South Korea.11 members of the crew had been executed by their leader. Only one survived, Lee Kwang Su. Over the next two weeks, 11 other infiltrators were killed in firefights.14 South Koreans were killed .North Korea routinely uses submarines to drop off and pick up spies in South Korea. Another incident occurred in 1998, with nine members of the crew killing themselves .
North Korean Prison Camps
There are an estimated 200,000 to one million North Koreans are held in North Korean prion camps, called kwan-li-so. Many are political prisoners and their families .Most are involved in hard labor, mining,timber related or farming and are feed just enough to keep alive.
risking life to escape North Korea
report on a North Korean escape from a prison camp
North Korean Armed Forces
North Korea has the fifth-largest army in the world, at an estimated 1.21 million armed personnel, with about 20% of men aged 17–54 in the regular armed forces. South Korea has the world's sixth largest number of active troops and the world's second-largest number of reserve troops
report on North Korean spies in South Korea
Collapse of communism in the Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union
Kim made an Eastern European trip in 1988 visiting Eastern Block countries by train, including his special friends Erich Honecker of East Germany and Nicolae Ceasescu of Romania (above) all of which were deposed or killed a short time later. After the fall of North Korea's closest ally, East Germany, there was intense speculation the Kim Il Sung and his regime would be the next to fall.Gorachev in desperate economic straights,opened trade talks with South Korea and were attracted to the South Korean model of economic development.In 1991 the Soviet Union established full diplomatic relations with South Korea. the Soviet Union demanded hard currency for its exports to North Korea, and energy exports dropped 75% with dire consequences for the North Korean economy.China likewise stopped providing discounted petroleum. However, North Koreans were undaunted by these great setbacks and were convinced that the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and eastern europe showed the correctness of juche.
video on the death of Kim Il song in 1994
The death of Kim Il Song and the Succession of his son Kim Jong Il Will North Korea collapse ?
Kim Il Sung died on July 8, 1984 at age 84 of a heart attack. Many outside observers predicted North Korea would collapse under Kim Jong Il's reign as it was felt he lacked the broad appeal and charisma of his father. He is famous for his passion for films and is said to have a movie library of over 20,000 titles. In 1978, on Kim's orders, South Korean film director Shin Sang-ok and his actress wife Choi Eun-hee were kidnapped in order to build a North Korean film industry.However, he proved to be a more capable leader than expected . the secret police kept the populace in line and the number of executions were increased. As Kim Il-Sung was elevated to 'eternal President' Jong Il's official position is that of Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea and General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. His health has become an issue and has had two strokes since 2008. the North Korean government has been silent on the issue of a possible successor. Some names suggested Kim's three sons and his son-in-law, along with O Kuk-ryol, an army general,
A documentary showing what it is like to live in North Korea
Is North Korea viable long term or will it collapse as the other Communist states have. Will it go the way of China with a more market driven economy ? In the early 90s many pundits were predicting North Korea's collapse,but it stubbornly refused to do so. Collapse seemed inevitable, but what would be the straw to break the camel's back ? Could there be a coup attempt and civil war ? Will it be a hard or soft landing ? The state police seem to have kept a lid of things so far, but reports of rioting would be suppressed in North Korea. Is Knowledge of the luxurious lifestyle of communist party elite common knowledge in North Korea ?
The key players in keeping North Korea afloat are South Korea and China, afraid of the chows and refugees flight that would ensue a collapse. The feared expense of absorbing North Korea along East German lines has kept South Korean aid flowing . There could be no regime change without support of the military, which still supports Kim. North Korea still holds to the songun (military first) policy. The power of the Korea People's Army has risen significantly since Kim Jong-il took over the country. there have been at rumors of at least two coup attempts against the Kims. The first was reported to be in the early 90s by general who trained in the soviet Union and were influenced by perestroika and planned to assassinate the two Kims and institute major reforms. The plot was discovered and according to some reports were burned alive in front of other generals as a warning .The second coup attempt was reported to have occurred in 1995 by officers in one of the hardest hit famine areas. The group planned to march on Pyongyang, but was betrayed .Some speculate a massive train explosion in Ryongchon in 2005 hours after the passage of North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il could have been a coup attempt. While it is impossible to know if a coup is in the works now, 130 North Korean generals have North Korea to China in recent years .
The story of of the American defector to North Korea, Joe Dresnok
U.S. Army defector Charles Robert Jenkins as the evil Dr. Kelton (the man behind the Korean War) in episode of 20 of "Nameless Heroes" (aka "Unsung Heroes"), a North Korean television epic that ran from 1978-1981. Jenkins left North Korea in 2004, 41 years after he crossed the DMZ. Contrary to some reports, Kim Jong-Il did not direct "Nameless Heroes."
Pulgasari is a 1985 North Korean monster movie about an iron-eating creature who helps 14th century Korean peasants triumph over their oppressive government. It was produced by kidnapped South Korean filmmaker Shin Sang Ok and directed by Chong Gon Jo. The special effects were handled by Japan's Toho Studios
Report on North Korean counterfeiting. North Korea is accused of making superdollars as well, counterfeit bills that are superior to real ones to be able to tell them apart.The U.S. Secret Service estimates that North Korea has produced $45 million in superdollars since 1989. North Korea was able to make the notes after buying advanced high-speed banknote presses in the 1990s .
Torpedoing of the South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan March 26, 2010
The South Korean corvette was suunk about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off the south-west coast of Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea
The South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan was reportedly torpedoedby a North Korean minature submarine on March 26, 2010, inside the South Korean border with South Korea in the Yellow Sea ( coast facing China ). 46 crewmen were killed. North Korea denied any involvement in the sinking of Cheonan. Parts of a Korth Korean torpedo were found at the site of the sinking, which North Korea calls a fabrication and threatens war if attacked as a result. South Korea announced an end to North-South Korean trade and joint exercises with U.S. forces, it is unlikely there will be a military strike from South Korea as it may trigger a war. Why would North Korea sink a South Korean navy ship ? There are several possible reasons:; possibly to provoke a South Korean military response to unite North Koreans in its time of economic crisis and revenge for a North Korean loss in a naval engagement in 2009 in the same area.
news report on the Cheonan sinking
North Korean Economy and Currency
North Korean 50 Won note, 1978
North Korean 5 Won note
1947 1 Won
North Korean 1/2 Chon The average salary is about $47 per month and the current GDP per capita of $776 to nearly $4,000 dependeing on the model used.and a national GDP of $26 billion. The Won is the currency of North Korea. It is subdivided into 100 chon. the exchange rate is about 142 North Korean Won to the dollar. North Korea's economy remains one of the world's last centrally planned systems. The role of market allocation is sharply limited - mainly in the rural sector where peasants sell produce from small private plots. North Korea's GDP growth has been slow but steady, although in recent years, growth has gradually accelerated to 3.7% in 2008There are almost no small businesses. There is a The new-rich class, who have made huge profits from recent trade with China. In 2005, China and South Korea combined to provide 1 million tons of food aid, each contributing half. In addition to food aid, China reportedly provides an estimated 80 to 90 percent of North Korea's oil imports at "friendly prices" that are sharply lower than the world market price (Wikipedia).
North Korean schoolkids using computers. The operating system they use is probably DPRK's very own Linux distribution called Pulgunbyol.A majority of computers provided to North Korea are Chinese and South Korean models. North Korea has the domain country code .kp, there is no internet access for most people. the offical government website is www.naenara.kp. North Korea's first PC Bang (internet cafe) opened in 2002, and many town have them now.
Visiting North Korea
report on tourism to North Korea
If you can get a visa to visit North Korea, it is rather expensive as the trip must be paid for in advance. It is cheaper to travel in a group, if you don't, you will need to pay for two guides and a driver. Prices start from about $380 or € 300 for a 5-day group tour including accommodation, meals and transport from Beijing. All reservations are done through the government travel service Ryohaengsa. It is better to have a IATA bonded travel agent deal with them as they can get a refund in case your visa is denied . Americans usually are not normally allowed to visit North Korea, with the exception of during the Arirang Mass Games and short trips to Kaesong and Kumgangsan through Hyundai Asan. However, these have been suspended for now due to a South Korean tourist being shot and killed by a North Korean guard in July, 2008. North Korea does not have diplomatic representation in Australia, Canada or the U.S.
Tour agencies for North Korea
KoryoGroup.com Beijing VNC Travel Netherlands Hyundai Asan South Korea North Korea Travel Hong Kong AdventureKorea Seoul DPRK Travel Toronto, Beijing Geographic Expeditions San Francisco Go n See Korea Seoul Korea Reisedienst Germany
Time Line of North Korea History
North Korean Links Korea-np North Korean newspaper in Japan in English Chosunjournal.com Human rights newspaper
|
|
This new Kim's three sons and his son-in-law, along with O Kuk-ryol, an army general, guide explores every aspect of visiting North Korea, from day-to-day practicalities to an overview of the history that lies behind this troubled region and the culture that still unites the Korean people. While travelers are obliged to be part of a formal tour, there are plenty of possibilities for the more adventurous, including the Pyongyang International Marathon and the opportunity to traverse the country by motorbike
Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty
This Is Paradise! : My North Korean Childhood" This is Paradise!" is a shocking and moving portrayal of scenes of every day life in North Korea, a secretive and brutal nation. Hyok Kang writes of the public executions, the labor camps and mines, the punishment for "anti-social behavior," the secret watching of Beijing television, and the spies everywhere who help enforce the regime. When the famine comes, so does death by starvation of friends and close ones, cannibalism, and political purge.
This rare glimpse into North Korean society is the first book of its kind: a riveting collection of state-sponsored propaganda posters that present the unique graphic sensibilities of this little-known country.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
