[August 25, 2014] Every once in a while I come across a person’s firsthand account of North Korea (link here). The author is witty but informative. There is some good information to be had from reading the entire blog entry. In particular I liked the focus of the discussion on how big a deal the leadership of the country has become. Big deal does not do it justice.
North Korean Propaganda Poster
Here are some of the main observations:
- Government is a big deal and there is an intense leadership cult
- Everyone lies about everything
- Propaganda is everywhere
- They are stuck on the Korean War and blame the U.S. for attacking them
- Children all wear the same uniform all the time
- You must watch what you say
- The mass games are breathtaking and disturbing
While North Korea is a Communist country, its economics is truly socialist in every sense of the word. The people of this nation are more isolated than any other country in the world and it shows in their attitudes and conversations. The entire nation suffers from both of these issues and continues to exist only by sheer luck.
There are many other windows into North Korea that deserve a look. Here are a few other websites of interest:
This is the official website of North Korea. They describe themselves as a “workers’ paradise.” http://www.korea-dpr.com/
From “The Diplomat”. http://thediplomat.com/2014/08/why-north-korea-will-stick-around-for-a-while/
Lonely Planet Tour Information. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/north-korea
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