vendredi 27 avril 2007

Hello everyone

The decision was very difficult to make. Is it a good idea to go to North Korea ? The main reason I asked myself this question was an ethical one. Is it reasonable to go to the last Stalinist country in the world, a country controlled by the iron fist of a terrible dictator, a country which does not allow its population even the smallest freedoms, a country which constitutes a menace for the international community (considered, moreover, by the United States as part of the infamous “Axis of Evil”) ? Is it reasonable to spend money in this country, knowing that a non-negotiable part of it will fund, in one way or another, a government that will not hesitate to use it to develop arms, rather than feed its own population (serious famines persist in North Korea) ? This subject is the theme of a debate in which I would respect two different opinions.

Before making my decision, I read numerous articles and books, and found that points of view on the subject are divided. I think, as do numerous experts, that travel is a source of broadmindedness for everyone (locals and travellers alike) and that it should, as a consequence, be encouraged. Moreover, I think that it is important that people be informed about this country which is the least visited in the world (an average of 1500 western visitors per year, apparently). Despite the fact that journalists and photographers are forbidden to spend time in North Korea, I received authorization to write my report on my website and to send a newsletter about my travels. The complete report is very long and can be accessed on my site by clicking on the following link : http://www.sekoyamag.com/nouveausite/SPIP/breve.php3 ?id_breve=440

Conscious of the fact that your time is limited and your interest in this country could also be limited, I offer below a brief summary of my travels in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.

In the hell of North Korea

Impassioned as I am by politics and geopolitics, North Korea has always excited a certain curiosity in me. In a world where communications are more rapid and efficient than ever and where the entire planet is connected nights and days, I have always asked myself how this little country of some 23 million inhabitants could continue to survive completely cut off from the rest of the world. Certainly, there are still other countries in the world which are considered “closed” (Myanmar, Turkmenistan...) but NONE of them is as cut off from the rest of the world as North Korea, a country where the words McDonalds, mobile phone, internet, and Coca-Cola are completely unknown to all but a few. I would have really liked to visit the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1990, but my young age at the time did not permit me. To travel in North Korea was, therefore, my last opportunity to see a real Stalinist communist country.

Certainly, hitchhiking in North Korea is something absolutely impossible. Of course I would have liked to do it, but if there is any place on earth where this activity is absolutely unthinkable, it’s certainly North Korea (I would have probably been shot at the border). It was, therefore, by plane that I entered the country and by train that I departed. Given that my point of departure and return was the same (Beijing), my challenge to complete the tour of the world by hitchhiking is still valid (I do not hitchhike inside cities or if I make a round trip with a return to the point of departure).

The other challenge I faced was the cost of the journey. To go to North Korea is expensive and I do not have much money (I still live on a budget of $10 US dollars per day, on average, currently much less in India by the way). I probably will need to find a solution to be able to finance the end of my adventure but I think it was the right moment for me to visit this country, notably because I plan to write a book at the end of my world tour (starting from January 1st, 2008).

One of the reasons why a journey in North Korea is expensive is that it’s obligatory to use a specialized agency (“Koryo Tours” in my case), to have 2 guards/guides and a driver at one’s side at all times, and to stay at one of only 4 hotels in the capital Pyongyang that are authorized to accommodate foreigners (all controlled by the government, of course). These hotels are of very good quality, given that the government wants to give the visitor the best possible picture of the country.

Before my departure, I was told that, throughout the entire duration of my trip, I will see what the government wants to show me ; I will be required to turn my head right and left in accordance with what I have the right to see and not see ; and they will forbid me, pure and simple, the slightest contact with the local population. The reality was slightly more flexible but it is true that every one of my actions was strictly controlled. This was a very frustrating thing for someone like me who searches, above all, for human contacts when I travel.

To depart on a solo journey with 2 guides and a driver is something possible but even more expensive. I therefore had to accept the idea of traveling in a group, something I do not like very much in general. However, the group was composed of very interesting people, which made group travel more of a pleasure than a problem. Naturally, no Americans or South Koreans figured in the group, given that they are forbidden to travel in North Korea. The French passport, however, posed no problem to the North Korean authorities, and a visa was issued to me, but not without first signing a declaration stipulating that I was neither a journalist nor a photographer. The application had to be accompanied by a letter from my employer describing my professional activities (not currently having an employer, I had to ask a relative to make a false employment certificate, the only solution to get past this obstacle).

Before departing, a meeting was organized by the agency to explain to us what we were authorized to do and what was forbidden. Below, I present to you several of the forbidden and acceptable activities which struck me in particular :

- Always ask before taking photos.
  It is strictly forbidden to take photos of "checkpoints", of soldiers and of people working. No photos of a building under construction will be tolerated, as this will give a bad impression of the country.
  When you take photos of a statue of the "Great Leader", you must always take his whole body. Never take just the feet or any other part of the body.
  It is forbidden to imitate the posture of the leader or to laugh or joke in front of a statue. The highest degree of respect is required.
  Never contradict the guide even if your point of view or that which you have always learned is different from that which the guide explains to you. Never try to impose your point of view.
  Never damage or tear a newspaper when the photo of the leader appears on it.
  Do not carry a mobile telephone or computer. No internet use is possible.
  It is possible to send postcards, but they will all be read, no matter what language they are written in.
  Do not bring books about North Korea .
  Do not bring American or South Korean flags.
  Do not bring T-shirts with American or South Korean flags or slogans.
  American music is accepted, but South Korean music is refused.
  Etc,...

This journey was at the same time fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating because visiting North Korea is a bit like entering into a history book and re-living a real Stalinist epoch where the leader is called not Stalin but Kim-Jong Il (who took power in 1994 after the death of his father Kim-Il Sung). The statues of the “Great Leader” also called “The President” are absolutely everywhere, communist propaganda is omnipresent, the presence of the army, whether in uniform or civilian dress, is there on every street corner, freedom of expression is nonexistent and all information given by the guides is pre-authorized. My senses were forever alert as I wandered in the streets of Pyongyang, analyzing every little detail of everyday life.

Photos below of 2 typical scenes of life in North Korea. On the right, a soldier marching alone in the middle of a rice field. On the left, a farmer looking for wood with his cow, probably to keep his family from suffering from the cold. It is important to note that these kinds of photos, even if they are of nothing exceptional, are forbidden. They were taken discretely while the bus was moving.

Numerous aspects of this journey were fascinating but traveling in North Korea remains very frustrating because what was shown to us was but part of the reality. Certainly, we saw several monuments, some museums, the Pyongyang metro (which is quite an achievement), propaganda, lots of propaganda, a beautiful hotel where we had to stay (a hotel rather different from lots of places where I stayed in the past 4 years)... but I felt myself to be far from the reality of the country. I would have liked to see how the population feeds itself (rations of 700 g of rice for adults, 500 g for children), be able to exchange with the locals, see a store, etc.... basically, get a better sense of the day to day life of the average Korean, but all that is today strictly forbidden to a foreigner.

During my time in North Korea, numerous things surprised and impressed me. Here are some of them :

1) Pro-Juche, Anti-American Propaganda

In Korean, "Juche" means "master of the body", that is to say, self-sufficiency. "Juche" is the North Korean philosophy according to which the country has no need of anyone else in order to develop.

No need to speak the Korean language to understand the North Korean ideology. Walk for 5 minutes in the streets of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, look right, look left, and you will quickly understand how the North Korean population is controlled. At every street corner, slogans and posters make American imperialism out to be the devil and raise the Juche regime to highest prominence. Below, a poster aptly depicting the widespread anti-Americanism :

The Juche philosophy implies an ever-present and competitive army. Below, several commonly seen propaganda signs emphasizing the power of the army...

Below, the Party logo representing the 3 driving forces of the nation : The peasants, workers, and intellectuals :

And a slogan translated in English (most are only in Korean) :

2) Personality Cult

North Korea is considered as the last Stalinist regime in the world. The founder of this regime, the “Great Leader” Kim-Il Sung, who deceased in 1994, is still considered like a veritable God in this country, and his numerous photos and statues give the impression that he is still in power. His son, Kim-Jong Il, certainly less featured in signs and less charismatic, has taken power with authority since the death of his father and continues to exert firm control over the population.

Below, some of the signs representing Kim-Jong Il taken in the streets of Pyongyang and Kaesong, the other North Korean city I visited. The portraits of the leaders are found equally in every public place (restaurants, hotels, metro, ...) and in the apartments of all the residents.

This personality cult is readily apparent even beyond these simple signs. Accordingly, the calendar adopted by North Korea does not begin with Christ’s birth, but with that of the great Kim-Il Sung. As such, in North Korea, the year is not 2007 but 96 (Kim-Il Sung was born in the month of April, 1912). This date is of course that which appears in the local newspapers, which speak of not much apart from the country’s leaders, father and son, who seek to make the United States lowest of the low...( North Korea , by the way, ranks last in the world in terms of freedom of the press).

Below, a photo of “Pyongyang Times” the main English language weekly printed in North Korea. You will note that the main headline of the week is the visit of the leader to a military unit. I had occasion to flip through other editions from weeks past and the information was basically identical, always converging on the activities of Kim-Jong Il, the remembrance of Kim-Il Sung, the promotion of the “Juche” regime, and the portrayal of American imperialism as the devil.

Television is hardly different. Every time I watched the proposed program, I saw brigades of children, revolutionary chants, and programs reminding the population that "the leader Kim-Jong Il is the sun of the 21st century" and that "the formidable Juche ideology is the best in the world." More on this subject in the little film that is available below :

Below, the kind of books commonly available in the libraries of Pyongyang :

Birthday of Kim-Jong Il

During my stay, I had the chance to “participate” in the birthday of the leader "Kim-Jong Il", naturally a statutory holiday in this country. The celebrations were absolutely grandiose. The sight of thousands of dancers in the central square will remain etched in my memory forever.

Several photos below ...

During this particular day, one of the local customs is to pay a visit to the statue of the father, leave flowers and stand in remembrance before the one who "vanquished the forces of evil." To get to this monument, you have to traverse "Victory Street" and "Glory Street" (Yes, according to the North Koreans, they won the Korean War !).

As a sign of respect, it is required of all the visitors, even of foreigners, to bow their heads before the “Great Leader” in reverence. I therefore had to do so myself in order to avoid problems, even if I personally have absolutely no admiration for this man.

3) Reunification of the “2 Koreas” :

"The separation of the 2 Koreas by foreign forces is a tragedy for the Korean people.” It was with these words that the guide (representing for me pretty much the unique voice of North Korea ) referred to the wall of 240 km separating the south and north parts of the peninsula. The surprising thing for me (I was not expecting it) was that in North Korea there is a very strong will to re-unite the 2 parts of Korea . Below, 2 posters situated close to the DMZ (de-militarized zone separating the 2 Koreas ) illustrating this :

Is it possible to re-unite 2 neighboring countries with diametrically opposed visions ? “Yes” responds our guide, without hesitation, “the South has economic power, the North has political power, we can have a government with 2 different ideologies”. Do you really believe that South Korea would be disposed to pour large sums of money into a totalitarian regime ? “Those who do not wish to give money are selfish” the senior guide continued.

Sharing one’s doubts being something inadvisable in North Korea, I had to abstain from making any disagreeable remark, but I nonetheless continued to ask questions, indirectly showing my skepticism, which was certainly shared by other members of the group (to different degrees, however) ...

Whatever the case may be, the will to unite Korea is well presented on this side of the border. Below, a monument dedicated to reunification ...

...and a TV program, one of many, promoting the unification of the 2 Koreas ...

Below, a sign indicating the city of Seoul is only 70 km distant. While it may be only 70 km away in terms of distance, in terms of development and liberty, it is light years away...

4) Deficiencies (Food, energy ...)

North Korea is certainly the most beautiful and the most prosperous country in the world according to its leaders. However, the fact is that a not-insignificant part of its population is unable to properly feed itself (there have been serious famines not long ago ; the “World Food Program” of the United Nations is today obliged to intervene in order to avoid more suffering) and has insufficient energy to meet its needs.

I have not personally seen any situation of famine with my own eyes (the guides keep us far away from that sort of thing), but I saw many instances of energy deficiencies.

To give you several concrete examples, the street lights and traffic lights in the city centre have been turned off and replaced by beautiful ladies directing the traffic. See the photo below of one of these women ...

Also see the short film by clicking on this link : http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=-YSpwRkq-JY showing how they work : a real spectacle. Please note that filming this scene was, theoretically, forbidden to me, but it is possible to very discretely make the practice a bit different than the theory ...

The lack of energy can equally be seen during the frequent power cuts, and while gazing at the Pyongyang cityscape in the evening - few lights are lit. One also realizes that heating is only accessible to a restricted number of persons, despite the cold weather. See the photos below of "Pyongyang by night". The example of the man charged with turning off the lights of the bowling alley whenever a play absents himself for more than 30 seconds particularly attracted my attention...

Another surprise was the number of cars on the roads. Certainly, I was not expecting to see lots of cars in North Korea , but I was very surprised to see that the roads (of acceptable quality overall) are absolutely DESERTED. On the route from Pyongyang to Kaesong (220 km), we passed fewer than 10 vehicles, half of which were buses. One thing is certain : North Korea is not the main country we should blame for global warming...

Route between Pyongyang and Kaesong

Even if hitchhiking is not possible in North Korea, I couldn’t resist the temptation to try for several minutes (during a brief stop of our bus) in order to see the reaction of the locals, but no car came during the time I waited ...

Note that there is no advertising in North Korea . I saw, however, 2 billboards promoting the merits of the car produced in North Korea. Photos below.

5) Nuclear Weapons Agreement

It was in Pyongyang that I learned on BBC World (channel accessible uniquely in tourist hotels and forbidden to locals) that the accord between 6 countries stipulating a stop to nuclear activities by North Korea had been signed. my question “What do you think of this agreement ?” the junior guide quickly responded, “it’s good, but I doubt that the United States will respect their side of the bargain, as usual !” ...

This accord is certainly an important step, but doesn’t succeed in “denuclearizing” North Korea in as much as the country gets to keep all the missiles which have already been fabricated. “We don’t want to attack anyone, we want only peace, and these weapons are a means of dissuading and defending against an American invasion,” the guide told me.

Before leaving you, several photos of books translated into English which are accessible in North Korea. I bought 2 of them in order to be able to read another point of view on the history of the Korean War ... always a good thing to know several sides to every story.

I hope this newsletter was not too long.

Until next time. Ludo

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