43 Places

North Korea (read all 2 entries…)

Worth visiting!

Eye opener — 1 year ago

I’m just back from a 10-day trip in the DPRK, and looking at the tags given here it is painfully obvious how much the ideas about the country are shaped by what we hear in the western press. Go with open eyes and an open mind (knowing that what you’ll be shown is a selection just like what you see and hear in the West is a – different – selection) and you’ll come away with a very different picture of this country.

I really hope that late president’s Kim Il Sung’s idea of reuniting the “two Koreas” (really one country, one people, one language) as federal country with two states, each with their own system, will one day become reality. Economic development in the North (helped already by joint ventures with South Korea and China) will help making that dream a reality – but so will, in a small way, visits from people from other countries, providing a small “window on the world” through those guides (like ours) that are not only interested in teaching about their country but also in learning from their guests. What won’t help is demonizing the country.

I’ve come away admiring these proud people and their old culture and hope to return one day to see more, and see how they’ve progressed.

The picture shows one small aspect I’ve come to love: all main roads across the country (not just entrances and exits to cities as you often see) are lined with flowers. Even when growing food is hard work, a small amount of effort is given to grow a little beauty.

Sep 24, 2006, 11:34PM PDT 11 cheers

Comments:

~**~mmm ~**~
Holland Village

Er...

Isn’t that most countries are “One country, one culture, one language, one civilization”? Esp in most part of Asia? (YET, it doesn’t have to be communism)

Modernization means in the form of industrialization, urbanization and other social changes that completely transform the lives of individuals. It doesn’t have to be influenced or rather “colonized” BY THE WEST, you know? E.g is Japan, Thailand and South Korea…and maybe more? ..Anyway my knowledge on history of asian countries sucks, I am not really an expert in that field. I only know it by travelling :)

Wow, Seems like you’re singing a lot of praises for North Korea…I think you ought to publish a book about how safe North Korea is ;) And tell ppl not to believe what most part of the world are thinking now ;P

No matter how much you telling me how SAFE North Korea is, it still goes back to what I said, you are a guy obviously it would be easier for you to travel any where else in the world, even to NORTH KOREA. Did you see many foreign women travel by themselves there??

“North Korea certainly has modernized a lot since the Korean war, and not just technologically.”...Huh, according to you?? That’s why I said you should come up with a book and convince the rest of the world of your belief. Ya I am sure NORTH KOREA is very “modernized”, esp in their “military power” and “NUCLEAR war weapon” ;)

Thank you for your advice on me to “travel with an open mind”..Wow, not sure if I need MORE TRAVELLING, esp when I have already visited 23 countries and lived in at least 4 countries before(Some countries have been repeated visit too)..I started doing travelling since teenage, so I am ALMOST semi-retired now.(Travelling is one of the BIG PASSION FOR TYPICAL SINGAPOREANS).. So not sure of what you mean by this “You seem to have a rather blinkered and prejudiced view of the world”....Oh I DIDN’T REALISE I AM THE ONLY ONE IN THIS WORLD THINKING THAT COMMUNISM IS NOT CIVILISATION…Er, IF I AM NOT INTERESTED to understand the communist world, IT DOESN’T MEAN I AM PREJUDICED..Hello?

You seem very PRO- COMMUNISM, maybe you should start recruiting others on this site and tell them THEY ARE WRONG IN THEIR THINKING ON NORTH KOREA. (And see if you can convince others that you are “very open minded” and we are all very prejudiced against the North)..Or perhaps COME UP WITH A GOAL like “North Korea is very civilised”. Good luck to you!

Excuse me for not continuing this rather STRANGE “communism” idea from you..Sounds pretty scary to me..SO if you don’t mind, I would like to excuse myself and go back to my ”civilised” world as I have an important interview and need to sleep now!! Wish me luck!! BYE!!

_{Thank goodness, nobody is watching me where I am going tmr..Whew…NO wait, that means I must be “prejudiced” or narrow minded? :(}

P.S. Attached a very “cool” high tech and “modernized” fashion for the future too! ;) Communist fashion is in, man!

Oct 08, 2006, 07:50AM PDT | Parent | Respond to this 4 cheers

(This comment was deleted.)

Oct 09, 2006, 03:46AM PDT

Marjolein Katsma
Amsterdam

Read up some history

Korea is one country – it was divided by the Korean war which still hasn’t ended (!)

Both sides are hoping for and working towards reunification – it may take a long time but it will happen.

And sorry, but I’m flagging that photo you attached as inappropriate: you didn’t take it, it has no attribution, and it most certainly isn’t public domain.

Finally, to put you straight on one misunderstanding: I am not a guy! (And it isn’t any harder for women to travel there than it is for men.)

Oct 20, 2006, 07:57AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this

~**~mmm ~**~
Holland Village

Er again

Thank you very much for your “observation” about me ;)

First you asked to me to “travel more” so that I can be “open minded”, and then when I told you that I have been to about 23 countries, you now ask me to learn my history lesson =)

I might not be an expert in History, but we have at least learnt that Korea was one country when we were at primary one(7 yrs old) lol

So I presumed you must be a “very” open minded person?..Then how come you are flagging that photo as inappropriate? Haha, I didn’t steal that photo from North Korea, it’s ALL OVER the internet! This pic appeared on the internet the very first day when that Mr. Kim confessed to the whole world he was testing on the nuclear weapon ;)

Hmm, now I am wondering…do you work for North Korea? I heard they are actively looking for international spy ;P

Oops, sorry, didnt realise you are not a guy, you didnt deny the whole time till now, pretty odd, hmm..No offense but should I believe you?

Oct 26, 2006, 09:32AM PDT | Respond to this 2 cheers