This is a long, but good read. I urge any of you with some time to read about an American (living in South Korea) and his journey to North Korea. It'll make you appreciate the freedoms and life we have here. http://1stopkorea.com/ (scroll down to the Journey into Kimland link) Here's the heading: Journey into Kimland by Scott Fisher When was the last trip you took where: *the guide wouldn't allow you to keep your passport? *you weren't allowed to use the local currency? *criticism of the place you traveled could get a guide into serious trouble? *on your return you felt you had to be careful bringing back books, pins and T-shirts because they might be illegal?
It's been done many times before. I haven't read through this one yet, but it seems he had verbal contact with the natives. The NK travel journal I've read before said that nearly everything he saw seemed to be choreographed and security was airtight so there was no way to talk to natives.
Yes, he talked with the natives. You must check out the DMZ and Circus links. He has a great story about trying to talk to a bunch of school kids at a circus but they weren't allowed to answer him even though he could tell they were dying to talk to him.
http://www.stat.ualberta.ca/people/schmu/nk.html I've read the first May 2002 one linked from there. I've really been wanting to visit a totalitarian state recently. Maybe not one as bad as North Korea, but maybe Burma.
If anybody is really intrested in getting a feel for this sort of thing, the documentary Welcome To North Korea that was shown on HBO. The vivid images (despite their "hidden camera" origin) really bring home how bizzare it must be to be a North Korean. It's all the more compelling when these nightmares are interspersed with beautiful and lush scenery.
