The Leaders of the free world are just little boys throwing stones

The whole time I spent in North Korea was bizarre in the extreme and even though we were constantly being brought to places, I will remember each and every stop we made. I would certainly recommend a visit if you want to go somewhere truly different from what you know.

One experience sums up DPR Korea nicely for me. We were taken to the Korean Film studios where all North Korean films are made. After being taken around the vast grounds to see their various sets we were treated to a twenty minute clip of a film that was to be released shortly.

It was about a farmer who wanted to get married but had failed to reach the required harvest quota. We saw him sitting with his friends, distraught that he could not marry because he had let down his family and country. Somehow or other, however, the Dear Leader, Kim Jung Il heard about the case and granted him special permission to marry. Not only was he so kind hearted to do this, but he also paid for the wedding and provided all the food – the camera does a very slow movement from the bottom of the banquet table to the top showing off foods that most North Koreans could only dream about. To top it all off the Dear Leader also sent them the gift of a brand new tractor!

The clip ends with the wedding speech. The groom struggles to get his speech out as he praises the Dear Leader for his generosity and kind heartedness and in the end just gives up and sobs out of love from Kim Jung Il.

We were almost crying ourselves at how ludicrous it all was. But then when you think that this is all the people get to see you realise how sad it is too. How many Koreans live in the ridiculous hope that the Dear Leader will do something similar for them?

The two guides we had were both very kind and intelligent people. They were constantly professional if not overly cautious. They were very careful about everything they said and about what they allowed us to see. Only when we took the long drive to another city did they relax somewhat. During this trip their curiosity overtook ours as they asked to look at the books we brought and listen to our ipods. This was one of my favourite moments on the trip where the guides allowed themselves to be just like us. They also asked us lots of questions about the outside world, what was going and what the rest of the world really thought of their country. We struggled with how to answer these questions. They are intelligent adults and to hide the truth seemed insincere and pointless. At the same time they are trapped in a country where any difference of opinion is clearly not an option. What good would it do to explain the truth to them.

Finally it is only our truth that we could offer. Fine we can travel and criticise our leaders if we wish, but how much do we really know about what is going on in our own countries? Like the North Koreans we generally accept that what we heard on the news and in the papers is the truth. We are the good guys and the North Koreans are insane and possibly even evil.  Well I certainly do not believe that the North Koreans are any different from us. They have had a very difficult history and are now dealing with that legacy. I hope that someday they get the freedom to question and be allowed to decide for themselves which answers they believe in.

At the Demilatarised Zone on the border with South Korea we asked our army guide if he could ever see a day when the country is reunited. Of course he replied with a hopeful face as soon as the US imperialists withdraw their occupation of South Korea.

You can see all my photos from North Korea here.