cyranoVR's Journal: One Man's Journey to North Korea - aka "Kim-Land"

Found this page while surfing tonight. Some guy's diary (with pictures) of a trip to the Democratic Republic of North Korea.

All I can say is WOW.

In other news, North Korea recently issued a statement claiming that the US owes them $43 trillion. True story. (Thanks to Fark.com for bringing this to the world's attention).

North Korea

[baldass_newbie]

Isn't that a Socialist paradise?
Like Cuba?

Don't Be Silly

[cyranoVR]

North Korea is a Democratic Republic!

Re:Don't Be Silly

[baldass_newbie]

Actually it's the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [cia.gov], so you could say it's a Republic made up of Democrats.
And its government type is identified as an " authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship".

WOW (Part II)

[cyranoVR]

The Great Leader

As we cruised down the runway towards Pyongyang's airport, I looked out the airplane window to see Kim Il Sung's portrait smiling at me and all other visitors to the DPRK. It is a warm and inviting smile. His eyes are soft and wise. I felt happy, and welcomed... I imagine that most Americans would have had a different reaction.As the grand-daughters of radical liberation and unification movement activists, my sister and I had the un-common experience of growing up in a household in which

Thanks

[Dannon]

Thanks for posting this. I've heard plenty of anecdotes about Kimland, but this is the first full, detailed account I've read that's not fully focused on the DMZ.

Absolutely fantastic

[M.C. Hampster]

Everyone should read through this. There are too many parts to point out, but I thought this was funny:

Ever wonder why CNN seems to be the only Western news organization regularly allowed into North Korea? The next room perhaps offered a clue. In the 'Gifts from America' room a whole section of one wall is taken up by gifts from CNN. A few engraved plaques, a coffee cup (yeah, a freaking coffee cup!), a logo ashtray, etc. Probably at most a couple hundred bucks worth of crap that nonetheless get pride of place in the museum - for they reveal obvious signs of respect from a world famous news organization. The people at CNN are certainly using their heads and showing they know how to play the game. Though one wonders how that fits in with journalistic integrity . . .

That Evil CNN

[cyranoVR]

Ohhhhh complicity with dictators!!! How dare they buy their way into a despotism with $100 and change of schlocky coffee mugs and engraved plaques. First Iraq, now this? Unbelievable.

Michael Jordan too! That traitor! (re-read the first paragraph)

Re:That Evil CNN

[M.C. Hampster]

That was my thought. I've heard people deride CNN for stuff like this, and it's pretty silly. I find it humorous that CNN has possibly won this access by giving a few gifts that most of their employees would chuck into the trash.

Re:That Evil CNN

[mekkab]

How dare they buy their way into a despotism with $100 and change of schlocky coffee mugs and engraved plaques.

And chances are, this was done over a few trips. Whats funny, is that due to the low price tag, this doesn't count as a "bribe" in the eyes of the US gov't. I remember hearing the story of an upper-up in my company getting worried about taking some Georgian (the country, not the state) officials out to dinner... when he checked the prices (it was like, $30 for a feast that would feed 8!) he c

Thanks

[mekkab]

Thanks for wasting my morning. As if I didn't already have enough to get done!

Dear Moderator:

[mekkab]

If you don't know me by now, and I still have to close off every sarcastic remark with a fucking smiley face, than I have one thing to say:
I FUCKED YOUR MOTHER. (and your dad gives better head)

P.S.- the article REALLY did suck up my entire morning!

Moderating Journal Comments == Lame

[cyranoVR]

Personally, I think they shouldn't allow Journal Comments to be modded down. I myself got modded down [slashdot.org] as "Troll" in one of my own journal entries recently. MY OWN JOURNAL. Yes, I was Trolling myself. WTF.

WTF is going on???

I wonder if becoming a subscriber means that your freaks [slashdot.org] can't moderate your comments (or your with journals) - THAT would be worth something.

Re:Moderating Journal Comments == Lame

[mekkab]

I remember that! That wasn't just lame, that was El King Grande super-fantastique Ueber (slashcode rips out umlats) lame-o!

Speaking of the devil (kim jong il),
North Korea [washingtonpost.com] reared its head in the washington post. I guess the popularity of the arirang festival (or more likely, the seduction of Hyundai's money) has "opened them up."

A fun read

[sielwolf]

We were talking about this earlier in the week at work: the empty facade hotel, the subway that only seems to have two stations, the giant statue you have to put a wreath at, the dead streets. The whole Great/Dear Leader thing.

There was also a great docu on HBO this weekend about a South Korean who would infiltrate into North Korea to take undercover movies and then smuggle them out. He became such a nuisance that Kim Il-Jong put a death sentence out on his head.

Oh and don't forget Pulgasari, Il-Jong's