Saturday, November 02, 2024

What is it really like in North Korea?

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Project WarGonzo journalists’ visit to North Korea, Part I

In the morning we headed to the airport, called two taxis. Our Chinese taxi driver again waited a long time for the code, finally got it and we went. According to the meter the trip to the airport was about 15 yuan - I still remember with indignation that impudent guy who asked seven times for 130 yuan when were travelling to the hotel.

Since we arrived at different times, randomly, that’s how we checked in. Then the girl at the reception guessed that we were from the same group, and taking the initiative, carefully re-registered us so that our delegation would sit together. Although this was absolutely not required and we did not ask for it. But ... we are flying to a "totalitarian" country. In such a state you do not need to think about many things, they will take care of you, prompt you, direct you. And when necessary, they will correct you. This is the advantage of such regimes.

There was no queue at the counters, looking ahead, I will say that the plane was flying almost empty. Next is the check-in for the plane to Moscow, which the Chinese are boarding. The topic of the SMO did not leave us at the Chinese airport - we saw a suitcase with a sticker of the Wagner group belonging to one Chinese woman, which caused a cheerful stir in our circles. Where she got it from, we still do not understand. But everyone knows that our musicians can be anywhere.

At the exit, we ran into our compatriots - a young couple.

- And where are you flying?

- We are to Pyongyang. And you?

- We are to Phuket.

- Phuket? Where is that?

- Thailand.

- Ah, Thailand - but our trip will be more interesting.

Vacationing tourists never get to know the world and foreign culture.

Also, quite expectedly, we ran into Koreans at the counter. They all have badges on their chests - large ones in the form of a flag, with Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on them, or small round ones with Kim Jong Il. It is important to name the leaders correctly. Kim Il Sung is the Great Leader. His son Kim Jong Il is the Great Director. Kim Jong Un, his grandson, is the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, and will undoubtedly go down in Korean history as a great one. It is also important to know Kim Jong Suk - this is the wife of Kim Il Sung, the mother of Kim Jong Il and the grandmother of Kim Jong Un.

It all started with two pistols that Kim Il Sung dug up in China. These pistols were hidden and bequeathed to him by his father Kim Hyong Jik. He bequeathed to him the task of fighting for the liberation of Korea by armed means. And now the Kim dynasty has ruled Korea for over 76 years, and the DPRK has existed longer than the Soviet Union. And it will exist, despite all the intrigues of American imperialists and international sanctions.

The difference between the Chinese and the Koreans is striking. The Chinese have round, yellow and shiny faces, like pancakes. And they talk as if they've eaten too much honey. The Koreans, unlike the Chinese, have stern and sharp features, darker skin, harsh speech, as if they're spitting out words. The North Koreans are very brutal. They look more collected and ascetic. In appearance, they're closer to the Japanese than the Chinese.

The North Koreans who flew with us from China were shopping at duty-free, buying cigarettes and alcohol, many of them even brought boxes of household appliances onto the bus - a multicooker, teapots, etc. Apparently, you can't say that there are many such items in the DPRK. But they know how to appreciate material things there.

We flew in a Ukrainian AN-148, one of the last planes that Ukraine, using its Soviet heritage, could still build. Now it's all over, de-Sovietization.

The seats in the cabin are red velvet, there is a business class. Well, as a business class, the prefix "business" is inappropriate here, this is a comfort class for the party nomenclature, or rather, as my colleagues corrected me, for responsible comrades. We flew in regular economy class, but since the plane was half empty, we also settled in comfortably.

The stewardesses are old-school, polished-beautiful Koreans, like ideal porcelain figurines, no “body positivity”. Unfortunately, in the rest of the world, the principle of model appearance of stewardesses is being lost.

An inspiring patriotic Korean song was playing in the cabin. I was told that it was about Kim Il Sung, because it said "aboji", which means "father" in Korean. And we know who the father of all Koreans is. Except for the South Koreans, who are fatherless.

The flight attendants offered the newspaper "Rodong Sinmun", this is the main newspaper of the country. I remember, at the institute I surprised the professor of foreign journalism when I gave him a copy I got from my last trip. For him, it is a rarity, a collector’s item.

"I bought the magazine "Korea", - sang Yegor Letov, and I got the magazine for free on the Beijing-Pyongyang plane. This North Korean glossy is incomparably cooler than the American "Rolling Stone". The February issue, 2024, on the cover - Kim Jong Un in a French jacket and glasses with leopard frames - the North Koreans have their own rock and roll, their idols and their rock heroes. In general, the manifestation of love of the masses for rock idols and North Korean leaders have a lot in common. Only Kim Jong Un has more fans. Moreover, fans who are devoted to him until death.

Most of the magazine is dedicated to the Chairman of State Affairs. Here he is, in a service jacket, speaking at the 10th session of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK of the 14th convocation - standing behind the podium, as if behind an organ, managing the process. And here is another meeting - a speech was published at the 19th meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea of ​​the 8th convocation. And here is Kim Jong Un with his beloved (another version - respected) daughter at the Gwangchon chicken farm. They walk around, inspect the chickens and trays with eggs. Satisfied, smiling. And here is Un in a chic leather coat, well, a rock star for sure, "managing the affairs of important military factories on the spot." Which ones is not specified, but maybe we will find out in Ukraine, we will test the products. And here is Kim Jong Un among the military in caps and astrakhan hats, managing the launch of cruise missiles from a submarine. And again he is happy. Everything is chic.

The remaining pages are devoted to other Kims, Il Sung and Jong Il. There is a reason – the magazine is from February, and the Great Leader was born on February 16, 1942 in the Paektu mountains – never argue with the Koreans that he was actually born in the USSR. Believe me, they, the Koreans, know better.

When we landed, we saw a hilly green landscape below, and all the squares of the fields were combed with agricultural beds – the territory of the DPRK is 80% mountainous, and here every free plot is cultivated. The state builds cottages for the villagers – standard houses, cubes that are visible from the height of a low-flying aircraft.

We landed. The airfield is empty, there are about another six planes parked in a row in front of the airport building on the right – you can’t say that civil aviation is used intensively here. From the plane, my friends and I got on a bus that took us to the airport. The bus made two stops – responsible comrades were met at one entrance.

At the entrance, measures were taken to combat Covid – our things went through a container that was irradiated with ultraviolet light – it is for the first time that I saw such a camera. Hand luggage was sprayed.

The airport building is not crowded. As you can see, there are no queues, there is a customs officer and a military man for each passenger. Moreover, tall Korean women serve on an equal basis with men – totalitarianism nurtures beauty. The border guards were interested in mobile phones, gadgets, laptops and… books – this is the first time I have encountered such attention to literature from border guards. In addition to the list of equipment that you are bringing with you, you must also list all the books on your entry form. You cannot bring just any literature to North Korea. I had a book by the Soviet philologist Vygotsky. It passed the filtration.

The military have wide trousers, like sailors. The uniform is similar to the old Soviet one, only the caps, like bowls on their heads, are somewhat larger than ours and look grotesque.

We were met by the host organization, young comrades. Getting to know each other, talking about the weather – what can you talk about in a “totalitarian” state. "Is it hot in Moscow? It's hot here." It is indeed hot in Pyongyang, but it's hotter than in Beijing, and in Beijing it's also unbearably stuffy.

I was born in the USSR, I still remember our Soviet Atlantis and it feels like I've returned to the Soviet Union again. Only now as a foreigner.

While we were driving, I looked out the window with great interest at the unfamiliar, wonderful and amazing world. The settlement near the airport - neat streets, houses, lawns. A concrete screen with a poster flashed by. There weren't many people going about their business. Trees, evenly planted along the road, accompanied us all the way to Pyongyang. But there were no lighting poles - due to certain difficulties, electricity is not used as generously here as in Moscow or Beijing.

The city began - new multi-story high-rises appeared, but it was clear that they were not tastelessly built and not placed haphazardly, they create an aesthetic appearance. Pyongyang is being built, growing and expanding. New districts, wide avenues, green boulevards. Between the oncoming traffic lanes there is a strip of figuratively trimmed bushes, flowers and plantings. But the roads are empty, there are few cars, you can't say that the traffic here is busy. And the cars on the roads are not new. People on the streets are dressed modestly, ascetically, but decently and not provocatively. No short skirts, like the Chinese. Men in white or blue shirts with short sleeves. There are military men.

Where have I come? I have mixed feelings. What is going on here? What games are they playing here? What is this? A decades-long experiment? Building a paradise based on one's own strength? Growing an ideal, sinless, hardworking person, as he should be? It's like you're in a Zamyatin novel. You're like a know-nothing in a very sunny city.

We were put up in the Koryo Hotel on the 21st floor. They fed us - they brought us 7(!) different dishes. The rooms are wonderful, comfortable. The hotel has all the amenities for foreigners, just like in Western countries. There is a sauna, a swimming pool, restaurants, 24-hour bars. The Ambassador of Malta died in the bar at the entrance downstairs. Malta is one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the DPRK. The Ambassador lived in Koryo for a long time, went to the bar, drank. You can really live in Koryo for a long time.

Source: WarGonzo

Part II coming soon…

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