Vacation in North Korea

[pulykamell]

@Chronos

There are three reasons to visit a place: To see things (works of art, maybe), to see places (historic sites, relaxing climates, etc.), and to see people.

I’m not aware of any particularly interesting things to see in North Korea, the climate isn’t particularly better than the rest of the world, and if you want to experience Korean culture, there’s a perfectly good first-world country where you can do so. What’s left? What can you get out of a visit to North Korea that you couldn’t get from a visit to some other place? The only appeal I can see at all is if you’re keeping a bucket list to visit every single country on the planet, and even there, I can’t see any reason not to put North Korea at the very bottom of the list.

I could think of a number of countries I would be more worried about visiting than North Korea (Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Congo, etc.) The draw to North Korea would be curiosity and peeking in on cultures that are relatively unknown in the West. As I said before, maybe 20 years ago when I didn’t have to worry about anyone else but myself, this would be a trip that would interest me. Then again, I was a journalist back then, and this sort of shit was totally up my alley.

[Shodan]

I find it curious that people think a tourist in North Korea is going to be allowed to see anything real.

Regards,
Shodan

[yanceylebeef]

I was stationed in Seoul three different years in the 80s and 90s. I’ve been to the DMZ dozens of times. Covering repatriation ceremonies and lots of training. I am fascinated by the Hermit Kingdom and read anything I can get my hands on about it. My 20 or 30 year old self would jump at the chance to visit North Korea, my 50 year old self, not so much. I’ll be satisfied with reading about it.

[Desert_Nomad]

@Idle_Thoughts

and your TV will be very boring, unless you like 24 hour propaganda about how great the leader is.

In 2009 when I was in Pyongyang, we had BBC in our hotel and they even had a story one morning about a North Korean defector who got to South Korea.

[Desert_Nomad]

@pulykamell

I could think of a number of countries I would be more worried about visiting than North Korea (Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Congo, etc.)

I have been to four of those (all but Afghanistan) and found them to be fine. Sudan was actually one of my favorite trips ever, having spent 2 weeks there.

[Martini_Enfield]

@Siam_Sam

I doubt I’d even be allowed into the country having worked for newspapers in the past. Newspaper staff are still banned, I believe, dunno about former staff, but I’m not going to go find out.

I know they let foreign media into the country because BBC reporters have been there (not without incident on occasion, admittedly) before and I’ve met an Agence France-Presse photographer who visited to cover the Pyongyang Marathon without incident.

I’d certainly consider going to North Korea if someone else was covering the expenses (say, as part of a “What’s it like to holiday in North Korea?” story), but I’m not an American and it’s still definitely not somewhere I’d spent my own money to visit.

[pulykamell]

@Desert_Nomad

I have been to four of those (all but Afghanistan) and found them to be fine. Sudan was actually one of my favorite trips ever, having spent 2 weeks there.

If I knew the right people, I’d go to those places, too. I just don’t think North Korea is dead last as a tourist destination for me. I reckon it’s much safer than a good number of destinations, that’s all. Also, it obviously depends on where within any given country you are.

[pulykamell]

@Shodan

I find it curious that people think a tourist in North Korea is going to be allowed to see anything real.

Regards,
Shodan

And who thinks this?

[Corry_El]

@amarinth

I don’t understand this sentiment. (you’re not the only one to say it, even though I’m quoting you)

So what? The playacting, artifice, mask, whatever you want to call it, is interesting to me in and of itself. It doesn’t bother me that it isn’t the “Real North Korea” (whatever that means). I’m up for the interactive experimental theatre production of North Korea. I would like to see what their leaders think I should believe about the place.

Still, the risk far outweighs the reward for me - so I don’t see myself going.

I agree with the first point. The North Korea they want to try to present to you is still something of potential interest. Nor is it possible for any interactive experimental theater production to avoid you drawing some conclusions about the ‘real NK’ you hadn’t realized before, assuming you’ve read up on NK. Seems to me the point about ‘you won’t see the real’ could be based on the kind of idea that just going someplace and seeing what you think is ‘the real’ is some kind of substitute for reading about the place, which it isn’t IMO. If you’re well read about a place, you’re not easily mislead about what you happen to see v ‘the real’. But some subtle info is still added.

But neither could I tolerate the risk of going to NK in the current situation as US national. Also IMO there’s a potential add on ethical issue of firstly becoming the focus of international tension and conflict, and secondly implicit support of the regime being their ‘guest’. Especially the first. If you go to a very high crime developing country and become a victim of common crime, the issue is just yours and your loved ones’. If your fate might seriously complicate diplomacy, that’s something additional to consider IMO when you could just avoid it.

[Chronos]

Quoth Desert Nomad:

In 2009 when I was in Pyongyang, we had BBC in our hotel and they even had a story one morning about a North Korean defector who got to South Korea.

And did anyone in North Korea get to see that BBC story, who wasn’t staying in a foreign tourists-only hotel?

[Tom_Tildrum]

@Desert_Nomad

In 2009 when I was in Pyongyang, we had BBC in our hotel and they even had a story one morning about a North Korean defector who got to South Korea.

ISTR reading that one of the principal tourist hotels has Western TV and the other does not. Maybe the Yanggakdo does (since it’s isolated on an island) and the Koryo does not?

[drewder]

@Tom_Tildrum

ISTR reading that one of the principal tourist hotels has Western TV and the other does not. Maybe the Yanggakdo does (since it’s isolated on an island) and the Koryo does not?

Better be careful you never know if leaving the TV on for the maid to see might be an arrestable offense

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Siam_Sam]

@Martini_Enfield

I know they let foreign media into the country because BBC reporters have been there (not without incident on occasion, admittedly) before and I’ve met an Agence France-Presse photographer who visited to cover the Pyongyang Marathon without incident.

I’d certainly consider going to North Korea if someone else was covering the expenses (say, as part of a “What’s it like to holiday in North Korea?” story), but I’m not an American and it’s still definitely not somewhere I’d spent my own money to visit.

If they’re there as reporters, sure. But I definitely would have been denied a tourist visa if they had known I worked at a newspaper back then. Not the same thing at all.

[aceplace57]

Americans and S Koreans should stay away.

I think other nationalities are reasonably safe visiting N Korea. Follow the rules and don’t do anything to arose suspicion.

[Melbourne]

@Elendil_s_Heir

I actually think the US ought to consider banning all travel by US citizens there.

They did for many years. Not sure when the travel restrictions were lifted. Anybody?

[BubbaDog]

@Ann_Hedonia

IF he did what they said he did, yes - he made a very stupid decision. But that’s a really big “IF” for me, and my doubts increased the more I learned about the alleged specifics of the incident and about Warmbier. I think it obvious the confession was scripted - I really don’t think his REASON for going to NK was to steal the poster. I don’t think the video looks real.
He could be completely innocent or there could be something else going on altogether but I’m a skeptic. But if he was detained for another reason, or no reason at all - the story about the poster was good cover as it dampened the outrage.

I mean no offense to you but I tried to make it clear that this thread is an exploration specifically about his stupid decision to even venture into NK. The fact that North Korea is so totally messed up that it would fabricate a false crime is a big factor as to WHY it is a stupid decision to go there.