Changes in North Korea?

[Warspite]

An acquaintance made a trip to Pyongyang and NK recently as part of an official Western delegation, her report back was interesting for a few reasons - no minders, freedom to wander around (one of the delegation went, unannounced, for a run each morning), no bag searches or confiscation of electronic devices, freedom to take pictures except in the DMZ.

This is not at all to suggest that NK is magically turning into a paradise, but it does show there is some change, if cosmetic. After all, these are all easy ways to pretend you are a better place in which to do business, which is what the Young Un is apparently desperate for in terms of foreign investment.

[Razgovory]

"If only the West had more reeducation camps like North Korea!"

And much less food.  Nothing build character like famine.

[CountDeMoney]

An acquaintance made a trip to Pyongyang and NK recently as part of an official Western delegation, her report back was interesting for a few reasons - no minders, freedom to wander around (one of the delegation went, unannounced, for a run each morning), no bag searches or confiscation of electronic devices, freedom to take pictures except in the DMZ.

This is not at all to suggest that NK is magically turning into a paradise, but it does show there is some change, if cosmetic.

Could also mean they couldn't give two shits about said Western delegation.

[alfred russel]

An acquaintance made a trip to Pyongyang and NK recently as part of an official Western delegation, her report back was interesting for a few reasons - no minders, freedom to wander around (one of the delegation went, unannounced, for a run each morning), no bag searches or confiscation of electronic devices, freedom to take pictures except in the DMZ.

This is not at all to suggest that NK is magically turning into a paradise, but it does show there is some change, if cosmetic. After all, these are all easy ways to pretend you are a better place in which to do business, which is what the Young Un is apparently desperate for in terms of foreign investment.

Another explanation / point of view is that those minders are completely pointless and NK realized this. It isn't as though random visitors to Pyongyang are going to develop some strategic knowledge or forment revolution from not being minded for an afternoon. If they monitor trip reviews at all, they would see that the heavily censored and escorted tours to their country don't leave people any more enamoured with their regime.

Those minders may be serving the great leader more effectively in the coal mines.

[The Brain]

Coal mines?

[Jacob]

Eric Schmidt of Google is headed to North Korea: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/google-chief-heads-to-north-korea-the-hermit-kingdom/article6891329/

[Razgovory]

An acquaintance made a trip to Pyongyang and NK recently as part of an official Western delegation, her report back was interesting for a few reasons - no minders, freedom to wander around (one of the delegation went, unannounced, for a run each morning), no bag searches or confiscation of electronic devices, freedom to take pictures except in the DMZ.

This is not at all to suggest that NK is magically turning into a paradise, but it does show there is some change, if cosmetic. After all, these are all easy ways to pretend you are a better place in which to do business, which is what the Young Un is apparently desperate for in terms of foreign investment.

It's kinda difficult to understand why insane governments like this do things.  The bureaucracy that handles the minders might have been taken over by Traffic cop bureaucracy and the new guys liquidated the minders and it didn't occur to them to replace them.

[Josquius]

It does increasingly seem they're attempting some sort of limited version of China's limited reform. Which is of course good for the people.

Though I would agree with a wee bit of the sadness- I would like to see it whilst it remains crazy and totalitarian.

[Barrister]

It does increasingly seem they're attempting some sort of limited version of China's limited reform. Which is of course good for the people.

Though I would agree with a wee bit of the sadness- I would like to see it whilst it remains crazy and totalitarian.

So go then.  Travel to NK is difficult, but not impossible.  You're in the neighborhood.

[Josquius]

It does increasingly seem they're attempting some sort of limited version of China's limited reform. Which is of course good for the people.

Though I would agree with a wee bit of the sadness- I would like to see it whilst it remains crazy and totalitarian.

So go then.  Travel to NK is difficult, but not impossible.  You're in the neighborhood.

I'm poor and cheap and it is expensive.
Also a bit of a moral quandary with so much of that money going towards funding the death camps.

[The Brain]

A good death camp funds itself.

[Admiral Yi]

Can you imagine the results if they kidnapped Squeeze to teach English to their spies? 

[sbr]

An acquaintance made a trip to Pyongyang and NK recently as part of an official Western delegation, her report back was interesting for a few reasons - no minders, freedom to wander around (one of the delegation went, unannounced, for a run each morning), no bag searches or confiscation of electronic devices, freedom to take pictures except in the DMZ.

This is not at all to suggest that NK is magically turning into a paradise, but it does show there is some change, if cosmetic. After all, these are all easy ways to pretend you are a better place in which to do business, which is what the Young Un is apparently desperate for in terms of foreign investment.

Another explanation / point of view is that those minders are completely pointless and NK realized this. It isn't as though random visitors to Pyongyang are going to develop some strategic knowledge or forment revolution from not being minded for an afternoon. If they monitor trip reviews at all, they would see that the heavily censored and escorted tours to their country don't leave people any more enamoured with their regime.

Those minders may be serving the great leader more effectively in the coal mines.

I have an internet friend on another forum who took a tourist trip to North Korea last year; maybe in September or October. 

He is in the process of sharing an AAR of his trip.  I get the impression his group had an experience completely opposite from Warspite's acquaintance.  They had minders and everything was very regimented, and very rehearsed.  I get the impression that it was clear they should not wander off alone.

They did take a shit load of pictures.  There were a lot of places they were not allowed, but they still took a lot.

[Razgovory]

Can you imagine the results if they kidnapped Squeeze to teach English to their spies? 

  It would be better then Tim.

[garbon]

Can you imagine the results if they kidnapped Squeeze to teach English to their spies?