North Korean Economy Watch

According to TVNZ:

North Korean experts were in Vietnam this week to advise the government on - no, not uranium enrichment - choreography for an extravaganza celebrating Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary, state media said.

The delegation was led by Song Pyong Won, deputy director of the Arirang performance department in North Korea’s Ministry of Culture, and included experts in mass performance, stage design, sound and lighting, reported the website of the newspaper Saigon Tiep Thi (sgtt.com.vn).

“This is the advance team that will make preparations for the various art performances, including card flipping to make images and words, as well as stage design, sound and lighting for the opening ceremony,” the newspaper said.

Hanoi will mark its 1,000th anniversary on October 10 this year.

Song hoped “through this visit the delegation would gain a precise grasp of the basic material conditions in Vietnam, like human resources, so that the staged programme can be the most unique and best possible,” the article said.

The group met representatives of Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and planned to visit various anniversary event venues, including the 40,000-seat My Dinh Stadium. It would also visit other sites, such as Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, it said.

Read the full story here:
N Korea teaches Vietnam how to party
TVNZ
3/5/2010

UPDATE: According to Yonhap:

North Korea has wrapped up its Arirang festival, a two month-long mass gymnastics extravaganza, media outlets reported Tuesday.

The festival drew about 1.4 million people from home and abroad since it opened in August at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central Broadcasting Station, a North Korean radio network.

The 80-minute show was held daily except on Sundays after opening on Aug. 10.

North Korea has held the festival, named after the famous Korean folk song, almost annually since 2002. It features synchronized acrobatics, gymnastics, dances and flip-card mosaic animation. Performed by about 100,000 people, it is believed to be the largest gymnastics show in the world.

Read the full story below:
N. Korea wraps up Arirang gymnastics festival
Yonhap
10/20/2009

ORIGINAL POST: North Korea’s Mass Games (100,000 person gymnastics spectacle) began yesterday.

Mass Games used to be held only on special anniversaries (5, 10, 15, 60, etc.) of special holidays such as the end of the Korean War (Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War), Founding of the Worker’s Party, etc.  Since 2005 (when yours truly watched the show with Kim Jing il), however, the games have been hosted annually.

Although the themes and names of Mass Games performances have changed over the years, this specific performance called “Arirang” has been running since 2002—with slight modifications.

According to the AFP, this year the theme Kangsong Taeguk  (powerful and prosperous nation) was added to the performance. This of course reflects the policy goals the government hopes to achieve by 2012, Kim Il sung’s 100th birthday.

According to KCNA:

Extravaganza “Arirang” Starts

Pyongyang, August 11 (KCNA) — The grand gymnastic and artistic performance “Arirang” for this year started at the May Day Stadium Monday.

The creating staff and performers succeeded in re-representing the extravaganza in a brief span of time; they newly created Scene I of Act III and enriched it with fresh contents more truthfully representing the great mental power and skills of the Korean people and the appearance of the country that has undergone tremendous changes.

Among the audience were servicepersons and people from all walks of life, diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations here, foreign guests and overseas Koreans.

The performers made an impressive grand epic representation of Juche Korea that has risen high as a dignified sovereign power after putting an end to the history of the nation’s sufferings under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and the unshakable faith and will of the army and people of the DPRK to build a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation guaranteeing the eternal prosperity of the nation under the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.

The performance was highly acclaimed by the audience for presenting fantastic scenery with a good combination of dynamic mass gymnastics and graceful artistry, ever-changing peculiar background scenes, stage decor and a variety of electronic displays.

Further thoughts:
1. This is one of the few times American tourists are able to visit the country. I recommend as many Americans as possible do so.  Based on personal experience, I know that many in the DPRK do not believe the propaganda they are told about Americans.  North Korea’s third generation is now coming of age and these individuals have neither seen a military conflict with the US nor personally known a relative killed in the Korean War.  The kids in particular are very curious.

2. The western media tends to assume the motivation for the mass games is pure propaganda for both a domestic and international audience–”come and see how united our people are”.  Although this might be compelling strategy, I can’t help but to be reminded of the great economic history book by Fogel and Engerman, Time on the Cross, about slavery in the Southern United States.

In the book, the authors discuss the strategy of plantation owners to create a number of cottage industries and tasks which were not terribly economical, however, they kept the slaves occupied so they did not have time to organize or pursue other sorts of goals that could lead them to “trouble”.  I am beginning to feel the same way about the Mass Games.  Kids who are not in school are ripe for trouble-making and the development of individual pursuits, so why not keep them busy all summer producing “wholesome” goods like the mass games?

Tour Company Remote Lands has launched a luxury travel package to North Korea that is private jet optional.  According to Reuters:

“We love learning first-hand about the cultures of the world`s most remote places,” said Catherine Heald, Co-Founder & CEO of Remote Lands. “We do not engage in politics of any kind; we simply believe that tourism can promote peace and understanding between peoples at a grassroots level. North Korea is one of the most mind-blowing places I have ever been, and visiting the country is an incredibly stimulating and enlightening experience that I can`t recommend highly enough to our most intrepid clients.”

Remote Lands (www.remotelands.com) will design customized itineraries that originate at a five-star hotel in Beijing, and clients can fly either privately or commercially into the capital city of Pyongyang. They can travel all over North Korea from the gorgeous mountains in the north, where they can hike to remote Buddhist temples, to the lovely beaches of the east to the DMZ on the southern border with South Korea. They will visit awe-inspiring architecture and monuments, and attend the dazzling Mass Games extravaganza with 100,000 synchronized performers/dancers/gymnasts, held every August and September. They can also go off the beaten track and visit schools, hospitals, orphanages, farms and factories and spend time with some of DPRK`s many warm and friendly people.

Accommodations are arranged in the best hotels available, with suites specially enhanced by Remote Lands with European linens, feather pillows and duvets and other exceptional amenities. Fine food and wine will be brought in, and the best chefs will be on hand to create the most delicious Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Continental cuisine. North Korea is not for everyone, but for those adventurous few who have been almost everywhere else in the world, it is the last frontier and a real eye-opener to witness in person.

Prices for a Remote Lands luxury bespoke holiday in North Korea/China start at $1,000 per person per day.

According to their web page:

Catherine Heald just returned from a reconnaissance to North Korea that she describes as mind-blowing. She found it quite different from what she expected - much more beautiful and many of the people were very warm and friendly (although others were clearly just baffled that a blond American woman was there in their midst, for example going for a morning run with them along the lovely riverside in Pyongyang). She drove all around the country and saw villages, farms, schools, hospitals and even an orphanage. She saw the Mass Games, a dance/gymnastics extravaganza, which was a truly dazzling performance. She visited the DMZ border with South Korea, the War Museum and the USS Pueblo ship and learned a lot about the Korean War. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is the ultimate remote land, and Catherine found it to be one of the most fascinating places she has ever been.

Also Koryo Tours has sent out a newsletter with the following:

Insider information from Pyongyang tells us that the mass games - originally scheduled to finish on Sep 30th - will now be running to October 17th. This is the only time of year that Americans are able to visit the DPRK and the mass games is an event that no-one should miss! We are therefore offering our popular mini-break a third time round (3 days, 850 Euros). This is an amazing opportunity to experience the Arirang Mass Games as well as the highlights of the capital city of Pyongyang. We guarantee this will be an experience you will never forget. Koryo Tours has been running trips to North Korea for over 16 years now and is the only expert in the field.

UPDATE 9/2/2009: According to the Koryo Tours newsletter, the mass games will be extended to the 10th October–so an extra 2 weeks for Americans to visit DPRK this year.  Also, a quick mass games tour for 850 Euros will be repeated Sept. 24-26. Finally, Koryo Tours is resuming a tour of Turkmenistan this November.  I took this trip and recommend it.  Learn more about travel to Turkmenistan here.

ORIGINAL POST: Koryo Tours sent out  a newsletter highlighting an affordable trip to see the Mass Games in Pyongyang this year:

Following on from the success of our first ever mini-break, we are pleased to be able to offer you a re-run of the most affordable trip we have ever run to North Korea. This is an amazing opportunity to experience the Arirang Mass Games as well as the highlights of the capital city of Pyongyang, see what all the fuss is about this August on a journey we guarantee you will never forget. Koryo Tours has been running trips to North Korea for over 16 years now and is the only expert in the field.

-only 850 Euros all inclusive from Beijing
-3 days in North Korea
-package includes return flights from Beijing, deluxe accommodation, transportation in North Korea, entry fees, guides services, etc
-2 opportunities to see the Arirang Mass Games, literally the most amazing spectacle you will ever witness
-full itinerary in Pyongyang city, including the Juche Tower, Korean War Museum, Kim Il Sung Square, Pyongyang Metro, and much more
-meals in local restaurants
-US citizens welcome to join this tour also
-accompanied by our expert British staff and the best Korean guides available
-the maximum experience for the minimum cost
-discounts available for students, children, and groups of 3+ booking together

This tour will take place from September 24th - 26th and the deadline for booking is Monday September 14th, please get in contact if you are interested in being part of this journey of a lifetime to the country that makes the most news but still has only a trickle of western visitors per year. See it for yourself a mere 90 minutes from Beijing by plane. A fascinating, safe and unique experience is guaranteed.

Check out Koryo Tours’ web page here.

North Korea Uncovered version 18 is available.  This Google Earth overlay maps North Korea’s agriculture, aviation, cultural locations, markets, manufacturing facilities, railroad, energy infrastructure, politics, sports venues, military establishments, religious facilities, leisure destinations, and national parks.

This project has now been downloaded over 140,000 times since launching in April 2007 and received much media attention last month following a Wall Street Journal article highlighting the work.

Note: Kimchaek City is now in high resolution for the first time.  Information on this city is pretty scarce.  Contributions welcome.

Additions to this version include: New image overlays in Nampo (infrastructure update), Haeju (infrastructure update, apricot trees), Kanggye (infrastructure update, wood processing factory), Kimchaek (infrastructure update). Also, river dredges (h/t Christopher Del Riesgo), the Handure Plain, Musudan update, Nuclear Test Site revamp (h/t Ogle Earth), The International School of Berne (Kim Jong un school), Ongjin Shallow Sea Farms, Monument to  “Horizon of the Handure Plain”, Unhung Youth Power Station, Hwangnyong Fortress Wall, Kim Ung so House, Tomb of Kim Ung so, Chungnyol Shrine, Onchon Public Library, Onchon Public bathhouse, Anbyon Youth Power Stations.

Tourism:
Koryo Tours has notified the world that the DPRK will be putting on the Arirang Mass Games again this summer.  American tourists will be allowed to attend–click here to book your tour. Most other passport holders can opt for a longer visit–click here to check out the dates and locations.   I saw the mass games in 2005, and it is something I will never forget.

Humor:
Someone posted a North Korean comedy routine on Youtube.  If you have ever wondered if North Korean women wear Kim Jong il jumpers, consider the question resolved…though I am still not sure how funny it is.

PART 1, PART 2

My local Korean language expert cannot understand the dialect over the audience noise and the music, so if any viewers out there know what it is about, please post in the comments below.  Here is an older post of North Korean (and other communist) jokes.

Keeping up with the Joneses:
The Guardian published a humorous comparison between the North and South Korean ambassadors in London.  Check out the PDF here.

North Korea Uncovered v.16
Download it here

The most recent version of North Korea Uncovered (North Korea Google Earth) has been published.  Since being launched, this project has been continuously expanded and to date has been downloaded over 32,000 times.

Pictured to the left is a statue of Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This statue, as well as many others identified in this version of the project, was built by the North Koreans. According to a visitor:

From the neck down, the Kabila monument looks strangely like Kim Jong Il: baggy uniform, creased pants, the raised arm, a little book in his left hand. From the neck up, the statue is the thick, grim bald mug of Laurent Kabila (his son Joseph is the current president). “The body was made in North Korea,” explains my driver Felix. In other words, the body is Kim Jong Il’s, but with a fat, scowling Kabila head simply welded on.

This is particularly interesting because there are no known pictures of a Kim Jong il statue.  The only KJI statue that is reported to exist is in front of the National Security Agency in Pyongyang.  If a Kim Jong il statue does in fact exist, it might look something like this.

Thanks again to the anonymous contributors, readers, and fans of this project for your helpful advice and location information. This project would not be successful without your contributions.

Version 16 contains the following additions: Rakwon Machine Complex, Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory, Manpo Restaurant, Worker’s Party No. 3 Building (including Central Committee and Guidance Dept.), Pukchang Aluminum Factory, Pusan-ri Aluminum Factory, Pukchung Machine Complex, Mirim Block Factory, Pyongyang General Textile Factory, Chonnae Cement Factory, Pyongsu Rx Joint Venture, Tongbong Cooperative Farm, Chusang Cooperative Farm, Hoeryong Essential Foodstuff Factory, Kim Ki-song Hoeryong First Middle School , Mirim War University, electricity grid expansion, Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground (TSLG)” is also known as the “Musudan-ri Launching Station,” rebuilt electricity grid, Kumchang-ri suspected underground nuclear site, Wangjaesan Grand Monument, Phothae Revolutionary Site, Naedong Revolutionary Site, Kunja Revolutionary Site, Junggang Revolutionary Site, Phophyong Revolutionary Site, Samdung Revolutionary Site, Phyongsan Granite Mine, Songjin Iron and Steel Complex (Kimchaek), Swedish, German and British embassy building, Taehongdan Potato Processing Factory, Pyongyang Muyseum of Film and Theatrical Arts, Overseas Monuments built by DPRK: Rice Museum (Muzium Padi) in Malaysia, Statue de Patrice Lumumba (Kinshasa, DR Congo), National Heroes Acre (Windhoek, Namibia), Derg Monument (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), National Heroes Acre (Harare, Zimbabwe), New State House (Windhoek, Namibia), Three Dikgosi (Chiefs) Monument (Gaborone, Botswana), 1st of May Square Statue of Agostinho Neto (Luanda, Angola), Momunment Heroinas Angolas (Luanda, Angola), Monument to the Martyrs of Kifangondo Battle (Luanda, Angola), Place de l’étoile rouge, (Porto Novo, Benin), Statue of King Béhanzin (Abomey, Benin), Monument to the African Renaissance (Dakar, Senegal), Monument to Laurent Kabila [pictured above] (Kinshasa, DR Congo).

According to a recent email from Koryo Tours, the DPRK plans to repeat the Arirang Mass Games performance in August-September (and possibly October). According to the email:

We have been informed by our partners in Pyongyang that they fully expect the Mass Games of 2009 to go ahead during the period of August to September (and possibly on into October as usually happens), this news is not totally confirmed (we will keep you updated) but we have full confidence that the event will take place and as a result are scheduling tours to witness this spectacular performance in the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea.

For those of you who have travelled with us before do drop us a line as we can arrange a ’second timers’ tour to include new tour sites. During the Mass Games period we have trips to the east cost (North Korea’s Costa del Sol) and to Mount Paekdu and Mount Chilbo.
 
American tourists will also be welcome in North Korea at this time of the year (US citizens can only obtain tourist visas when the Mass Games are on) and so as usual we have designed a full range of tours specifically for Americans. As with previous years the DPRK will likely enforce a time limit on US tours of 4 nights and also restrict American tourists to only enter and depart the country by plane, if however the opportunity to stay longer and to take the international train arises we will of course alter our tours to allow that option to be taken by anyone who wants it.

If you are interested in touring the DPRK this summer, visit the Koryo Tours web site here.  They also offer a tour of Turkmensitan which is worthwhile!

North Korea Uncovered: Version 12
Download it here

About this Project: This map covers North Korea’s agriculture, aviation, cultural locations, markets, manufacturing facilities, energy infrastructure, political facilities, sports venues, military establishments, religious facilities, leisure destinations, national parks, shipping, mining, and railway infrastructure. It is continually expanding and undergoing revisions. This is the 12th version.

Additions include: Tongch’ang-dong launch facility overlay (thanks to Mr. Bermudez), Yongbyon overlay with destroyed cooling tower (thanks to Jung Min Noh), “The Barn” (where the Pueblo crew were kept), Kim Chaek Taehung Fishing Enterprise, Hamhung University of education, Haeju Zoo, Pyongyang: Kim il Sung Institute of Politics, Polish Embassy, Munsu Diplomatic Store, Munsu Gas Station, Munsu Friendship Restaurant, Mongolian Embassy, Nigerian Embassy, UN World Food Program Building, CONCERN House, Czech Republic Embassy, Rungnang Cinema, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, Pyongyang Number 3 Hospital, Electric Machines Facotry, Bonghuajinlyoso, Second National Academy of Sciences, Central Committee Building, Party Administration Building, Central Statistics Bureau, Willow Capital Food House, Thongounjong Pleasure Ground, Onpho spa, Phipa Resort Hotel, Sunoni Chemical Complex (east coast refinery), Ponghwa Chemical complex (west coast refinery), Songbon Port Revolutionary Monument, Hoeryong People’s Library, Pyongyang Monument to the anti Japanese martyrs, tideland reclamation project on Taegye Island. Additionally the electricity grid was expanded and the thermal power plants have been better organized. Additional thanks to Ryan for his pointers.

I hope this map will increase interest in North Korea. There is still plenty more to learn, and I look forward to receiving your contributions to this project.

Version 12 available: Download it here

According to a recent update from Koryo Tours, this year’s mass games have been extended through October 10th, which is the 63rd Party Founding Day.

This might be the last time for Americans to visit Pyongyang until 2012.