North Korean Economy Watch

Since the New York Times just published an interesting account of the Pyongyang Restaurant in Siem Reap, I thought I would write a quick post about my recent trip to the North Korean Restaurant in Vientiane, Laos (평양식당)–my first North Korean restaurant experience outside of the DPRK.

The restaurant is located just a couple of blocks from one of Vientiane’s most popular landmarks, Wat Pha That Luang:

I arrived at the restaurant on December 28, 2011, the date of Kim Jong-il’s funeral.  I was eager to see if the restaurant would be doing anything special to mark the occasion…and they did: they were closed for the week.  A sign on the door read in English and Lao something close to “Apologies, but we are closed for five days”.

As I stood at the front door reading the “closed” sign, one of the waitresses walked out and offered to serve me a drink in the adjacent outdoor seating area (where the grills are located). I accepted.

In what I believe was perfect Korean (sarcasm here), I asked if they served Taedonggang Beer.  But they only served “Beer Lao” (Which is just about the only beer you can get in the country—fortunately it is a tasty one). As I enjoyed my drink, I asked the waitress if the restaurant was closed because of the General’s death, and she made a sad face and nodded her head. So I finished my drink, paid, and continued on with my vacation.

On January 9, 2012, I returned to the restaurant for a proper meal. When I walked into the restaurant I felt like I was back in the DPRK. The decorations and smell came rushing back to memory.

There were no overt signs of propaganda in the restaurant—likely because the bulk of the customers are South Koreans.  The only subtle symbol that could be construed as propaganda would be the pictures of Mt. Paektu.  These, however, would likely be interpreted as just a symbol of Korea to the South Korean patrons. Mt. Paekdu was featured outside on a big sign posted to the front of the building and inside on a smaller painting…right next to the restaurant’s Christmas tree. The wall decoration and paintings primarily featured pictures of Korean landscapes, crashing waves, women in hanboks and of course Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper and Mona Lisa.

Surprisingly the menu featured several Tangogi (“Sweet” Dog meat) dishes. It was surprising to me because the Laotians  do not eat dog. But they probably do not eat here much either if only because of the prices. I ordered a Tofu and kimchi dish as a starter and topped it off with some Pyongyang cold noodles and Ryongthongsul (령통술) Soju (from Kaesong).

Of course there was dancing and karaoke as well:

The waitress/performers opened with Arirang, but then sang a couple of songs that the Chinese and South Koreans seemed to know.  I was also able to recognize “Pangap Sunmida” and “Whiperan”.  I requested a song but they just laughed and said no. I guess my tastes are out of date–even in North Korea.

Eventually I was invited to sing a karaoke song as well.  In tribute to Shane Smith, I thought about singing the Sex Piltols’ “Anarchy in the UK”, but I was just too tired and not interested in making a scene.

Before I left, I asked the waitresses where they went to university. They attended the Pyongyang University of Music and Dance (평양음악무용대학)–which was rencetly refurbished:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
1. I have marked many of the DPRK’s restaurants on Google Earth, but not all of them. If you visit one, or know where one is, please let me know.

2. I have posted many articles on the DPRK’s domestic, joint venture,  and international restaurants.  You can read them here.

Although these are historic times in the DPRK, I am taking advantage of the holiday season to go “off-the-grid”.

Blogging will resume in mid-January.

I wish you a happy holiday season and a peaceful new year.

-Curtis

I did not always agree with Mr. Hitchens, but I did always enjoy reading his articles.  Being a resident of the DC area, I also had the chance to speak to him several times about the DPRK.

Here is the article he wrote for Vanity Fair after visiting.

Pictured above (Google Earth): The Pyongyang – Nampho road (in yellow) and the Youth Hero Motorway (in orange).

UPDATE 1 (2011-11-29): KCNA has published pictures of the road construction, so it must be continuing apace!

ORIGINAL POST (2011-8-25): According to Yonhap (North Korea Newsletter No. 172–August 25, 2011):

Premier Choe Yong-rim Visits Pyongyang-Nampho Roadwork Sites

SEOUL (Yonhap) — North Korean Premier Choe Yong-rim made spot inspections on Pyongyang-Nampho roadwork sites and discussed with workers ways to provide raw materials for the project, the North’s media said on Aug. 22.

“After going round various places of the project, he held a consultative meeting of officials concerned on the spot,” the KCNA said.

The KCNA also said that “discussed at the meeting were the measures for finishing the project on the highest level in a brief span of time and substantially supplying raw materials for the project at relevant fields.”

Earlier, the Rodong Sinmun, the official organ of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, on Aug. 18 said repair work of the Pyongyang-Nampho old road is now under way at a faster pace.

Premier Choe has been making brisk inspections on industrial facilities and other economic sectors so far this year.

It is worth pointing out for the new readers that the Pyongyang – Nampho road is not the same thing as the Youth Hero Motorway, which was opened in 2000. Since the motorway opened, however, it appears the original Pyongyang – Nampho road has fallen into some disrepair–requiring repairs.

The original Pyongyang – Nampho road is a bit more “industrial” and “practical” than the Youth Hero Motorway.  The latter extends from Kwangbok Street in Mangyongday-guyok to northern Nampho via the countryside.  It is five lanes in both directions and runs in a kinked straight line.  Because it falls outside any densely populated areas (outside its beginning and end), however,  it is largely empty–serving only through traffic.

The original road, however, stretches from Mangyongdae to Nampho along the Taedong River and through the industrial areas of northern Nampho. It connects populated areas of the Chollima Steel Complex, Taedonggang Tile Factory, Taean Heavy Machine Plant, and Taean Friendship Glass Factory before connecting with the Youth Motor Highway just north of the Pyonghwa Motors Factory.

The attempt to break into computers of North Korea-watchers across the globe continues.  I have been documenting such cases for over a year now. See a history of these efforts here. Below I have posted the most recent efforts (three of them) that have been forwarded to me:

Here is the first malicious email:

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: KoreaSociety  <koreasociety@hotmail.co.kr>
To: [DELETED]
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:24:44 +0000
Subject: Dinner Party

When you click on the “View Invite”, however, you are linking to “desk.reutersnetwork.com/FYI/Inviteviewer.hta”.  This is not a friendly link!

Here is the email header for this email:

Return-Path:
Received: from col0-omc4-s4.col0.hotmail.com (col0-omc4-s4.col0.hotmail.com [65.55.34.206])
by mtain-de02.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with ESMTP id 028C83800009C
for [DELETED]; Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:24:45 -0500 (EST)
Received: from COL110-W1 ([65.55.34.200]) by col0-omc4-s4.col0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.4675);
Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:24:44 -0800
Message-ID: Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary=”_ad1f38f0-b70b-449b-8fe6-1bc6b8b11d2b_”
X-Originating-IP: [121.140.196.242]
From: KoreaSociety
To: [DELETED]
Subject: Dinner Party
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:24:44 +0000
Importance: Normal
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 25 Nov 2011 07:24:44.0745 (UTC) FILETIME=[4E0BB390:01CCAB43]
x-aol-global-disposition: G
x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d40ca4ecf42bd7ab9
X-AOL-IP: 65.55.34.206
X-AOL-SPF: domain : hotmail.co.kr SPF : pass

Here is the second malicious email:

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Allen Gross <allen.gross@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 3:26 PM
Subject: FW:Great Leader,Kim Il Sung:commemorating the “Day of the Sun”
To: [DELETED]

I am forwarding the feature column : “Great Leader – Kim Il Sung”
This is written to commemorate the “Day of the Sun”.
I put a high valuation on contents of this column.
I was deeply moved at this writing.
You can read the column on the link below.

The Great Leader – Kim Il Sung, commemorating the “Day of the Sun”

I wonder what you think about this writing.
Thanks.

regards.

Here is the third malicious email (which came through as a bunch of Russian gibberish):

From: Minaji Tracker <minaji.tracker@hotmail.com>
To: <afostercarter@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:06:29 +0000
Subject: KORUS FTA
жп╧ЦмЬ╠╠Ў╘11тб30хуоШо╒ Ўщжп╧ЗжўиЫ║Іх╚гР╩╙сО╧Ц╡╔мЬ║Ї
╠╗╣юё╛ЄРтрс╒╧Зй╧╧щё╛Їыиус╒╧З╧ЗфЛё╛ҐыЁжмБҐ╩╧ыт╠
║ґ║ґраюйиоящ║╟╨зи╚пгфзІЧ║╠║ёвРлЛё╗29хуё╘╟ЬмМё╛раюййвІ╪╣б╨з
ю╪йЩгїцШ╦ъпёяїиЗ╨мцЯжзё╛тзс╒╧ЗвєраюйЄСй╧╧щцег╟ЎыппйЎмЧ╩НІ╞ё╛©╧рИ
с╒╧ЗуЧ╦ўҐЭфзІтраюй╡их║╣╔╠ъжф╡цЄКй╘║ёйЩйўцШраюйЄСяїиЗгИпВ╪єІ╞╣ьЄЁхКс
╒╧ЗЄСй╧╧щё╛Їыиус╒╧З╧ЗфЛ╡╒тр╩╣╧щдзиХ╠╦║ёоЙо╦гИ©Жё╛нрцгюЄа╛оъжп╧З╧З╪
й╧Ц╡╔╣Гл╗вєраюй╪гуъбчюЄ╟╡║ё
жВЁжхкё╨бчюЄ╟╡ё╛ҐИиэр╩об╣╠лЛобнГраюй

ЄСяїиЗЁЕхКс

The phrase “ЄСяїиЗЁЕхКс” links to “private.neao.biz/FYI/debate.hta”

Here is the email header data:

Return-Path:
Received: from col0-omc4-s11.col0.hotmail.com (col0-omc4-s11.col0.hotmail.com [65.55.34.213])
by mtain-de01.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with ESMTP id 0F6C63800008A
for ; Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:06:30 -0500 (EST)
Received: from COL106-W22 ([65.55.34.200]) by col0-omc4-s11.col0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.4675);
Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:06:29 -0800
Message-ID: Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary=”_4505d9f9-d2ee-4e0b-8ee8-1d1bcae4a079_”
X-Originating-IP: [112.169.23.105]
From: Minaji Tracker
To: [DELETED]
Subject: KORUS FTA
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:06:29 +0000
Importance: Normal
In-Reply-To: References:
,,,, MIME-Version: 1.0
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 30 Nov 2011 07:06:29.0460 (UTC) FILETIME=[95453940:01CCAF2E]
x-aol-global-disposition: G
x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d40c94ed5d5f647c6
X-AOL-IP: 65.55.34.213
X-AOL-SPF: domain : hotmail.com SPF : pass

If you see either of these emails, or variations of them, please do not click on the link.  Send them (and the email headers) to me to post so others can be on the lookout.

As is well known at this point, DPRK researchers, journalists, aid workers, business partners, etc. have all been targeted by similar attempts to hack into their computers.  I have posted many, though not all of the emails that have targeted me or were sent to me by other individuals (see here, here, and here). The attacks are not targeted at individuals in any specific geographic region or individuals of any specific political persuasion.  I have recently been made aware of two more recent attacks (including one this week).  They are posted below for your edification.  Please keep an eye out for similar emails.

Email 1:

—————————
From: She Hui <shehui21@aol.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 5:37 PM
Subject: [interview request]This is Shehui from eChinaDaily.
To: [DELETED]

Dear Sir,
My name is Shehui, from eChinaDaily news.
I would like to interview with you as a feature story.
Would you have some time to do a short interview?
You can review the interview topics with attachments.
I’m looking forward to getting your reply.
Thanks.

Warm regards,Shehui

—————————

The attachment is a PDF document called “interview.pdf”.  The document is blank, but it contains embedded javascript  that uses the Adobe reader to download a packet to your computer.

Email 2:

—————————
From: Grace lee
Sent: Mon, Sep 5, 2011 1:09 PM
Subject: 2011 DPRK economy trend and society report
To: [DELETED]

Dear Boris,
Service completed, please refer to attached service report and details.
Best Regards,

Grace lee
================================================================
DISCLAIMER: This e-mail and attachments there to are intended for the sole use of the recipient(s) named above and may contain information that is confidential and/or proprietary to the nkorea. Any use of the information contained herein (including, but not limited to, total or partial reproduction, communication, or dissemination in any form) by persons other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it immediately.
Company Registration No.: 2011090561E
================================================================

—————————
The attachment is labeled “2011 DPRK report.zip”. I have been unable to determine how this one operates.

Below is some short, light North Korea fare for the holiday weekend (in the USA).

1. Kim Jong-il’s Train

The title “First peek into Kim Jong-il’s train” in a recent JoongAng-Ilbo article (later picked up by the Choson Ilbo) kind of irked me since I posted pictures and video (viewed over 8,000 times) of Kim Jong-il’s train back in May. The article claims such glimpses are rare, but this is not the case.  The train has been prominently featured in all the documentaries of Kim Jong-il’s trips for decades.  I have uploaded six different videos of Kim Jong-il’s train to YouTube which have been released over the years.  You can see them all: here, here, here, here, here and here.

2. Ultimate Frisbee

Pictured above: Taesongsan Park–site of the DPRK’s first ultimate frisbee tourney

Koryo Tours, which sponsored the DPRK’s first cricket match (2008) and first golf tournament (2005), recently wrapped up the country’s first ultimate frisbee tournament. Pictures available on Facebook.

3. Picture Guessing Game

What is in this box behind Kim Jong-il?

What is inside the sleeve of this security agent guarding Kim Jong-il?

4. Early Korea in Film

A reader sent me an hour-long documentary of Korea shot by German monks in the early 1900s. Fantastic footage.  You can watch the whole piece here.

Pictured above (Left) a screenshot from video footage shot in Korea in the early 1900s. The building is the Jangan Temple (장안사) in Kumgangsan. On the right is a Google Earth satellite image of where the temple used to stand before it was destroyed in the Korean War.

5. North Koreans frolicking by the pool

Since the summer has officially come to an end, I thought I would cap it off with this video of North Koreans playing in the water.

I have documented two previous waves of malicious email attacks intended to hack the computers of just about everyone (really!) that has anything to do with the DPRK.  See these posts here and here.

Well, I recently received two more examples of malicious emails from someone in the “North Korea community”. The email information is below for your review.  If you receive similar emails, please send them to me to make public and make sure to include the “email header data”.

Email 1:

From: Howard Thompson [mailto:h.thompson62@hotmail.com]
Sent: 23 August 2011 09:39
To: [deleted]
Subject: Photos-North Korea’s new Nuclear Facilities

Recently, I get photos about North Korea’s new Nuclear Facilities through an unofficial channel.
These are extra photos caught on satellite besides existing nuclear installations.
You can view these pictures on the link below.

View Photos : NKorea’s Nuclear Facilities

Thanks.

regards.

The section of the email “View Photos : NKorea’s Nuclear Facilities ” points to: htp://dailyissue.net/satellite/photoviewer.hta (I deleted an “h” in the address to prevent accidentally linking to the site)

Email 2:

From: Howard Thompson [h.thompson62@hotmail.com]
Sent: 29 August 2011 09:43
To: [deleted]
Subject: FW:RE:Photos-North Korea’s new Nuclear Facilities

According to responses of some members, the pictures are not available on the link I gave you indicated.
To view them properly, we must first install software through the link below which will allow you to open the image files.

Install PhotoViewer Program

————————————————————————————

Recently, I get photos about North Korea’s new Nuclear Facilities through an unofficial channel.
These are extra photos caught on satellite besides existing nuclear installations.
You can view these pictures on the link below.

View Photos : NKorea’s Nuclear Facilities

Thanks.

regards.

The section of the email labeled “Install PhotoViewer Program” links to: htp://support-forum.org/software/setup_photo.exe (I deleted an “h” in the address to prevent accidentally linking to the site)

The  section of the email labeled “View Photos : NKorea’s Nuclear Facilities” links to: htp://dailyissue.net/satellite/photoviewer.hta (I deleted an “h” in the address to prevent accidentally linking to the site)

Go get them, folks!

Below (NASA): August 13, 2011 – Tropical Storm Muifa (11W) over China and Korea

Click image above for larger version

According to NASA:

This image was captured at 15:10 UTC (12:10 a.m. in Seoul), and shows the center of circulation touching the North Korean coast. On July 30, Muifa, which had begun as a low pressure center on July 23, had strengthened to a Category 5 Super Typhoon, with maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour (260 kilometer/h). On August 7, the maximum sustained winds had dropped to 60 mph (100 km/h) as the storm rapidly weakened before striking land. After Muifa made landfall the next day, the winds dropped to 46 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Despite the weakening trend and lower wind speeds, the storm caused significant damage in North Korea, killing at least 10 people, damaging over 2,000 acres of farmland, and harming more than 100 homes, according to the state-run news agency KCNA. In China, news agencies reported the storm caused about 3 billion yuan ($466 million) in damage, and affected 1.74 million local residents in Shanghai and neighboring provinces.

UPDATE 1 (2011-8-17): The recently sanctioned bank denies it has ties to Iran and the DPRK. According to Lebanon’s Daily Star:

The Lebanese subsidiary of a Syrian bank sanctioned by the United States denied on Wednesday “unfounded political allegations” that it dealt with North Korea and Iran.

“Since the establishment of our institution, we have never had any operation with either a North Korean or an Iranian entity even before the existing sanctions,” the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank said.

“As a result, we deny all accusation of being involved in any illegal activity with any suspected country,” a statement added.

The United States Treasury has charged that the state-owned Commercial Bank of Syria allegedly supported Syria and North Korea’s efforts to spread weapons of mass destruction.

Washington last week imposed sanctions on the bank, the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank and telecoms company Syriatel over President Bashar al-Assad’s increasingly brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

The move freezes the US assets of the businesses targeted and prohibits US entities from engaging in any business dealings with the two banks.

ORIGINAL POST (2011-8-14): The US has sanctioned a Syrian Bank for its involvement in DPRK proliferation activities.  According to Yonhap:

The Treasury Department said the Commercial Bank of Syria has provided financial services to North Korea’s Tanchon Commercial Bank and Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center, both of which were blacklisted for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Syrian bank’s Lebanon-based subsidiary, Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank, and Syriatel, the largest mobile phone operator in Syria, were also sanctioned under Wednesday’s measure.

“By exposing Syria’s largest commercial bank as an agent for designated Syrian and North Korean proliferators, and by targeting Syria’s largest mobile phone operator for being controlled by one of the regime’s most corrupt insiders, we are taking aim at the financial infrastructure that is helping provide support to (President Bashar) Asad and his regime’s illicit activities,” Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen said in a press release.

The Commercial Bank of Syria also holds an account for Tanchon Commercial Bank, the primary financial agent for the Korea Mining Development Corp., North Korea’s premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons, according to the department.

The U.S. is stepping up efforts to isolate the Assad regime amid its brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.

NTI has additional information here.

Other DPRK-Syria stories below:
1. Syria and the DPRK collaborated on the construction of Syria’s nuclear facility which was destroyed in 2007 by an Israeli air strike.

2. According to Joshua Pollock, over the last decade the DPRK and Syria have cooperated on missile development.

3. The UNSC was investigating a shipment of North Korean chemical safety suits to Syria.

4. Syria’s Tishreen War Museum was designed and built by North Koreans!