North Korea Documentary: See The Real North Korea In This Full Documentary

For many years North Korea has been considered a closed country, and there is little knowledge in the world about its people and the way they live. What they eat, what they drink, what they wear and what they have in their minds. I am Alexey Yaroshevsky and I’m going to tell you in this special report. The camera spots a smiling North Korean girl. She is enjoying an intimate moment with her boyfriend in a Pyongyang park. It is quiet and peaceful here, just like it is in the rest of the country nowadays. But it hasn’t always been this way. The Korean War in the 1950s left the country in ruins, especially in the north, where many historic sites were devastated by bombs. Pyongyang also suffered greatly. The United States dropped 428,000 bombs on its 400,000 population. Official North Korean history credits this man, Kim Il-sung, with the country’s subsequent rise from the ashes. Fifty years ago this young and energetic politician had overwhelming support. His speeches at demonstrations attracted hundreds of thousands. Whether it really was Kim Il-sung who brought the country back to life is still debatable, but the North Koreans claim he created an economic system which revived the country within just one decade. In order to encourage the people to work harder the government had to find a hero. So it looked to a legend for the answer. PTC: One ancient Korean myth tells about a wild horse named chulima. It had wings and could cover 500 meters in just one leap. Not a single rider on earth could tame that stallion, so frustrated churlime decided to look elsewhere. He made one final giant leap which took him straight to heaven. This is the monument to Churlima rising above Pyongyang. It symbolizes North Korea’s resurrection. The first 5-year economic plan of 1956 was called the Churlima course. And it did have a positive effect. Up until the late 1970s North Korea was economically ahead of its southern neighbor. Regeneration programs were carried out at swift pace. Now Pyongyang is reminiscent of Moscow in the early 1970s – a period seen as the golden age of socialism. It’s an eclectic mix of the old and the new. High-rise buildings rub shoulders with traditional oriental houses and pagodas. Pyongyang is probably one of the cleanest capitals in the world. There is hardly any litter on the streets. And despite the fact that Kim Il-sung died in 1994 it still feels like he is alive in the hearts and minds of the people of Pyongyang. Pictures, posters and statues can be seen just about everywhere. The public continues to have endless respect for the late leader. He has become something of a legend as did Vladimir Lenin in the Soviet Union. Maybe this explains why there is a portrait of the soviet leader overlooking the central square in Pyongyang. Quite often Kim Il-sung is depicted along with his son, the country’s current leader Kim Jong-il. The two even have flowers named after them: pink Kim Il-sung-hua and red Kim Jong-il-hua. They were gifts from Indonesia and Japan respectively. Many tourist attractions in North Korea are related to the “eternal” president, which is how Kim Il-sung is described here. Even the house where he was born in Nam-ri, Gopyung District has been turned intro a memorial. North Korea also has a tremendous amount of the museums and monuments. It takes special pride in them. But this is probably one of the most sacred places – the Museum of Friendship in the town of Johanon. Opening the main doors which weigh in at a mammoth four tons is quite a task. It’s called a museum but in reality it’s an enormous treasury of gifts to North Korean leaders from all over the world, from ancient vases and statues to guns. PTC: This collection is one of its kind in the world. There are 200 holds in this museum, and over 160,000 items are on display. They were sent form 170 countries of the world, including the former Soviet Union. Like this gift from Joseph Stalin to Kim Il-sung, a bullet-proof ZIS vehicle. It’s 100% hand built and just a few were produced in the Soviet Union for top-ranking politicians. Here it stands alongside other motorized masterpieces all donated by Soviet leaders and ministers. But this is an exhibition with a difference – Pyongyang’s Museum of Liberation, a true storeroom for war machines. You can see dozens of Soviet trucks, guns, tanks and airplanes. Before and after the Korean War the USSR supplied large amounts of armory to the socialist north. The museum also has space for the trophies of war. Here stand the remains of aircraft, nearly destroyed American AD-2 bombers. The rusty skeletons serve to remind visitors about the horrors of the battlefield. But some military relics in Pyongyang are still in good condition. PTC: In January 1968, a US ship called USS Pueblo was allegedly gathering intel in north Korean waters. Suddenly it was detected by the radars. Shots were fired in the open sea and after few hours of chase the ship and its crew were detained by authorities. That incident nearly sparked another wave of confrontations between the United States and North Korea. After 11 months in North Korean prisons the crew was released and came back home. But the ship has never been returned. Here it is. Thirty-nine years have passed, but Pueblo is still here in Pyongyang. Pak In Ho was in command during the US’s Pueblo’s capture. He remembers everything that happened that night. SOUNDBITE: Pak In Ho, USS Pueblo guide (speaking Korean): “We requested that the ship, which was disguised as a research vessel, be taken to one of our ports for check and search. If refused and attempted to make its escape. We fired a warning shot but the ship started firing back at us. We had to reply with gunfire. There we can see that some of our bullets hit the target. The ship’s crew gave themselves up eventually. But one sailor continued to resist and was shot dead.” [06:58-07:25] Now the USS Pueblo has become one of Pyongyang’s tourist attractions and hundreds come here every day to see it. It now has changed its name. It’s a part o f a memorial complex called A Monument to a Great Anti-Imperialism Victory. Why only a part? Because recently the site was expanded. PTC: This is the most recent addition to the memorial. Might look like a torpedo but North Koreans claim it’s a sophisticated spy mechanism which belonged to the United States. And they say it was captured only two years ago in North Korean waters. Now the country’s relations with the West, the US in particular, are still far from being smooth. [Black field 08:05-08:26] The Bush administration has repeatedly expressed concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program. The US president even described it as an axis of evil. Six-party talks are making the peninsula a nuclear weapon-free zone have been held a number of times. But so far a general consensus of agreement has not been reached over the issue. SOUNDBITE Roahld Savelyev, Center for Korean research (speaking Russian): “While the US and other Western powers have a whole range of means of influence on Pyongyang, diplomatic, political, economic and even military, North Korea has none of those. And it keeps on pointing at what it believes is pressure from the West. The only way they can show the resistance is through saber rattling. [08:26-08:50] In July 2006, North Korea test-launched tapedong-1 and tapedong-2 ballistic missiles putting the whole world on edge. [Black field 08:59-09:06] The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting and signed a resolution condemning the nuclear testing. North Korea rejected the move, however, saying the launch was simply a part of everyday self-defense training. On October 9, 2006, the tension escalated. North Korea claimed it has successfully tested a nuclear bomb at an abandoned mine in the north-east of the country. Experts say the device was equivalent to five hundred metric tons of explosives. That’s at least 30 times less powerful as the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Meteorologists also say no major radiation leak has been detected. [Black field 09:40-10:02] However, the international community, including Russia, condemned North Korea’s actions. The UN Security Council passed a resolution to impose sanctions on Pyongyang demanding it curbs its nuclear activities. The measures that have been taken include military trade blockades to visa bans, and all have serious implications. SOUNDBITE Roahld Savelyev, Center for Korean research (speaking Russian): “Now it seems unlikely that relations between North Korea and the West could return to normal. With the new sanctions imposed against Pyongyang, North Korea refused to take part in the six-party talks. Many believe this is the only reasonable way out of the situation. But I believe that after the reported nuclear test it could take years for the different sides involved to return to negotiations.” [10:02-10:31] Another ongoing foreign policy issue is North Korea’s relations with its southern neighbor. The armistice reached by the two in 1953 is still in place, but the permanent peace treaty is yet to be signed. The countries are seen as still being at war. This is where negotiations are held and where gunshots are also sometimes heard – the Pyongyangjon border post. It is better known as the 38th parallel. The demilitarized zone, or the DMZ, is demarked by a stark concrete wall, similar to a one being built in Israel. Here guards keep watch 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on both sides. UPSOT (in Korean): “This scheme shows how the wall splits the peninsula from here to there. It’s 240 km long and even cuts through rivers and lakes. It means even fish and animals can’t cross the border, not to mention the people.” [11:11-11:22] But just a few kilometers away is the city of Kaesong. Many centuries ago it was the capital of the ancient Korea Empire. Now ironically many call it a glimmer of hope for the two sides to reach a peaceful means of reunification. UPSOT [promo clip, in English]: “A new millennium has arrived, a new dream will come true. Stand at the center of the economy of the Far East, unite the South and the North. The dream is coming true, at Kaesong industrial park.” This is a promo clip of the Kaesong industrial park, the first major collaborative economic project between North and South Korea. Located north of the DMZ, it has direct road and rail access to Seoul. Its construction started in June 2003 and a year later the industrial park was opened. Now more than 30 South Korean companies are building factories here, which will produce goods from shoes, clothes and watches to machinery. This is what it’s going to look like on its projected completion in 2012. It’s expected to employ up to 700,000 people. SOUNDBITE Yu Nam Reel, worker, Kaesong industrial park (speaking Korean): “After two years of work we have done a lot. And this job is a massive opportunity for the people working here. The salaries here are good.” [12:38-12:47] It is a good move for both sides. Cheap labor in the South, a revitalized economy in the North. The estimated profit margin is billions of US dollars. The Kaesong industrial park is just one sign of the changing times, that North Korea is becoming more open. Another is that recently the country eased its strict visa regime. Now tourists from all over the world can easily come here. Meet Malia Evere. She is a human right activist from San Francisco. She came here on what she describes as a business and leisure tour. Malia believes that North Korea is one of the world’s hidden gems. SOUNDBITE Malia Evere, Global exchange group (speaking English): “As a North American you’re always talking about…you hear about US aggression, and the stances against North Korea. It reverses a lot of the imagery and discourse that you hear, you hear a lot of things about ‘Oh, the evil North Koreans’ and all of a sudden you see these beautiful people and the beautiful landscape, very peaceful.” [13:33-13:50] UPSOT (in Russian): “Welcome to my home!” Vika Tkacheva is 18-years-old. She is Russian and comes from the Voronezh region. Vika probably doesn’t quite realize it yet, but she has become something of a celebrity in Pyongyang. She is the only foreign student studying in the capital who has what are considered to be European routes. Her grandfather worked here half of a century ago and inspired her to come to North Korea. Now Vika is working hard, learning Korean from scratch, so she can enter Pyongyang Pedagogical University next year. Watching Disney cartoons in Korean is just one way of learning the language. SOUNDBITE Vika Tkacheva, Russian student (speaking Russian): “When I came here I knew nothing about this country. At first it was very hard – the complicated language, the different reality, I had to communicate using gestures, but now I’m being treated well here. Fellow students help me a lot. And to me this place is much better than I thought it would be.” [14:31-14:50] Students at the country’s numerous universities and institutes study day and night. Like these laborers from rural parts of the country pouring over textbooks in Pyongyang Central Library. And it has become much easier to study now, as students use computers with internet access. Sung Chang Pa is a fifth-year student at Pyongyang’s Polytechnic University. She believes her education gives certain guaranties and that she will get a good job when she graduates. SOUNDBITE Sung Chang Pa, student (speaking Korean): “It’s not a secret that we are living in a high-technology world and you have to learn how to work with it to survive. I’ll become an IT-engineer to graduations, and I know that people in my profession are increasingly in demand every year.” [15:20-15:34] North Korea is one of the few countries were the Pioneers movement still lives on. For any years it also existed in the Soviet Union. It’s a children’s organization which prepares them for the outside world. They join at the age of nine. The children are taught to walk in straight lines, and wear red ties, which is a distinctive feature of the organization. The Pioneers meet after school in different social groups. This is where their love of the arts is being fostered. And every month they perform concerts like this one. But this is a top artistic achievement for each and every one of these youngsters – the Arirang Festival held every year on August 15. It takes place at Pyongyang’s May Day stadium, one of the largest in Asia. More than 100,000 people stage a spectacular dance after months of rehearsals. Each part of the festival represents a certain period of Korean history. The dancers wear diverse traditional costumes, which all differ in some way. As in education and public performances the North Koreans are hard workers across the board. They have managed to execute an extremely difficult task of building an underground system in Pyongyang. The capital’s hilly landscape was just one stumbling block which had to be overcome. The workers literally had to dig through solid rock to create the tunnels. Now the two-line metro has become one of the most popular modes of public transport. However, its passenger turnover isn’t that high. PTC: Pyongyang’s underground looks just like in Moscow. It’s spacey and very clean. There is only one difference: it’s not as heavily crowded during the rush hour and I’m about to take a ride. The experience was pleasant. The trains are well air-conditioned, and it was also easy to find a seat. But many Koreans prefer to travel above ground. Cars are seen as a luxury here, so thousands use pedal power to get around. Bicycles have become very popular in North Korea during the last decade. Besides, they are affordable. A good Chinese bike costs between 10 and 30 euros. And those people who steer four-wheeled iron horses are lucky enough not to get stuck in traffic jams. Pyongyang’s roads are wide, but they are not filled with cars. PTC: Even though traffic in Pyongyang is not really congested, it still needs to be regulated. And this is the job of these beauties. They are probably the most attractive women in the whole of North Korea, and they are standing like this on the streets of Pyongyang throughout the day in any weather conditions. Every half hour they swap shifts and it looks like a pompous ceremony. Their moves are sharp, the outfits elegant. As for everyday life North Koreans are quite conservative when it comes to clothes. The men are dressed like this man: smart trousers, usually black, topped with white T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt, or they wear a tidy suit like this one, which is common in this part of the world. The North Koreans say they are good all year around, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Women’s clothing is also quite plain, except for holidays and high days when they put on colorful traditional outfits which have some similarities with those worn in Japan. But there is one attribute which definitely belongs to North Korea. PTC: This is not a souvenir, and you cannot buy it in a shop. In fact, it’s practically impossible for a foreigner to get one. It’s a limited edition badge of Kim Il-sung. It is given to every North Korean over 18-years-old and the whole nation wears this badge here, on the left side of the chest, closer to the heart, symbolizing their eternal respect for the leader. A few years ago people wanted to make similar badges form images of Kim Jong-il, but the leader rejected the idea. As for the food, it’s traditional Asian cuisine: spicy noodles and different types of meat. In recent years a large number of restaurants have opened in Pyongyang to suit all tastes. They cover an entire culinary palette: European, African and oriental dishes. PTC: I’m now dining out in one of Pyongyang’s best steak houses, it has quite an impressive menu, I’m having a hard time selecting a dish. I think I’ll go for the grilled beef. It looks like an ordinary steak, but they told me they have a special way of preparing it. Barely five minutes had passed before a waitress arrived with a plate with the sliced raw beef, lit a small burner at the center of the table and cooked it right in front of me. The result was surprisingly delicious. PTC: Okay, I’m taking this little piece of the beef from the stove, they say it comes best with sauce, so let’s try it. When it comes to alcohol, North Koreans do not seem to be a nation of drinkers. They do have their own brands of spirits, like this one made from real snakes, but they are not really that popular. It’s good old beer which they consume the most. The Tadungan brewery is the country’s leading beer-maker. It produces 7 million liters a year, monopolizing 60% of the North Korean market. Modern brewing technology combined with years of experience. Most of the factory staff trained in St. Petersburg, Russia’s northern capital. PTC: This is Pyongyang’s finest lager, and it just came from the brewery. I think I’m about to try it. But Pyongyang just like the rest of North Korea does not boast a thriving bar scene. Most restaurants close at 10 in the evening, and there’s practically nowhere to go on a Friday night. But this does not seem to pose too many problems. People have found other ways of entertaining themselves. Pyongyang is called the city of parks, and it certainly lives up to its name. There are more than 20 in the capital. People visit them to play games. And what can be better than having a rest in the midst of such stunning scenery. Those who prefer more active ways of spending their leisure time do have somewhere to go. The Golden Lane bowling club. It meets all standards. It’s huge and relatively cheap. PTC: This club has as many as 40 lanes and it’s always packed with people. Thanks to this place bowling has become one of the most popular sports in Pyongyang. Well, I wasn’t in form this time to hit out a strike, unlike the newly-formed national North Korean bowling team. Their training program is quite impressive. SOUNDBITE Kim Yen Ho, coach, North Korea bowling team (speaking Korean): “We train every day. Our sessions last from five to six hours. Our team is very young, but my trainees do show good skills. I believe in a few years time the North Korean national bowling team will be able to compete for the world’s top prizes.” [23:33-23:47] The limited social scene in North Korea does not seem to deter tourists either. Malia Evere explains why she came here despite the apparent lack of things to do. SOUNDBITE Malia Evere, Global exchange group (speaking English): “I think that is very interesting for many people who have perhaps traveled to many countries around the world and are looking for something very unique. So if some people want a club med vacation or hang out on the beach or something like that then maybe this isn’t the place for them.” [23:57-24:12] The monument to Juche Idea – North Korea’s official state ideology – stands alone in a huge square overlooking downtown Pyongyang. In Korean, Juche Idea mans self-reliance, where one has to depend on one’s own strength to make both the self and the country stronger. Some might say this is merely a memorial, but it could be considered to have a deeper symbolic meaning. Maybe this torch actually represents North Koreans, isolated but self-sufficient at the same time. And for now it really seems this is how they prefer to live.