As we departed to Pyongyang via Beijing on May 3rd,
few of us knew what to expect from our trip to North Korea.
We had read and heard so much about the northern neighbor
that we were all very anxious to discover (part of) the
realities and to make our own observations. The trip to
the past started at the Beijing airport when we boarded
an old Russian Ilhyouchin aircraft that reminded many
of us of our trips to Eastern Europe in the 80's. However
the noisy and clumsy aircraft made it on time and safely
to Pyongyang airport.
First impression from the sky was the desolation of the
countryside. Although very close from Seoul, the landscape
and vegetation are very different. All the trees on the
hills surrounding Pyongyang have been chopped down, we
presume for firewood use. The result is an impression
of desolation and emptiness of the countryside.
At the airport we received VIP treatment and went through
customs very quickly without any serious investigation
of luggage or passports.
The Pyongyang airport is definitely not Incheon, but it
is certainly faster to disembark from.
On the way to the hotel, a strange impression of "emptiness":
no traffic at all. No noise. A heavy silence surrounding
us. However after a while we got to appreciate it. We
encountered only a few cars, trucks and buses. A welcome
change from our daily life.
People in the field were mostly women bent towards the
ground to weed out newly planted potatoes or corn. Neither
tractor nor machinery on sight. No wonder why they have
food shortage.
Of course, and even before getting to the hotel we were
taken to the big statue of the Great Leader to pay our
respects to the country founder. A huge bronze statue
dominates the city and is the main tourist attraction
in town. Several newly wed couples in ceremonial dress
showed up to pay their respect to their Great Leader and
we presume to get their union blessed by him.
Pyongyang itself is a reminiscence of Eastern Europe cities:
a lot of gray buildings lacking elegance and clearly in
need of fresh painting. Large, empty avenues with pedestrian
walking silently on the sideways. At night total darkness
confirming the acute shortage of energy.
Across the city, a lot of monuments, statues, stadium,
meeting halls have been built and dedicated to the glory
of the regime. Not a single advertising sign, nor visible
shop. We had the feeling that there was no commercial
activity…and there is very little in fact.
At major intersections, young ladies in an attractive
blue and white uniform gesticulate mechanically like toy
automates to regulate the traffic. In fact they seem to
confuse the few drivers
The hotel was comparable in size to the Seoul hotels but
was definitely lacking the amenities of a modern hotel.
The staff was courteous and many of them spoke reasonable
English.
We were curious about our first dinner and were served
a traditional Korean meal. We could not make the difference
between the Seoul and Pyongyang Kimchi or Kalbi…. However
the food lacked the variety and abundance that we are
accustomed to in Seoul.
During the next few days we toured the city and visited
more monuments and buildings dedicated to the country
leaders. A lot of resources were required to erect all
these buildings and monuments but they serve very little
purpose these days, beside propaganda.
The contacts we had with the officials were very open
and courteous. Many of them spoke reasonable English,
and we never felt any aggressivess in their attitude or
comments. Of course there was no serious discussion about
the political or economical situation and we exchanged
mostly banalities and wishful thinking about bilateral
projects and economic collaboration.
On the business side we attended the 5th Pyongyang
International Fair and we visited a garment factory
as well as the port of Nampo.
The fair was dominated by Chinese exhibitors from neighboring
provinces displaying all kinds of cheap products, ranging
from garment, fabrics to electronics and chemicals.
A few international exhibitors were also present and
were busy handing out product catalogs.
At the garment factory, we found a clean, well-organized
and spacious environment for the women assembling suits
for a Japanese company. The fabric and accessories are
imported from Japan and the suits cut and assembled
locally. The final product is of excellent quality,
and the "assembly fee" only $ 15 per suit.
A little more economical than ItaeWon….
To reach the Nampo port we drove 40 km on a new 10
lane highway and encountered at most 10 vehicles during
the journey. In fact there was so little traffic, that
the driver suddenly made a U-turn without even looking
back in his mirror.
Not much activity in the port with only two ships unloading
grain, and a few smaller ones carrying 2nd hand cars
imported from Japan. Many of the large cranes seem not
to have been operating for quite some time, and there
were clear signs of rust and missing parts. However
the Port Manager accompanied us during the tour and
we had almost free access to all the installations.
The whole economical infrastructure is from the 60's
or 70's without much new investment or construction
since then.
All North Koreans we met and with whom we openly discussed
want the reunification but it is not clear under which
scenario. They were not curious about the South and
asked few questions about it. They were probably well
briefed on how to behave with foreigners coming from
the South.
The culminating point of the trip was the attendance
to the mass gymnastic performance organized during the
Arirang festival in the main capital stadium. Although
we all had seen pictures or video footing of the event,
the live show was beyond expectations. An incredible
and perfect display of discipline, elegance, and agility
by thousands of children, women and men gracefully evolving
on the stadium turf. During the opening part, 4,000
women dressed in pink, yellow, red and green performed
group dances creating esthetic geometric figures, in
perfect harmony and synchronization. Later on another
4,000 children performed elaborated gymnastic routines,
again in perfect synchronization. Then 4,000 soldiers
impeccably paraded and performed a bayonet drill, while
parachutists jumped on the turf from the stadium roof,
and young men were propelled high in the sky by giant
elastics.
In the stadium 50,000 people were creating a gigantic
puzzle depicting a panoramic view of the sun rising
from Mount Baekdu and other sceneries. At the end of
the show, the participants headed home walking through
the dark streets of the city as few buses were available
to carry them. This show is probably unique in the world
and by itself is worth the trip.
We also attended a musical show given by children,
and their performance was just outstanding, at the highest
professional level. They probably spend a lot of time
training and rehearsing, but have not lost their spontaneity.
Clearly the situation in Pyongyang does not reflect
the situation in the countryside and provincial towns.
The people in the capital are the privileged elite from
the army, the party and the various ministries and trading
companies. We were told that the situation in the interior
is really like it is reported in the press with children
malnutrition and food shortage. Many of the factories
built in the 60's and 70's do not operate anymore due
to lack of maintenance and spare parts. There a re very
few new buildings and signs of construction. There is
a feeling of lack of economical activity leading to
a sensation of "emptiness and sleepiness".
Overall, a very interesting, eye opening trip, that
unfortunately confirmed that the majority of North Korean
citizens live under several economic hardship and that
their situation will not improve unless drastic changes
take place.
|
, the 24th International Exhibition on Environmental
Technologies, held from June 22 - 25, 2002 at COEX. 
will shift to this new venue,
offering local and foreign food companies ample space to promote
their products. 
