Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cabbit · Joined: 19 Jan 2003

Hello
I was contemplating a trip to North Korea and I was wondering if anyone here had been there? I would love to hear stories of travels there Very Happy

thanks

The Den · Joined: 26 Jan 2003

Hi I ran across this neat travelogue by some fellows who visited North Korea in 1995. I personally find the whole country quite fascinating and would like to take a trip there. I still plan to at least visit the DMZ. Anyway here is the link.

http://www.koreanwar.org/html/nk_travelogue.html

sparkx · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: thekimchipot.com

I went on the DMZ tour about a month ago. Although it was facinating to see the North Korean soldiers and the small town (forgot the name) in the North almost a stone's throw away spewing pro-communist and anti-American rhetoric over its loudspeakers, the tour on the whole, left a lot to be desired. Be prepared to spend a total of an hour travelling to the DMZ, an hour on the tour itself and 2 and a half hours in the military mess hall. When I was there, we had this kid leading the tour named Officer Diicks (hehehe) who fumbled and stuttered his was through his speech and i'm sure soiled his drawers in the process....

If $$$ is absolutely no object and you can afford to waste a hell of a lot of time sitting in a cafeteria peeling paint from a table with your thumb nail --have a blast. At least i was able to make Diicks cry by my incessant name calling and mockery.

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

I believe that there is a mountain in North Korea that some foreigners go to for hiking. Can't think of the name. Anyone help me out?

The Den · Joined: 26 Jan 2003

I don't know the name of the mountain but the village near the DMZ is Panmunjon.

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

I would love to go hiking on one of the mountains in the North. Going to do some research on this. It would be an amazing trip.

howie2424 · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

I believe it's called Mt. Geumgang or "The Diamond Mountain" and the Hyundai company offers tours for South Koreans and foreigners by cruise ship from somewhere on the Northwest coast. Probably Incheon. I visited the English version of the tour operator's website sometime ago and have lost the link but recall the cost was around 500,000 won, two day package but you have to sleep on the boat. Kim Jong Il doesn't want you wandering around at night telling his people what's happening in the rest of the world. The tours began a couple years ago but have been a total financial flop for Hyundai, so the price may be a little cheaper these days. Hope this helps.

Hank Scorpio · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Jasmine · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Hongkers!

try this site...

www.1stopkorea.com and click on Journey to Kimland.

This is the best article I have found on what it's like to go to North Korea as a tourist. Wink

Cabbit · Joined: 19 Jan 2003

Thanks for your advice Very Happy

I would like to visit North Korea (not just the DMZ). It would be a fascinating experience I think.
Thanks again for the links and hints Very Happy

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Location: Middle Land

Believe it or not, I thought about this at one point.

But I wont, on many grounds.

I shudder to say it, but I agree with Hank Scorpio. Most of the money you spend in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would go to weapons and food for those who need it least (the top brass).

Also from what I have read, those that go to N.K. end up being followed and not allowed to do anything off of their official travel plan (written by the hosts, not you).

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

They are looking for English teachers in North Korea, but you have to come in through China. I haven't taken the cruise to Mt Kumgan, but I have met fellow expatriots who have, and they thoroughly enjoyed it Apparently North Korea has the more scenic part of the mountain range. Sockcho in the south is only a small part of the Kumgangs.
I saw a series of videos at my university of a KBS broadcasting tour that was done several years ago in North Korea, and parts of North Korea look quite beautiful. Poynyang is right on a river, and there appears to be a running track on both sides of it. The river wasn't barren on both sides like the gang river in Seoul. There were big beautiful trees everywhere on both sides. Can you imagine what would happen to Ponyang if Samsung, or Hyundai got in there. It would become another dump like Seoul; overpopulated with frigging highrises everywhere.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

richinkorea · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2003 2:49 am Post subject:

I'm waiting for reunification, then travel the whole country.

The tour sounds too restricted to me.

Should be soon.

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

I was referring to the many beautiful trees that lined the river that runs through Pyonggang. I would hate to see them removed, but you never know with the South Korean conglomerates. The city from what I have seen ,and heard is quite beautiful. The people there are fined heavily for littering. If unification does come they ought to put a wire fence around the city prohibiting South Koreans from entering it, because there would then be nothing but rubbish and empty ramyon boxes all over the place. When they had the first tour to the Kumgang Mountains the South korean tourists had no compunction about pouring their discarded noodles on the ground. They were pulled up on it by the North Koreans quite promptly. Better still they could give the disbandfed Korean army sticks to cane people the way the do in Singapore should there be any littering. Who knows such an effect might trickle down to the rest of Korea and we just might get a much cleaner Country.