Letters From Our Readers...

I thought it would be interesting to display some of the feedback we've had. A lot of it is from Koreans, and their responses show that emotions still run pretty high regarding the `Forbidden Country'. Some particularly informative notes are from folk who have visited North Korea themselves, as politicians, journalists, or soldiers. One respondent claims to have fought in the Korean War. Another is currently stationed at Panmunjom and recognized himself in one of the photos!

There's even a flame in there somewhere ;-)

(For safety and convenience, I have elided any personal information except for initials. If your letter is in here and you want it removed, please contact me).

cheers,
Paul (and Rick) Bakker
January 1996

p.bakker@all-in-1.its14.shlgbpge.simis.com

if you mahe the trip to south korea go to seoul and take the bus trip to panmungjon i am sure you will get a new perspective pay attention to all the path up to the dmz you will see and feel closer to the war than you can emagine its an erie trip then you can visit the weapons park at young dung po a truely remarkable array of korean war weapons including a t5 russian tankthen it would be on to inchon where i landed on sept 16 one day after the main landing force but still in flames that would be a good start and would certainly leave you with the feeling that the war even tho it is forty years ago is not far away

the north korean solider was ill equipted during the war and much to our benifit for had they been better equiped they would had been quite a chalenge. I found them to be cunning and persistent in battle. They had a cause and were in my opinion a puritan warrior. by that I mean no holds barred, there were no conventions except to overcome the enemy with any means possible. They are fierce and very agresssive. the south korean was different and it is still hard to describe. they seemed in 1950 to not be agressive and would be willing to stand back and let the wart happen. I guess what I want to say is I was there to help the south but at times I felt I was there to do what the people would not do.that makes one feel a bit used. I do not know if that would hold true today for on my two trips to south and north I certainly see two armys that could wage war and it would not be a pleasent one.I really hope a war never occurs simply because I have a lot of feeling for the peoples of all of Korea and have friends on both sides of the demarcation line.

I think the perspective from the south is quite interesting after vewing Panmungjon from both sides. I would advise any one to veiw both sides and all the historic retoric before coming to an opinion on the situation in Korea. tg

Although apparently North Korea is big into big socialist monuments, South Korea has its own share. For example, there is the Independence Memorial, which a USAF friend stationed in Korea calls the "I hate Japan Museum", as it is devoted to graphically displaying the brutality of Japanese colonialism in Korea. Of course, my Japanese friends were shocked; what else to expect when Japanese kids are taught that WWII wasn't Japan's fault? Also, in Seoul, there is the War Memorial, next to the UNC/USFK headquarters at Yongsan.Pretty interesting.

About the DMZ: I went with a friend in the Army through the Yongsan Travel Service, so I only payed US$10. The reason for the dress code, the guide said, was that the North Koreans take pictures for propaganda purposes, so it won't do to wear inappropriate clothing.

Well, speaking as someone who lost his maternal grandfather in 1950 (I'm 23), I hope that reunification comes and that the North Korean regime disappears as quickly as possible. TK

Honestly, I am jealous. Being a Korean-American, I can not travel to North Korea freely without considering the consequence of such travel when I wish to get a travel visa to South Korea. I heard stories of some Korean-Americans who did venture to North Korea and who are having problems getting a South Korean visa due to the South Korean government's suspicion of espionage by those Korean-Americans. Thus, for now, I must rely on third party's tales and travelogue such as yours. Since there aren't that many travels to North Korea (especially with the anniversay of Kim, Il-Sung's death and the subsequent closing of the border once more...), you can imagine how difficult it is to get such an objective and honest view of life in the North as yours. Please do continue to contribute more of what you found and experienced in North Korea as many in SCK such as myself find what you say, fascinating (regardless of those few flamers). DK

Reading your travelogue, I was very surprissed at your understanding of Korea as a whole. It seems to me that you know koreans more than any foreiner I know.

At one time is was even forbbiden to collect north korean stamps. It's hard to send mail when your country is the last country inthe planet being in the middle of a cold war.(just my thought).I think this country is still on the cold war situation.

Sometimes there are North Koreans who escape to the south. years ago these people were reguarded as heros.They would appear on TV and teLL STORIES about the North. Infact there's one lady whoes whole family came to the south attending in my school. there's always a bodyguard beside her. Now most of them live a pretty normal life since the relationship between the south and north has gotten much better compared to the OLD DAYS.

I would die for Pictures. But could not send you a scanner.

Thanks again for the writting, and.... Will there be a sequal? JA

I enjoyed finding out more details about your trip. I hope I can take a similar trip to North someday, under a more favorable situation. You are a psychologist? Wow. How perfect. You must have been able to observe their everyday action and able to analyze whether most of them truly believe in this Kim, Il-Sung, Kim, Jung-Il cult persona in a way a religious person believes in God or whether they all know some propaganda hype and are just going along for the ride. What do you think? T

All of the Korean (South) think that It is a tragic event divided into North and South Korea after the War of 1950. Although IS-Kim may be great leader in NK, he is a person who raise the Korea War. He is must take the blame for this event, as you know. In children times, I heard from my parent how the Korea War is terrible! My parent home is NK.

We also feel pity for North Korean who suppressed their lives under the watching with each other. Have you heard the 5 house watshing system? This system is observation with each other the units of 5 house. And I heard that a trip can not free without permission from govenment. Therefore, they could not enjoying their lives.

I sometime seen Pyongyang in TV news. As I know, Pyongyang is a artifical city made by communist and one of the clean city in the world. Everywhere you go, IS-Kim is decorated as great leader. He is like God. Only him, for my great leader ...... This ideology is called "Juche Sasang". This ideology is only exist in NK. I believe that this will be collapsed in the world. As you said, I'd like to exprience NK before it disappears forever. I;m sure that someday will come, I can go. YK

I publish an on-the-rough bimonthly travel magazine called Big World, and in it there's a column called "The Virtual Traveller" that's all about travel resources on the 'net. Would you mind terribly if I posted some information about your travelogue?

Or, perhaps, you'd be willing to let us publish parts of the travelogue itself? I think it would be of great interest to many of our readers, who really seem to like tales from out-of-the-way places. And North Korea, it would seem, is about as out of the loop as one can get!

In any case, thanks again for posting your trip report. Hope to hear from you soon! JF

Pamsul is 'snake wine'. A bottle of decanted rice wine has a live snake placed into it and is then resealed. The snake assumes a vertical postion with its nose in the small pocket of air at the top of the bottle and dies. It is said to have a variety of medicinal properties including an aphrodesiac. At any rate it is frequently used in a rite of passage in various military units. This involves eating the snake and drinking the wine (the scales stick in your teeth!). During my tour I saw a black and white photo of a perhaps 1 meter high bottle containing a dead snake that I was told was kept in Kaesong as a tourist attraction. My senior Korean interpreter, who had been born in Kaesong, had also seen this photo and had been told this story by a variety of North Koreans.

No incidents to parallel Captain Pak's murder of two U S Army Captains (posthumously promoted to Major)(infamous tree cutting axe murders) or the destruction of one of my predecessors voice boxes by a karate chop in 1975 occured duiring my tour. The most significant occurence was the defection of a U S Army private (Joey White) in September 1982. This unfortunate young man had formed a close personal relationship with a young Korean girl (perjorative Yobo). The relationship was not going well and he became depressed and believed that things would be better in the North. Much to the surprise of everyone familiar with the DMZ (land mines!) he managed to walk through the DMZ and surrender. He was subsequently transported to Pyongyang, taught to recite a litany of praise to Kim Il Sung, and appeared two days later in a television program from the great hall of the people paying homage to the great leader. In a unprecedented action about five months later the DPRK notified his parents that he had drowned in a swimming accident. (Normally westerners who 'defect' to the north are never heard from again, although persistent rumors allege that they are used in English language training. At least one was used as a star in a children's markenship training video. (the target of course - no grafhic violence)

Were I to visit the DPRK I would have to do so by circuitous means as I would violate United States law by doing so. It could be done by applying for a visa from your country for example, although Sweden or Switzerland would be better venues. It would be unwise for me to assume that North Korea would not figure out who I was since by terms of the Armstice I was required to identify myself by full name in my first meeting with my North Korean counterpart, Major Yun Ki Suk. Technically, I was part of the armistice commision, and not the guard froce, and therefore could roam throughout the 'Peace Village". When I did visit the Pan Mun Gak (the building from whose steps you took your picture)(I took photos from the same vantage point) or wander on the north side of the 'line' it made our guard force fearfull for my safety. In fact I was chastised on several occassions for doing so. However, were I not to routinely exercise my right to do that, that right might have disappeared!

Your assumption of why a dress code is enforced is correct. The use of photos in ridiculous ways has been the subject of many meetings over the years. I can remember having been shown photos of UNC guards holding their genital area, showing nude centerfold pictures, and giving the 'finger' to NK guards. On the other side of the coin I have seen photos of the same actions on the part of the North.(absent nude centerfolds of course!). They learned quickly all the insulting gestures used by the western world and used them on every occasion when tourists werer not present. If the opportunity presents itself, take a tour of ROK. The contrast is dramatic. I believe that you would enjoy yourself immensely. JS

My compliments, Paul. Your piece was refreshingly bereft of the normal stereotypes that pepper most writings on North Korea, it was interesting, insightful and informative. It certainly made ME want to visit, and I have been there five times, the most recent visit being in April this year.

All of the trips have been memorable in their own ways, but I suppose the highlight must have been getting up close to Kim Il Sung on his 80th birthday, April 15th 1992.

Not that I am any kind of admirer of that monster nor of his creation. North Korea is an aberration, a hideous triumph of sick minds over weak ones, the world's most enduring and most all-encompassing human rights abomination. But there I go sitting on the fence again, huh?

In any case, I have read many stories of first-time visits to N.K. over the years, and I really think you did a good job. As you might have guessed, the Koreas are a subject of great interest to me, so I'd be more than pleased to hear any other notions you have on this fascinating part of the world. R

I'm a Korean-American who lived in Seoul before moving to the U.S. at the age of 7. Currently I am a freshman at UC Berkeley.

I would love to visit North Korea one day.

Yes, you're right when you say it's such an experience to visit a place which has existed without outside interference, still under the Stalin idealisms.

I'm sure your trip to Korea would've been better if you had the chance to interact with North Koreans besides the tour guides. It must've been a strange experience for you. Hearing of N. Korea always reminds me of the novel 1984 with "Big Brother" watching over everyone. It's a scary image, where people's every moves are dictated by this one person who has become a deity. It's sad, but by this point reunification of the Koreas is impossible...it's simply not a good idea. The N. Koreans have become too brainwashed.

Well, I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed reading about the trip. YA

You are wondering if the life in Korea was any worse during Japanese occupation than it is in N Korea today. Yes, it was worse, much much worse.

1. Japanese took away all the rice harvested in Korea,

2. They drafted many young Korean men to work in mines, factories, etc. in Japan, and many young girls to work as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers,

3. Koreans could not speak Korean; they were forced to speak Japanese. I was punished for speaking Korean when I was a 4th grader. Koreans were forced to change last names. My last name was 'Matsumoto.' DL

I want to read all of your travelogues and check the possibility of publishing t hem in S-Korea.

I'd appreciate if you send them to me(include HanGul version about N-Korea. It's broken in my PC).

I can give you 5% royalties on the first 10,000copies sold, 6% thereafter, and U S$2,000 in advance after making the publishing decision.

I'd appreciate your fast answer. OK

It was the most exciting travelogue I have ever read. Although I heard about North Korea many times, your story was exciting than stories from Korean newspapers.

Did you guys really eat a dog? Was it delicious? I thought Americans never eat dogs. As for me, I don't eat dogs and I am against eating any pets including dogs!

At the end of the travel, when you told the guide that you would post the travelogue on the 'net', did the guide understand the 'net'? I am very curious about that.

I know your father fought for Korea 45 years ago. I respect your father for that. Thank you for posting the exciting story on WWW.

Have you ever been to South Korea? If so, did you post a travelogue to South Korea, too? If so, please let me know the web site! DK

we,korean people,are forced to hate NK! we do not even know how nk people live. every korean MUST read your story!!!! of course , your are just tourists. but how wonderful story! i smiled,laughed off when i read dog-meal story. many photos make me happy! because every information on nk is sensored by SK gov. your story is very nice,hot! national security law (very notorious law) disable all infomation to spread over.

but who could stop internet! your story make me think about my brothers in nk . forceful seperation of korea is the tragedy of korean people. korea never be like germany, if war happen, i must go to war! i have been an airfoce soldier of air denfese army since 1992. evrey korean men must serve in army for 3 years. unification starts only when each other are familiar but sk and nk gov. force every men to take guns!!!!!!! i have nice oppurtunity to get something that i forgotten. you tell the story i listen and want to say "thank you very much" F

I found the propaganda quite frightening while I was there. All we heard was "Korea is one." We were there not long after the Tianneman Square massacre and several countries tried to arrange peaceful protests (as there was a Chinese delegation there). The North Korean security police went to great lengths to see that no protests took place, and even brought in a thousand dancers to fill the square where a large protest was to be held. My own delegation, which was to attend the protest, was suddenly whisked away to a banquet and then the keys to the bus were "lost."

Despite all this I found the Korean people to be open, friendly, and very curious about Canadians, and I would love to go back some day. After returning to Canada I took a Korean history course which gave me a better understanding of the country and its people.

Anyway, it was wonderful to read about your trip. I will always have a warm spot in my heart for North Korea and like to keep up on what is going on there. CJ

As you can proably tell from _my_ e-mail address, I am stationed in South Korea with the Army. However, I am a sailor, and I am stationed in Panmunjom. I believe that the picture identified as "nkor21.jpg" is of me.

Needless to say, a picture of myself from the North side of PMJ is rare indeed. I am very interested in obtaining a copy of that picture. An extra copy of that picture would be greatly appreciated.

I am willing to reimburse you for any inconvenience this might cause.

I am respectfully, XX