Raising awareness of the unethical practises of North Korean tourist packages
Otto Frederick Warmbier (pictured above) captured wide-spread global attention after breaking North Korea law whilst on an all-inclusive tour package in 2016. He was sentenced 16 years in a hard labour prison. The crime in question? Theft of a propaganda poster from the hotel he was staying in. He only lasted 8 months until his body – blind, deaf and in a coma - was sent back to America where he died shortly afterwards.
Since 1990 North Korea has detained 29 tourists. Kim Jung Wook, a south Korean national, arrested in 2013 is still detained. His cause of arrest and condition remains unknown.
Without the support of the United Nations’ emergency food aid, the country could be seeing higher numbers than it’s 43% of population that are already currently severely undernourished.
It can only take a week to verify and book flight to North Korea, a country where millions take a lifetime searching for an opportunity to escape. Tickets for the tour package are estimated to be atleast £1,000. This is money that being funnelled straight into their unhumanitarian practises such as labour camps, propaganda and nuclear arsenal.
Korean American missionary, Kenneth Bae, was charged in 2012 with 15 years hard labour. The charge deemed of “acts hostility to the Republic” due to a hard drive in his possession included Christian material. In his memoir, he claims that he was interrogated for 15 hours a day for the first 4 weeks. He would later be sent to the hard labour camp where he worked from 8AM until 6PM 6 days a week, carrying rocks and coal. During captivity Bae lost 4 stone. Seeing his health severely deteriorate, to avoid diplomatic difficulty, he was released back to the USA after 2 years.
Tour packages are extremely intricate in the way in which every eventuality is preplanned. Guided tours take groups to functioning high-tech hospitals, busy parks showcasing rich families having picnics and schools where carefully rehearsed performances are shown to the visitors. You must always be in the presence of a tour guide, there are even policies about letting individuals wander around the hotel.
Whilst on a tour, you are strictly forbidden to talk to locals who are not within the guided group. There are instances where you are permitted to talk to locals, yet it is in question whether these replies are carefully constructed as they all speak perfect English and are very optimistic. To speak out of turn about the North Korean leadership one can risk their lives and own families too, it has been said that many children are detained in political prison camps also.
South Korea offers many great observation decks that offers you the chance to glimpse North Korea with your own eyes from accross the border! Stationed with many free to use telescopes, you can view the raw daily lives of families and children playing by the rivers.
The great thing about these observation decks is that your experience is enhanced with fascinating knowledge and true histories of the rise of the Democratic People's Republic. Reunification centres offers stories from broken families, letters from across the border of the real life experienced in this secretive country, true information which you would never recieve when visiting.
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