Back to North Korea – Rason SEZ
Kindergarten Performance Chongjin, North Korea – Photo by Joseph A Ferris III
With so many great pics from my last trip, such as the one above, it’s unfortunate that I’m in such a rush with less then a week turn-abound between DPRK trips. I have had no time to give my photography work and this blog the attention they deserve – arranging visas, train tickets, sleep, laundry, and buying fishing equipment has taken precedence.
Tomorrow I head back up to Yanji to bring a small group of DPRK return visitors into the Rason Special Economic Zone.
Does Rason ring a bell? It’s where American tour guide Kenneth Bae was recently arrested and convicted for unspecified crimes against the government.
I have been receiving plenty of warnings from concerned people that I will become the next pawn on the international stage, but please remember that unlike Kenneth Bea, we will be engaged in legitimate tourism. Laptops and hard drives full of religious materials, and videos profiling human rights abuses will be the last thing I will carry across the border with me. So please don’t worry about me!
Kindergarten Missile
Painting of the North Korea’s recent successful missile launch at a Chongjin Kindergarten.
Propaganda? Or a celerbrarion of a milestone in North Korea’s technological advancement?
Back to North Korea – Extreme North East
Waiting for my Manila to Beijing flight for yet another North Korea trip this week.
On April 22nd I start the Extreme North East Tour and will be the first American tourist to cross the Tumen land border.
Beijing – Tumen – Namyang – Hyeryong – Chongjin – Mt Chilbo – Rason – Yanji
In November 2012, YPT, and Troy became the first westerner to cross the Tumen border in Namyang, into the extreme North-East of the DPRK. This will be the second group of Western Tourists to enter the country via Namyang and to undertake this route!
Our trip starts off either in Beijing, or meeting us directly in Tumen to cross on foot over the bridge and into the DPRK, and Namyang, where your extreme DPRK experience starts with a bang. This can be considered the most intense border crossing in the country, with every piece of paper that you own, and all your electronics and bags being given the most thorough going over you are ever likely to receive in any border! It might sound scary, but the intensity makes it quite the experience.
We are then met by our extremely friendly guides and driven to Hyeryong, a city only just opened to western tourists, and hometown of not only the most beautiful women in the country (according to the Koreans), but also mother Kim Jong Suk, before heading on to the infamous Chongjin and the scenically beautiful Mt Chilbo, where we indulge in the only home-stay available in the country. This is an extremely unique and interesting experience, and your night spent drinking and eating with the Korean family will undoubtedly be unforgettable.
Following this we cross the internal border from the DPRK “mainland” into the Rason Special Economic Zone, currently the only place in the DPRK where foreigners can change money at the market rate, use local money and even shop in the private markets! Thus combining the least seen parts of this country, with the practically unseen.
We then finish the tour Yanji, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, an area with the largest Korean-Chinese population in China.
Pyongyang Folk Park
Can’t get enough of the surreal Ryugyong Hotel (AKA the “Hotel of Doom“)?
At the newly opened Pyongyang Folk Park you can get up close and personal with a scale model Ryugyong Hotel as well as Pyongyang’s other famous landmarks and monuments.
The Korean Central News Agency of DPRK describes the park:
A visit to the Pyongyang Folk Park costs a steep 14 Euros – at that price it might not be of interest to all tourists (remember there are no ATMs to replenish your cash supply), but I thoroughly enjoyed the site. In addition to the surreal collection of scale models of Pyongyang’s monuments, the park boasts a Korean geisha house where visitors can enjoy a traditional music performance and are served soju by young ladies in period costumes. We also stumbled upon a film set and posed for pictures with actors in an anti Japanese revolutionary movie in the traditional village section of the park. The site is also a popular place for wedding photos, which of course we were invited to pose in.
Model of Pyongyang’s Arche of Triumph and Mount Kumgang.
Model of the Party Foundation Monument.
Soldier workers prep Mansudae Grand Monument.
Model of Juche Tower.
Models of Juche Tower and Arch of Triumph.
Models of Juche Tower and Arch of Triumph.
Model of Juche Tower.
Music at the Korean geisha house.
Music at the Korean geisha house.
Soju at the Korean geisha house.
Soju at the Korean geisha house.
Korean geisha house.
With North Korean actors on an Anti Japanese revolutionary film set at the Pyongyang Folk Park.
North Korean actors on an Anti Japanese revolutionary film set at the Pyongyang Folk Park.
North Korean actors on an Anti Japanese revolutionary film set at the Pyongyang Folk Park.
North Korean wedding party.
North Korean wedding party.
My tour group poses with a North Korean wedding party.
Bride and groom at the Pyongyang Folk Park.
Pyongyang Traffic Girl
I’m going to let you in on a little secret – I really like the traffic girls of Pyongyang.
When we asked our North Korean guides if the traffic girls are aware of their world wide fame we were told they do but don’t really like the notoriety. Some of the girls fear the fame will go to their heads and distract them from their job of keeping the streets of Pyongyang safe.
Photo by Joseph A Ferris III
Nampo Gasoline Clam BBQ
Clam BBQ cooked by a sprinkling of lighted gasoline in Nampo, North Korea – eat your heart out Anthony Bourdain!
The petrol clam BBQ is an activity I have always wanted to do but have had difficulty arranging until now. During certain times of the year the water is too polluted to safely eat the clams. The activity is also dependent on arriving early enough in Nampo to arrange a fresh batch of clams to be bought from the local fisherman.
Only the West Coast clams of Nampo can be eaten his way. These clams don’t open up when cooked, allowing minimal gasoline to seep into the tasty bits. To make sure everything is safe to consume our North Korean guides insist on a large supply of soju and rice liquor to wash everything down with.
Water Skiing in Pyongyang
As the western media whips up fear of a North Korean nuclear armageddon, people in Pyongyang are water skiing the Taedong River – photo by Joseph A Ferris III
Diplomacy Through Tourism
Michael Bassett, constructivist DPRK analyst, US Senatorial consultant, and retired US Army Tank Commander/Platoon Sergeant, gets a hug with a North Korean army commander last week on the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone – real world diplomacy through foreign tourism in North Korea.
Rollerblading Their Way to War
While the American media beats the war drums, and our citizens panic under a perceived nuclear missile threat, the citizens of Pyongyang, North Korea go on with their lives.
Girls rollerblading on the banks of the Taedong River.
Boys rollerblading near the Arch of Triumph.
Photos from my March 30th – April 6th 2013 trip to North Korea.
6 Trips to North Korea This Spring!
I have a March 30th flight with Koryo Airlines to North Korea – the first of many!
A lot has happened since the last time I was in the DPRK (I went to Iran on my last vacation): nuclear and long range missile tests, new sanctions vigorously enforced by the Chinese, suspect internet hacker attacks to both North and South Korea, a visit by Dennis Rodman, cell phone access, and a brief experiment allowing 3G internet access to foreigners – the handful of foreign residents may still use the service, but access to tourists has been rescinded.
Other changes, less remarkable, but of interest to those traveling to North Korea: the US spy ship Pueblo has been moved to the Homeland Liberation War Museum (the ship and museum are currently closed until this summer), the Mausoleum has reopened with the body of Kim Jong-il on display, and new routes in the North have been opened to tourism – this April I’m set to be the first American tourist to cross the Tumen/Namyang border into the remote North of the country.
There have been big changes for me as well; I make my return to North Korea as a guide for Young Pioneer Tours. The recent raised tensions have unfortunately made our North Koren partners less than enthusiastic about my new position. KITC does not want to be seen working too closely with Americans at the moment – visas have been issued, and Americans can still tour, but when I’m in country I need to officially present myself as a lowly agent working through YPT, not for them. We hope this will change once tensions ease.
I had plans to take advantage of the new 3G access to live blog and interact through social media from inside North Korea, but as mentioned above this service has been rescinded. When I’m outside North North Korea people can still follow me via the various social media outlets I’m on:
Facebook Page – Instagram @josephferrisiii – Twitter @JosephFerrisIII
The grand lineup of my spring DPRK trips:
March 30th – April 6th: Private/custom Pyongyang, Nampo, Sariwan, Kaesong, and Mt. Myohyang.
April 29th – May 7th May Day Extravaganza Tour: Working as a guide for Young Pioneer Tours.
May 30-June 3 Rason cruise, Rajin Port, to the Mt Kumgang.
More Air Koryo photos posted below:
All photos by Joseph A Ferris III
Related articles
- New Cruise Line for DPRK (americaninnorthkorea.com)
- American in North Korea on Instagram (americaninnorthkorea.com)
American in North Korea on Instagram
I started playing with my photos on Instagram – you can follow me @josephferrisiii
Below are some of my favorite pics:
US spy ship Pueblo guide.
View of Pyongyang and Juche Tower.
Walking home in rural North Korea.
Kim Il-sung Square Pyongyang.
Mass dance held in Pyongyang.
Pyongyang subway signal girl.
Smile and peace sign in Wonsan, North Korea.
3G Access to Foreign Tourists No Longer Available
That was fast, after one month of service the new Koryolink 3G network is reportedly no longer available to foreign tourists.
I want to thank everybody who enthusiastically contributed to my North Korean 3G blogging project. I successfully reached my goal, but with the new report just out from North Korea I have decided to refund everyone who donated.
Thank you for your support – maybe next time!
Rare Images Show A Side Of North Korea That Outsiders Rarely See
A nice write up about me in Business Insider:
Joseph Ferris doesn’t want to settle down.
Ferris earned himself a US Coast Guard 3rd Mate Unlimited license from Maine Maritime Academy, and took a job on a global class research ship.
There was just one problem: the job was seven months on with five months vacation.
“While on the ship, room and board goes with the job; I found keeping an apartment and all the trappings of a settled life is a waste of money,” Ferris told Business Insider.
So he took another job, as a tour guide … in North Korea.
Read more and check out a slideshow of my photos at Business Insider.
I leave for my first spring trip out of a possible 5 visits to North Korea on March 30th; I will be live blogging there on the new Koryolink 3G network. Remember to not only follow me here on WordPress, but also live from North Korea on Twitter @JosephFerrisIII, Facebook, and Instagram (coming soon).
Is it Ethical to Travel to North Korea?
Lots of insightful opinions and analysis from top DPRK watchers and North Korea travel industry experts in James Griffith’s article on the ethics of traveling to North Korea:
North Korea, one of the world’s last remaining closed societies and perennial geopolitical troll, is on many world travellers’ bucket list. Few places are as unique or just downright weird as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The DPRK’s attraction as a tourist destination aside, is it ethical to visit a society completely under the control of a dictatorial regime?
My photos are used throughout the article – continue reading here.
The article shows that the majority of experts interviewed believe travel and interaction with North Korea serve as a positive instrument for change - glad I’m with the cool crowd on that one.
Blogging From Inside North Korea
3/23/13 Update: 3G is no longer available. The fundraising below has been discontinued with money raised refunded.
Internet has just been authorized in North Korea, but unfortunately it is very expensive.
I am one of the leading North Korea bloggers and run the American in North Korea site. Through high quality photography and unique access I work to promote cultural understanding and an accurate portrayal of the North Korean tourist experience. I tend to stay away from politics.
I hope to blog from inside North Korea during the 5 trips I have planned this spring.
I will be going much further afield than just Pyongyang; In April I will be the first American tourist to cross the Tumen border post into Namyang – continuing on to Hyeryong – Chongjin – Mt Chilbo – Rason – Yanji. In May I will be guiding the first ever recreational fishing trip to North Korea.
With your help I can blog all of this in real time!
Reports have North Korean 3G priced at the following:
I am looking to raise 600 USD to help accomplish this. I initially started a Kickstarter project, but in the fine print discovered that this project is too opened ended to meet their standards.
Please help me share pictures like this in real time from inside North Korea.
Pledge $5 or more – A thank you message to your Facebook wall or your twitter posted from inside North Korea – as well as your name mentioned in a thank you post on my blog posted from inside North Korea. Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Pledge $20 or more – A two page North Korean stamp book, as well as a thank you message to your Facebook wall or your Twitter posted from inside North Korea – as well as your name mentioned in a thank you post on my blog posted from inside North Korea. Estimated delivery: Jul 2013, ships within the US only.
Pledge $100 or more – A deluxe multi-page North Korean stamp book and a North Korean postcard sent from North Korea (DPRK does not allow post cards to Europe at the moment due to sanctions), as well as a thank you message to your Facebook wall or your Twitter posted from inside North Korea – as well as your name mentioned in a thank you post on my blog posted from inside North Korea. Estimated delivery: Jul 2013, ships within the US only.
Donations will be accepted until my goal is met, or until mid May when I have my final chance during this travel season to buy the North Korean stamp book pledge rewards.
Please contact me at josephferris76@gmail.com for more info, how to set up a pledge, or just follow the Paypal donation button.
3/06/13 Update – New details on the Koryolink pricing structure; more expensive than I initially thought!
Return to the Kaeson Youth Park Fun Fair
In the Spring of 2012 I made a return trip to Pyongyang’s Kaeson Youth Park fun fair ; chilly nighttime weather meant less crowds and interactions with locals than on my first visit, but the experience was enjoyable nonetheless.
I really only have new 2012 photos to add – I’m going to let my cometary from my 2011 visit tell the story.
Local North Koreans would wait hundreds in line for theses new modern rides. As visitors we paid in hard currency at a rate 35 x what the locals paid, at that price we got the privilege of jumping line and holding up the locals as we enjoyed as many repeat rides on the amusements as we wanted. We were told by our minders that the rides had all come from Italy – they were new and modern, and included old favorites such as bumper cars and the pirate ship swing ride, and new favorites like a lay down style roller coaster and the “Vominator”.
North Korean locals enjoy imported fun fair rides.
North Korean locals enjoy imported fun fair rides.
A nice view of the lay down roller coaster.
A quiet chilly spring night at the fun fair.
Bumper cars!
Bumper cars!
Old racing video game.
Coin op skeet shoot game.
North Korean boy and his mom in charge of an old video game.
North Korean boy in charge of an old video game.
Old racing video game.
Old racing video game.
The burrito stand attendant.
In the end our Kaeson Youth Park Fun Fair escort served our group up a bill of over one hundred Euros. As I had seen elsewhere in North Korea, when hard currency is involved a fist full of dollars will get the job done, and our escort gladly accepted what we had with a smile. We never got to visit any of the old and decrepit fun fairs during our visit to North Korea. Some of the old fairs, such as the Mangyongdae, have games that feature the classic old US anti imperialist propaganda. Times are a changing and the most bizarre thing I saw at the new Kaeson Youth Park Fun Fair were booths serving up Mexican burritos.
The Kaeson fun fair was responsible for the creation of this blog – more accurately the use of my fun fair pictures under the creative commons license in a sensationalized and entirely misinformed viral photo essay got me so upset that I decided to blog as accurate a portrayal of the North Korean tourist experience as honestly as I could. I am truly amazed at how far this journey has taken me!
Related articles
- Inside North Korea: Vodka, child soldiers, and ultimate frisbee (deathandtaxesmag.com)
Tour Transnistria!
This fall I will be continuing my tour of countries that don’t actually exist with a visit to Transnistria while helping out on Young Pioneer Tour’s month long Eurasian Adventure Tour.
The journey there will be an epic two week adventure from Beijing to Moscow on the Trans Siberian Express, touring through Belarus and Chernobyl in the Ukraine, and finally spending a few days in Moldova, the only ex-Soviet republic to vote the communists back in!
Phil Le Gal visited Transnistria on one of Young Pioneer Tour’s Eurasian Adventure Tours. He has graciously allowed me to share his photos and comments on the experience:
Only a couple of hours away from Europe’s biggest cities exist countries we know very little about. Sitting between western and eastern Europe is Transnistria, the “Prydnistrovska Moldavska Respublika” (also called Trans-Dniestr or Transdniestria). Tucked between Moldova and neighboring Ukraine, Transinistria is an unknown and officially non-existent territory.
After the fall of the USSR Transnistria found itself integrated to Moldova. Transnistria proclaimed its independence in 1990 which led to the 1990-1992 independence war between the breakaway republic of Transnistria, backed by the Russia and the republic of Moldova. Although the ceasefire has held, the territory’s political status remains unresolved. The outcome of the war was the birth of the republic of Transnistria.
Transnistria is currently only recognized by three UN non-members: Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia, themselves part of the list of states with limited recognition and not recognized by the international community. Transnistria has its own constitution, parliament, central bank and money (the transnistrian rubble), army, flag, national anthem, passports and even stamps. Still it is officially considered as being part of the Moldovan territory.
The border between Moldova and Transnistria, although not recognized, is very real with several checkpoints from both Transinistrian and Moldavian guards. The Prydnistrovska Moldavska Respublika boast many of the USSR relics, war memorials and soviet era style architecture.
Welcome to Transnistria, Europe’s forgotten country:
A young Moldovan army recruit proudly guards the eternal flame at the war memorial Eternity.
It is dedicated to the soldiers who fell in World War II and the military conflict in Transnistria.
The biggest statue of Vladimir Lenin outside Russia is displayed in front of the Transnistrian parliament. According to the 2006 referendum 97.2% of the population voted in favor of “independence from Moldova and free association with Russia”. EU and several other countries didn’t acknowledge these results.
A man is wearing a traditional costume.
Tiraspol – Transnistria (Moldova). Entrance of Tiraspol’s central Pobedi Park (or “Victory” park) containing a 50′s style amusement park.
Remains from the war, like this Russian MIG plane are left outside rusting.
All photos by Phil Le Gal.
Phil Le Gal is a French documentary photographer based in London UK specializing in photo documentary, reportage and portraiture. He is passionate about stories, travels, revealing how others live, the contradictions and oddities of this world. He is currently undertaking a Master in Photojournalism and Documentary photography at the London college of Communication.
You can get in touch with him here hi@phillegal.org or visit http://phillegal.org/
You can also find him on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/forceorange
Interested in joining me for the 2013 Eurasian Adventure Tour? Email me at joseph@youngpioneertours.com and I will set you up with a 5% trip discount!
Faces of North Korea
A high quality YouTube North Korea slideshow by ingoophotography.
March 30th – April 6th North Korea Trip
Come see the Ryugyong “Hotel of Doom” - Photo by Joseph A Ferris III
I will be going to North Korea in just 6 weeks!
Be assured that for the tourism industry it’s still business as usual – the boss at Young Pioneer Tours, who is entering the DPRK today, says:
I had a fully booked trip but this nuke test caused a few people to drop out – there is still time for those brave enough to join me!
March 30th – April 6th: Pyongyang, Nampo, Sariwan, Kaesong, and Mt. Myohyang – 1395 Euro.
We have two weeks until the deadline for the visa applications – serious inquires only.
I have posted the full itinerary for this trip in the comments.
North Korean Intranet
Intranet computer room at the Nampo Chollima Steelworks, North Korea – photo by Joseph A Ferris
I was looking for this pic during the week when the Google visit went viral; found it in one of my Facebook North Korean albums – I drive myself crazy sometimes!
Interview with Deathandtaxes Online Magazine
The online magazine Deathandtaxes recently asked me some questions about my firsthand experiences traveling in North Korea – check out the full interview here !
A question from the interview:
I saw a short video online made by a guy who visited North Korea back in 2011. The video is shot like it’s hidden in his jacket or something. It seems like you were just freely taking pictures. How were you able to do that? Is it a misconception that photos and video aren’t allowed in North Korea?
There are quite a few sensationalized videos out there and I think they present an entirely wrong impression of what the tourist experience in the DPRK is all about. There are some photography rules, but when the North Korean guides see that the group is diligent about following those rules they tend to relax and let everyone have some photography freedom. It helps that I keep my groups relatively small and manageable at around 10 people. With a group that size we can really develop a positive relationship, developing an optimum situation where the guides feel secure and in control enough to let us enjoy more freedom while not feeling that we are putting them at risk.
Conversely I have witnessed a full tour bus of about 30 camera touting foreigners clearly disregarding the photography rules within the first couple hours of their trip. The North Korean guides are responsible for the rules broken by the tourists under their care, and this group’s North Korean guides were clearly upset. The remedy to these situations is easy, punish the tour group by restricting access to sites. That group was allowed to drive to sites but only got to visit the parking lots. We saw them restricted to the bus at the Hamhung fertilizer plant, a site where we were given full and unrestricted photography access.
The Q & A above allows me the opportunely to highlight a few photos from my experience with the tour group that lost its access to sites over its disregard to the photography rules.
Both tour group crossed the West Sea Barrage on the same morning. The above photo shows the entrance to the eight-kilometer-long road crossing – this is a perfectly acceptable photo.
There were amazing photography opportunists as both buses got stuck in the midst of a crowd of North Korean locals on bicycles; barrage road transportation was delayed as ships passed through the locks. We were directed not take pictures at this time, we didn’t. Those on the other bus did and lost access to other sites because of it.
Locals waiting for ships to pass through the locks – I took the above photo from the West Sea Barrage visitors center on the hill above, we were not prohibited to take photos from there.
We later met the other tour group at the Hamhung Fertilizer Plant. We were granted full access to the site. The other group never developed their relationship with their guides and were restricted to the bus and not allowed to take photos.
Below are more photos from our visit to the Hamhung Fertilizer Plant:
North Korean Nuclear Program
Top North Korean scientists split the atom – photo by Joseph A Ferris III
Pyongyang Gun Range
Need someplace to get your gun range fix once President Obama takes away your firearms? Why not consider a trip to the Pyongyang gun range?
An afternoon spent at the Pyongyang gun range is my favorite activity in North Korea. Here you can target practice using pistols and sport rifles, enjoy a few beers at the bar or over a game of pool, flirt with the cute North Korean rifle attendants, and even test your skills against live targets!
For 5 € a shot you can take a crack at pheasants. You get to bring home what you kill, but it’s highly suggested you give the bird to your bus driver as a tip.
Most companies running trips to North Korea don’t include a visit to the gun range on their itineraries – it’s included on all of my custom trips, as well as most scheduled trips with Young Pioneer Tours.
My related Pyongyang gun range posts:
Guns, Girls, and Beer – the Pyongyang Gun Range 2012
Bagging Your Own Breakfast – The Pyongyang Gun Range Pheasant Shoot
North Korea Shooting Range – Guns, Girls, and Beer!
I’m still looking for people to join up with my May 14th – May 23rd Mega Trip: Nampo, Sariwan, Haeju, Kaesong, Wonsan, Kumgang.
The more people who sign up the better deal I can give!
