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Dutch stamp dealer accused of being a spy in North Korea

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

By Michael Rank

A Dutch stamp dealer who was arrested in North Korea this summer has told how he was held in solitary confinement for two weeks and threatened with spending 15 years in prison for spying.

Willem Van der Bijl said in a telephone interview that he had visited North Korea about 24 times since 1998 in order to buy stamps, postal stationery and propaganda posters, and that three of his business contacts were arrested with him last August. Although he was freed after a highly unpleasant two weeks during which he was held in a two-by-three metre cell, he has no idea what has happened to his North Korean colleagues, but fears they will be severely punished.

He said he had been “intimidated” by his interrogators but not physically mistreated during his detention. “They yelled at me but did not hit me”, he said, adding that he was accused of being a spy apparently because of the large number of photographs he had taken of the North Korean countryside during trips to factories outside Pyongyang to discuss possible joint ventures.

He was released after signing a confession to his alleged crimes, and said the North Koreans confiscated his laptop and camera as well as a Kim Il Sung badge that had been given to him, but his money was returned to him. “I was happy to leave,” he said, adding that “There was nothing really wrong in what I did…All I did in North Korea was fairly correct”.

Van der Bijl, 60, photographed here with an interview in Dutch, said his North Korean colleagues were held in the same interrogation centre as he was and that he was deeply concerned that “They will have to face trial, and I will never see them again.”

Although mainly a stamp dealer with a stamp shop in Utrecht, he said he had become interested in collecting propaganda posters during his last few visits, and had a collection of thousands of posters.

He said North Korean officials seemed divided in their attitude as to whether such posters should be sold to foreigners. “The ‘doves’ say this art is popular in the west and should be sold; the ‘hawks’ do not want to export secret paintings, they are meant for the Korean people,” Van der Bijl said.

He said his hopes mounted every Tuesday and Saturday that he would be released as there are flights from Pyongyang to Beijing on those days, and as time progressed he became more worried that he would be sentenced to spending up to 15 years in jail for espionage. When he was freed he was told he could apply for a visa to visit North Korea again, but he told NKEW said he had no wish to do so as long as the current regime remains in power.

He said he had taken car journeys about 120 km outside Pyongyang nominally to visit companies to discuss joint ventures, but he was more interested in taking photographs of the impoverished countryside, and that North Korean factories were too dilapidated for there to be any serious chance of doing business with them.

Somewhat surprisingly, Van der Bijl is quoted on two official North Korean websites here and here before his arrest concerning local elections in North Korea in July. He visited a polling station during the elections and was quoted as saying, “Looking round the poll, I have been greatly impressed by the free and democratic elections and I have had a better understanding of the DPRK’s reality.

“In the DPRK every citizen is eligible to vote and to be elected. Those who have worked a lot for the people are elected as deputies. The popular election system of the DPRK is really excellent.”

He confirmed he had spoken to North Korean reporters at a Pyongyang polling station, but said all he had told them was that he had never seen elections run in such a way before, and strongly denied praising the elections as free and fair

Also surprisingly, Van der Bijl is shown wearing a Kim badge in two photographs of him on the Pyongyang Times websites. It’s rare for foreigners to be given a Kim badge and still rarer for them to be shown wearing one in the official North Korean media. Van der Bijl said he was unsure where the photos were taken. One of the websites shows Van der Bijl’s signature, copied from his passport.

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Posted in Domestic publication, Foreign direct investment, International trade, Korea Today, Political economy | Comments Closed

Interesting weekend fare: Cars, cola, Disney, history, and lift troubles

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

Cars 

Uriminzokkiri posted this short video of rush-hour traffic in Pyongyang (YouTube):

I will leave it up to the reader to determine if the video was staged. What is more interesting to me is to see the variety of vehicles used in the shots.  I saw at least one American Dodge Van in the footage (similar to the one I saw parked next to the Pueblo in 2005).  If you know a lot about cars, feel free to try identifying other vehicles in the footage.

And continuing on the automotive front–a tourist to the DPRK took this picture in September 2010:

The picture above is of an American-made, petrol-guzzling “Hummer H2” (MSRP in 2008 – USD$53,286; 10 mpg-US; 24 L/100 km; 12 mpg-imp). The license plate on the vehicle is 평양 22-2722.

In September 2011, Eric Lafforgue took the picture below of what appears to be a second Hummer on the streets of the DPRK.

The license plate on this vehicle is “23-199”. I cannot read the city name on the plate.  According to the photographer:

During my stay in North Korea, i [sp] saw 2 Hummer cars. This is the fist time i [sp] hear north korean people making cristisms about something in their country! They all told me it was a shame to see such a car in North Korea, as it needs lot of fuel. Some people told me that the car number tells that it belongs to a local media (press or tv).

Cola

Mr. Lafforgue has also brought up another interesting topic through his pictures: North Korea’s cola wars!

 

On the left is a Picture of Cocoa “crabonated drink” [sp] taken by Eric Lafforgue in 2008.  On the right is a picture of  “코코아 탄산단물” (Translation: “Cocoa Carbonated Drink”) taken by Eric Lafforgue in September 2011.

I might have been inclined to believe they were the same product with different labels (and maybe they are?), however, they appear to be manufactured by different companies.  The cola on the left is manufactured by a company called “룡진” (Ryongjin), a company about which I cannot find any additional information, and the beverage on the right is manufactured by “모란봉” (Moranbong).  I presume that “Moranbong” is actually the Moranbong Carbonated Fruit Juice J.V. Company. According to Naenara:

Moranbong Carbonated Fruit Juice J.V. Company
Add: Taedonggang District, Pyongyang, DPR Korea
Fax: 850-2-381-4410

The company formed in 2004 produces a wide assortment of carbonated fruit juice and health drink.

It has an affiliated factory equipped with hi-tech facilities that conform to hygienic requirements of GMP, ranging from production of bottles and drinks to packing.

Its products include apple, grape, peach, orange, cocoa, lemon and strawberry carbonated juices.

A multifunctional super-antioxidant health drink “Pirobong” is a drawing card in the world market.

The company will steadily increase investment in the development of new brand of drinks and further promote exchange and collaboration with partners across the world.

So why does the DPRK produce competing colas? Wouln’t that be wasteful duplication of processes? No.  Monopolys are generally more wasteful than competitive firms. Though in the past there were few producers of carbonated drinks in the DPRK (Ryongsong Food Factory, Kyongryon Patriotic Soda Factory), the DPRK seems to have moved away from near-monopoly production to a more competitive industrial organization in the production of soda.

Kim Jong-il’s sister, Kim Kyong-hui (KKH), is director of the Light Industry Department in the Worker’s Party and as a result holds all colas in her job portfolio. Without having any special data on the DPRK’s cola market, I would speculate that KKH promotes competition between the different soda producers to increase efficiency and profits for the ultimate goal of improving the positions of her discretionary official and unofficial budgets.

As an aside, earlier this year Forbes ran a story about meetings held between the DPRK’s Taepung International Investment Group and Coca Cola. Taephing is directed by Jang Song-thaek, Kim Kyong-hui’s husband.

Disney

In the past I have pointed out the appearance of Disney characters on North Korean apparel (see here for example). Now they are showing up on mobile phones:

History 1

Here is a video of Lim Su-kyung in Pyongyang (1989). Here is a story about her in the Daily NK. I think I just found her Facebook profile!

 

History 2

Here is a map of Pyongyang produced int he 1800s.  Other maps of the region here. Hat tip to Kwang On Yoo.

 

Lift troubles

Here is a 30+ minute video shot in Pyongyang–nearly entirley in the dark. Hat tip to Leonid Petrov.

The video caption reads: “We were touring the 3 Revolutions Exhibition in Pyongyang in 2009, when our elevator lost all power and 11 of us were stuck in blackness, hanging by a North Korean thread.”

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Posted in Animation, Art, Automobiles, Light Industry, Light Industry Department, Manufacturing, Transportation | Comments Closed

Pyongyang fireworks

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011


On October 8, 2010, the DPRK held a large-scale fireworks show on the Taedong River.  The current Google Earth imagery of Pyongyang, taken on October 6, 2010, shows the infrastructure used in the fireworks show:

Click the image to see a larger version in a different window. On the left side of the river near Kim Il-sung Square is a series of new water jets (water cannons) these are used to shoot decorative patterns of water through the air (accompanied by colorful lasers!). The system is approximately 117 meters long, and according to satellite imagery, was installed sometime between December 19, 2009 and October 6, 2010—though footage on Youtube dates to July 18, 2010).  It appears to be a permanent installation which supplements the previously-built dual water cannons that were already in the Taedong River.

In addition to the new water jets, we can see three floating platforms (barges) from which the fireworks were launched. These are temporary structures which can be assembled and disassembled with relative ease. Each platform is approximately 119 meters long. Given available satellite imagery it is unclear where these barges are kept for the remainder of the year.

If any readers have the time or interest in finding out what this kind of hardware would cost in the US, I would be interested in knowing.

This new fireworks system is apparently made possible by the productive powers of CNC technology.  According to KCNA:

New Fireworks Developed

Pyongyang, October 6 (KCNA) — More than 100 kinds of new fireworks have been developed in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

They, based on the three elements of the modern fireworks technology — software, ignition control device and firecrackers — have reached a high level in color, brightness and formative artistry.

All the technologies and materials needed for the new fireworks have been developed and made in Korea.

The fireworks, multi-dimensional in fire cycle, rhythmic display and bursting point and scope in the air, fully represent the feelings of the Korean people.

Meanwhile, a CNC-based fireworks displaying system has been established and a device developed to definitely guarantee fireworks display in any atmospheric conditions.

The new fireworks, which have been successfully tested on several occasions, will make their debut in the forthcoming holiday of the Korean people.

Here is what KCNA had to say about the fireworks show which tookplace two days after this picture was taken:

Firework galas celebrating the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea were held here Friday evening.

The bank of the River Taedong facing the Party Founding Memorial Tower and the plaza of the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace, the venues of the firework galas, and other areas of Mangyongdae District and different parts of the capital city were crowded with Pyongyangites who came to watch the nocturnal sky in October to be beautifully decorated with fireworks.

Speeches were made by Kim Ki Nam and Choe Thae Bok, who are members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK.

The speakers said that the firework galas would be a festival of glory in glorifying the long history and immortal exploits of the party and a grand canvas of victory stirring up the pride and self-esteem of the service persons and people of the DPRK working fresh miracles and exploits in the era of Songun as befitting the descendants of President Kim Il Sung.

They noted that the firework galas would be held by use of Korean style modern means for displaying fireworks developed in such a unique manner as to ensure formative artistic effect as required by the Korean people’s ideological and emotional desire and sentiment.

Fireworks were displayed in succession in the air over the Party Founding Memorial Tower and the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace, gorgeously adorning the nocturnal sky of the capital city while songs “Long Live the Workers’ Party of Korea” and “Under the Banner of the Party” reverberated far and wide.

The spectacular sceneries presented by fireworks in the sky represented the highest glory extended by all the servicepersons and people to General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

An endless fire went up depicting the logo of the WPK to the tune of songs including “We Sing of the Party” and “The Care of the Party Is the House We Live in,” “The Workers’ Party Is Our Guide”.

Fireworks were ceaselessly displayed in the sky presenting fantastic sceneries demonstrative of the high level of formative art, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Watching the firework galas were senior officials of the party, army and state, chairpersons of friendly parties, delegates participating in the national celebrations of the 65th birthday of the WPK, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, officials of the party, armed forces and power bodies and working people’s organizations, servicepersons of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media, heroes and heroines, those related to the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, bereaved families of the revolutionary martyrs, persons of merit and other working people.

Invited there were members of congratulatory groups of overseas compatriots, delegations and visiting groups of Koreans from different parts of the world including the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan, the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, delegations and delegates of groups for the study of the Juche idea and diplomatic envoys of different countries, representatives of international organizations, members of the military attaches corps and other foreign guests here.

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Posted in Art, Civil society, CNC, Manufacturing | 2 Comments »

Pyongyang International Film Festival 2012

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Pictured above (Google Maps): Pyongyang International Cinema Hall, home of the Pyongyang International Film Festival.

Koryo Tours sent out the following press release today:

Dates announced for the 13th Pyongyang International Film Festival – Pyongyang, DRPK (North Korea), 20th – 27th September 2012.

Koryo Tours has been the official Foreign Representative for the biennial Pyongyang International Film Festival since 2002 when they first submitted their film on the North Korean World Cup football team of 1966 The Game of Their Lives to a packed North Korean audience. “It was the first time that the North Koreans had seen just how their fans were received in 1966 – and the first foreign-made documentary about their country to be shown in their country. Myself and director Dan Gordon were pinched by the girls in the hotel restaurant as they wanted us to help get tickets to the best screenings” said Nicholas Bonner, co-producer of the film. “It will be some time before the festival becomes the Cannes of the East but we hope to get one or two film stars for the experience of a lifetime… probably one of the few places they can avoid being mobbed. The motto of the festival is independence, peace and friendship and is a great way of showing locals what is going on in the world of cinema.”

Perhaps the festival’s biggest achievement was the screening of the British Film Bend It Like Beckham at the festival in 2004 (seen by an audience of 12,000 locals) which cleared the path to make it the first western film to be broadcast nationwide on December 26th 2011. “We spoke to Gurinder Chadha, the Director, who was thrilled her film had been seen by a country who just adore football and of course it was the ideal film to show, full of hope – it has become unbelievably popular in the country and a talking point for everyone.

Koryo Tours director Nicholas Bonner is asking for submissions:

“Ealing Studios, The Goethe Institute and various embassies have all presented films but there is always room for more. Romantic comedy and period dramas are popular and we have managed to show films as diverse as Mr. Bean, the Swedish horror comedy Frostbiten to the South African drama Cry, The Beloved Country and UK’s Elizabeth I: The Golden Age.”

Koryo Tours will run an exclusive tour for tourists during the festival and will include screenings of North Korean films such as the classic Flower Girl (very popular in China during the 1970’s), a visit to the North Korean film studio with mock up streets and meeting various North Korean film celebrities.

For further information and images contact: [email protected]
Tel: +86 (10) 6416 7544
Website: www.pyongyanginternationalfilmfestival.com

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Posted in Film, Koryo Tours, Tourism | 1 Comment »

KCNA publishes new “motivational” posters

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Click images for larger view.

According to KCNA (2011-9-22):

New posters have been produced in the DPRK to help more splendidly spruce up Pyongyang and hasten the harvest this year.

Poster “Let’s develop Pyongyang, the capital city of revolution, into a world-class city!” vividly reflects citizens all out to turn their city into a more beautiful and magnificent one.

Poster “Let us all go for harvesting!” depicts an agricultural worker at work with joy against the background of a coop field alive with harvesting. It arouses the people to go out for reaping in good time the crops cultivated with the sweat of their brow during spring and summer.

Click here to learn more about Pongyang’s recent renovations.

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Posted in Agriculture, Art, Construction, Domestic publication, Labor conditions/wages | Comments Closed

Economic performance and legitimacy in the DPRK

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Geoffrey See and Andray Abrahamian (both representatives of Choson Exchange) wrote an article in the Harvard International Review which asserts that economic successes are becoming more important to the political narratives that reinforce the DPRK leadership’s claims to legitimacy. Below is an excerpt from their article:

North Korea’s most important domestic policy statement comes each New Year, when the major newspapers publish a joint editorial. The editorial often signals where government priorities will be in the coming year. In 2010 the newspapers spoke of “Bring[ing] about a decisive change in the people’s lives by accelerating once again light industry and agriculture.” Similar themes were echoed in 2011. This is opposed to the joint editorials of the past few years, which have focused on the more traditional themes of military strength, revolution, and socialism.

Another public sign of a shift towards focusing on economic issues is the type of official visits and inspections carried out by Kim Jong Il. Following in the footsteps of his father, Kim uses these visits to signal emphasis or encouragement of specific industries, activities, and policies. According to a report by the Institute for Far Eastern Studies, the first six months of 2011 have seen Kim exceptionally busy, participating in 63 official activities. Unlike previous years, however, the number of military visitations has dropped off: only 14 visits were military related, the lowest number ever recorded. By contrast, 28 visits were economic related.

In terms of policy, North Korea has been haltingly experimenting with Special Economic Zones (SEZ) since the mid-nineties, but has recently built a bit more momentum in this area. Rason, an SEZ in the far northeast, is finally seeing some basic infrastructure upgrades that were long talked about but always delayed. Government investment bodies have started to promote the idea that Rason will be the “next Singapore,” an ambitious marketing claim to anyone who has been to Rason. With both Russia and China leasing port space, it seems more likely to be transformed into a regional transportation hub. Meanwhile, along the Chinese border in the northwest, the Hwanggumpyong SEZ recently held a groundbreaking ceremony, attended by high-ranking North Korean officials and Wang Qishan, China’s commerce minister.

Senior politicians in North Korea are increasingly judged by their ability to bring in foreign direct investments. These efforts appear to be competitive rather than coordinated. North Korean leaders associated with the National Defense Commission, the highest level policy body, have been meeting with visiting foreign investors. In 2009, the Daepung International Investment Group was re-purposed along the lines of a holding company model as a vehicle for attracting foreign direct investment l with “27 joint ventures planned and to be managed by the Group.” Daepung Group is backed by specific high-level individuals. Jon Il-Chun, reportedly the Director of Office 39, a murky international trade and finance organ, is definitely involved with the Daepung Group. Media reports also indicate that Kim Yang Gon, Director of an organization tasked with managing contacts with South Korea, the United Front Department of the Workers’ Party, is also behind the group.

In July of the same year, the Joint Venture & Investment Commission (JVIC) was established. Instead of a holding company model, JVIC is a government institution modeled as a “one-stop shop” for investors – that is, JVIC is meant to “seek out investments and assist investors in setting up operations in North Korea.” While multiple institutions claiming to hold such authority have always existed in North Korea, many of these institutions have been merged into JVIC and long-time investors have been directed to liaise with JVIC as their primary government contact. JVIC’s nominal and public head is Ri Chol, a high-ranking North Korean government official.

In August of 2010, we received credible reports that foreign investors were approached to help set up a group similar to Daepung that would be backed by another member of the National Defense Commission. Given this proposed initiative’s similarities to Daepung, the prior establishment of JVIC, and that all three groups do not appear to communicate with each other, we surmise that these various groups have a competitive relationship with the support of different patrons. Investment officials with whom our teammates have met confirm that the relationship between the agencies is “very competitive.” If this is the case, it is a signal that influential groups in Pyongyang sense that future power bases will require the ability to attract and deploy capital.

The full article is worth reading here:
Harvard International Review
Geoffrey K. See and Andray Abrahamian
August 23, 2011

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Posted in Bureau 39, Domestic publication, Economic reform, Hwanggumphyong and Wihwado Economic Zones (Sinuiju), Joint Venture Investment Committee (JVIC), Kim's New Year Address (Joint editorials), Korea Taepung International Investment Group (Daepung Investment Group), National Defense Commission, Rason Economic and Trade Zone (Rajin-Sonbong), Special Economic Zones (Established before 2013) | Comments Closed

Pyongyang seeing more inspections

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

According to the Daily NK:

With the border area enveloped in ‘Storm Trooper Unit’ inspections, operations against South Korean goods have been stepped up in distant Pyongyang, according to a man from the city who talked to the Daily NK in Dandong, China on Tuesday.

“Inspections by ‘Group 109’, which has been around for a while, have gradually become more intense,” the man, Kim, explained. “Worst of all, they are showing up in the middle of the night without warning to search for CDs, DVDs and recorders, and if there are any materials such as pornography or South Korean merchandise, then the offender is taken away. There are no exceptions.”

“In the past when the National Security Agency or People’s Safety Ministry came to inspect, people would pay them to let it slide, but nowadays the authorities send an agent from both of those agencies and the Defense Security Command as a team, which makes it hard to get out of it if you get caught,” he added.

A Daily NK source from Pyongyang confirmed the story, saying that as recently as July one could escape Group 109 punishment for watching South Korean or American DVDs with a bribe of $100 in central Pyongyang, or less in the surrounding areas.

Group 109 is an organization set up by the Chosun Workers’ Party to crack down on illegal media including CDs and DVDs. The group is one of a number of ‘Gruppas’, as they are locally known, currently operating in the capital, with others including Group 622, which handles juvenile delinquency, and Group 27, actually a branch of the Defense Security Command, which deals with mobile phone usage.

The various groups have been conducting their assorted inspections to weed out myriad ‘anti-socialist’ behavior for some time, but bribery has always provided an escape route, albeit while those without money or connections were made an example of. However in recent times, allegedly since successor Kim Jong Eun ordered more intense inspections and punishments, the ‘Gruppas’ have had to take their tasks more seriously.

The volume of South Korean goods trading in the market has contracted due to the recent crackdowns, but their popularity is undiminished; evasion of inspections is apparently being achieved via house calls to trusted clients. Kim says that the preference is only getting stronger for South Korean goods amongst cadres, a group which has always been safe from inspections.

“The traders go around the city knocking on people’s doors, quietly asking whether the residents would like to buy some South Korean merchandise. For this reason the nickname ‘knock-knocker’ is sometimes used to refer to them,” Kim explained.

Read the full story here:
Pyongyang Seeing Tighter Inspections
Daily NK
Lee Seok Young
2011-8-24

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Posted in Black markets, Film, Ministry of People’s Security (Criminal Police), Ministry of State Security (MPSS, NSA, SSD), Music, Television | Comments Closed

DPRK art merchant arrested in ROK

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Pictured above (Google Earth): The Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang. The blue roofs indicate that most of the buildings have recently been renovated. See the studio in Google Maps here.

According to Yonhap:

Seoul police said Wednesday that they have booked an ethnic Korean woman from China for allegedly smuggling North Korean paintings into South Korea, selling them to local consumers and sending some of the profits to the North.

The 46-year-old woman, surnamed Kim, was accused of bringing in about 1,300 paintings by some well-known North Korean artists in violation of a law regulating the flow of goods between the two Koreas, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said.

Police also booked three others for allegedly helping Kim peddle the smuggled artworks.

Kim is suspected of smuggling in 1,308 artworks, mostly landscape paintings created by North Korean artists, between May last year and July this year, and pocketing 30 million won (US$27,943) after selling 1,139 of them to local galleries and over the Internet, police said.

Police said the North Korean artists include some famous names who were authorized by the Pyongyang regime and affiliated with the communist country’s top-notch Mansudae art community widely known to be peddling artwork overseas as a means of earning foreign currency.

Kim is believed to have obtained those paintings through her North Korean husband living in China who uses his membership in an expatriates’ support committee in North Korea to secure his supply, police said.

Kim’s husband is believed to have clinched the supply of artwork on the condition that he pays $8,000 won annually on top of half the sales proceeds to the art community, according to the police.

“It is the first case ever to confirm that North Korea is selling (artwork) abroad through the committee,” a police official said.

Police said that the artwork, smuggled personally or through international mail, was mostly sold to art galleries in Incheon, Daejeon and Gwangju for prices ranging from 30,000 won to 1 million won per unit.

Police said they plan to expand the investigation as more North Korean goods could be smuggled into the country.

The Atlantic also has a good blog post on the whole saga.

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Posted in Art, International trade, Mansudae creative Company (art studio), South Korea | Comments Closed

Friday Fun: clearing out the inbox

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Ultimate Frisbee – Pyongyang

Pictured Above: Taesongsan Park where the games will be held.  Also the site of the DPRK’s first cricket match.

Time is running out to sign up for the DPRK’s first Ultimate Frisbee tournament.  Find more information here. This is a Facebook page, so you might not have access depending on where you are seeing this web page.  If you would like to know more, get in touch with Koryo Tours.

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Choson Exchange Update

Choson Exchange posted a whole bunch of new photos to their Facebook page which were taken on their September 2010 visit to the DPRK .  See the photos here.

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Kim Jong-il’s daughter on guidance trips?

A clever North Korea blogger in Poland (h/t Leonid Petrov) seems to have identified Kim Jong-il’s daughter in the entourage that accompanied the Great Leader on his recent visit to Pyongyang’s Department Store No. 1.

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Synchronized Swimming

North Korea’s synchronized swimming team competed in the final of the free combination synchronized swimming competition in the FINA World Championships in Shanghai on July 21, 2011.  Lots of photos (as shown above) are at Daylife.com.  Sorry ladies, I don’t think the DPRK (or anyone else) has a men’s synchronized swimming team.  A quick search on YouTube revealed only joke videos.

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Lankov on the DPRK’s fiction
Andrei Lankov writes an interesting piece on the role of fiction in North Korean society…and how it reflects foreign policy!  Read the article here.

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Sand Art Redux
Uriminzokkiri has posted another “Sand Art” piece to their YouTube account.  You can watch it here.  This one is very different from the first which surfaced a couple of weeks ago.

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NPR’s Planet Money on the DPRK’s international trade
Listen to the podcast here.

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Posted in Art, Civil society, Sports | Comments Closed

DPRK unveils 2011-7-24 election posters

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Last night on the KCTV evening news (July 6), the DPRK unveiled the propaganda posters for the upcoming elections:

Click on the image for a larger version*.

The slogan at the bottom of the painting reads “일심단결의 위력을 시위하자”.  Thanks to a helpful reader, this translates to “Let’s demonstrate the power of single-hearted unity”.

Click on image for a larger version*.

The slogan at the bottom of the painting reads “모두다 찬성 투표하자”. Again with thanks to a reader, this means “Let’s all vote yes”.

See translated KCTV footage here.

Marcus Noland writes about the elections as a form of social control.

The Daily NK has more on the elections:

North Korea has confirmed the date of the country’s next local People’s Committee elections. According to a report put out by Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA) today, the poll is set to take place on the 24th of next month.

Citing a June 13th release put out by the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, KCNA reported this morning, “According to Article 139 of the Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the decision of local People’s Committees, province, city and county People’s Committee delegate elections will proceed on July 24th.”

North Korea’s constitution demands that it conduct elections to local committees every four years. The last, which occurred almost exactly four years ago, in July, 2007, saw 26,635 delegates elected to various committees.

At the end of May, The Daily NK cited an inside North Korean source as suggesting that the elections were likely to be in June, and that the authorities were involved in the process of voter registration.

However, such elections are a formality, while the process of voter registration is used partly as a way to threaten the families of defectors. One inside source, reporting on the contents of a people’s unit meeting in late May, cited a security official, “He said, ‘We will punish or exile families who either fail to take part in or miss it because they are not here. Contact people who have gone to China for trade or gone to live there illegally and tell them to come back without fail.”

According to the Voice of Russia,  the election campaign is aimed at drawing the maximum turnout which in 2007 was officially 99.82% voters.

* Originally I used the images from KCTV, but since Yonhap later published better versions, I ammended the post to include them.

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Posted in Art, Political economy | 4 Comments »

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