Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
North Korea Uncovered: Version 12
Download it here
About this Project: This map covers North Korea’s agriculture, aviation, cultural locations, markets, manufacturing facilities, energy infrastructure, political facilities, sports venues, military establishments, religious facilities, leisure destinations, national parks, shipping, mining, and railway infrastructure. It is continually expanding and undergoing revisions. This is the 12th version.
Additions include: Tongch’ang-dong launch facility overlay (thanks to Mr. Bermudez), Yongbyon overlay with destroyed cooling tower (thanks to Jung Min Noh), “The Barn” (where the Pueblo crew were kept), Kim Chaek Taehung Fishing Enterprise, Hamhung University of education, Haeju Zoo, Pyongyang: Kim il Sung Institute of Politics, Polish Embassy, Munsu Diplomatic Store, Munsu Gas Station, Munsu Friendship Restaurant, Mongolian Embassy, Nigerian Embassy, UN World Food Program Building, CONCERN House, Czech Republic Embassy, Rungnang Cinema, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, Pyongyang Number 3 Hospital, Electric Machines Facotry, Bonghuajinlyoso, Second National Academy of Sciences, Central Committee Building, Party Administration Building, Central Statistics Bureau, Willow Capital Food House, Thongounjong Pleasure Ground, Onpho spa, Phipa Resort Hotel, Sunoni Chemical Complex (east coast refinery), Ponghwa Chemical complex (west coast refinery), Songbon Port Revolutionary Monument, Hoeryong People’s Library, Pyongyang Monument to the anti Japanese martyrs, tideland reclamation project on Taegye Island. Additionally the electricity grid was expanded and the thermal power plants have been better organized. Additional thanks to Ryan for his pointers.
I hope this map will increase interest in North Korea. There is still plenty more to learn, and I look forward to receiving your contributions to this project.
Version 12 available: Download it here
Posted in Agriculture, Animation, Architecture, Art, Automobiles, Aviation, Banking, Cell phones, Coal, Communications, Computing/IT, Construction, Copper, Dams/hydro, Education, Electricity, Energy, Environmental protection, Film, Finance, Fiscal & monetary policy, Food, Football (soccer), Foreign direct investment, Forestry, Gambling, Gasoline, General markets (FMR: Farmers Market), Gold, Golf, Google Earth, Health care, Hoteling, Hwanggumphyong and Wihwado Economic Zones (Sinuiju), International trade, Joint Ventures, Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), Leisure, Library, Light Industry, Lumber, Manufacturing, Mass games, Military, Mining/Minerals, Mt. Kumgang Tourist Special Zone, Music, Nuclear, Pyongyang Metro, Railways, Rason Economic and Trade Zone (Rajin-Sonbong), Real estate, Religion, Restaurants, Sea shipping, Special Economic Zones (Established before 2013), Sports, Television, Tourism, Transportation, Wind | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
The most authoritative map of North Korea on Google Earth
Download it here
This map covers North Korea’s agriculture, aviation, cultural locations, markets, manufacturing facilities, railroad, energy infrastructure, politics, sports venues, military establishments, religious facilities, leisure destinations, and national parks. It is continually expanding and undergoing revisions. This is the eleventh version.
Additions include: Mt. Paegun’s Ryonghung Temple and resort homes, Pyongyang’s Chongryu Restaurant, Swiss Development Agency (former UNDP office), Iranian Embassy, White Tiger Art Studio, KITC Store, Kumgangsan Store, Pyongyang Fried Chicken Restaurant, Kilju’s Pulp Factory (Paper), Kim Chaek Steel Mill, Chongjin Munitions Factory, Poogin Coal Mine, Ryongwun-ri cooperative farm, Thonggun Pavilion (Uiju), Chinju Temple (Yongbyon), Kim il Sung Revolutionary Museum (Pyongsong), Hamhung Zoo, Rajin electrified perimeter fence, Pyongsong market (North Korea’s largest), Sakju Recreation Center, Hoeryong Maternity Hospital, Sariwon Suwon reservoir (alleged site of US massacre), Sinpyong Resting Place, 700 Ridges Pavilion, Academy of Science, Hamhung Museum of the Revolutionary Activities of Comrade Kim Il Sung, South Hamgyong House of Culture, Hamhung Royal Villa, Pork Chop Hill, and Pyongyang’s Olympic torch route. Additional thanks go to Martyn Williams for expanding the electricity grid, particularly in Samjiyon, and various others who have contributed time improving this project since its launch.
Disclaimer: I cannot vouch for the authenticity of many locations since I have not seen or been to them, but great efforts have been made to check for authenticity. These efforts include pouring over books, maps, conducting interviews, and keeping up with other peoples’ discoveries. In many cases, I have posted sources, though not for all. This is a thorough compilation of lots of material, but I will leave it up to the reader to make up their own minds as to what they see. I cannot catch everything and I welcome contributions. Additionally, this file is getting large and may take some time to load.
Posted in Advertising, Agriculture, Architecture, Art, Automobiles, Aviation, Banking, Biotech, Cell phones, Central Broadcasting Station, Coal, Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Communications, Computing/IT, Construction, Dams/hydro, Demographics, Domestic publication, Education, Electricity, Energy, Environmental protection, Film, Finance, Food, Football (soccer), Foreign direct investment, Forestry, Gambling, Gasoline, General markets (FMR: Farmers Market), Golf, Google Earth, Health care, Hoteling, Hwanggumphyong and Wihwado Economic Zones (Sinuiju), Intranet, Joint Ventures, Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), Kim Il Sung University, Korean Buddhist Association, Labor conditions/wages, Leisure, Library, Light Industry, Lumber, Mansu Art Studio, Manufacturing, Mass games, Maternity Hospital, Military, Mining/Minerals, Ministry of foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Ministry of People’s Armed Forces, Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Ministry of Public Health, Mt. Kumgang Tourist Special Zone, Musan Mine, Nuclear, Oil, Phoenix Commerical Ventures, Pyongyang Embroidery Institute, Pyongyang Film Studio, Pyongyang International Information Center of New Techn, Pyongyang International Trade Fair, Pyongyang Metro, Pyongyang University of Medicine, Radio, Railways, Rason Economic and Trade Zone (Rajin-Sonbong), Real estate, Religion, Restaurants, Sea shipping, Sports, Steel, Supreme Peoples Assembly, Tourism, Transportation, Wind | 6 Comments »
Monday, July 21st, 2008
UPDATE: I know all of you were wondering how the DPRK fared in the 2008 International Mathematical Olympics! It is certainly the most under-reported story of the year!
North Korea improved over last year’s performance to capture 7th place! The team’s individual results can be found here. Un Song Ri led his team to victory scoring a 97.94% and capturing 12th place individually.
Scoring ahead of the DPRK: China (PRC), Russia, USA, Republic of Korea, Iran, Thailand.
ORIGINAL POST: I was perusing the Korean Friendship Association web site this morning, and noticed this post:
Author: Alejandro Cao De Benos
Subject: International Mathematic Olympics
A Delegation of 6 DPRK students (16 to 19 y.o.) and 2 professors from KIM IL SUNG University and Pyongyang Middle School Number 1, are now in Madrid to participate in the International Mathematic Olympics.
On 15th will be the opening ceremony, 16th and 17th the exams. 21st will be the closing ceremony. (100 countries participate)
After the exams, they are invited by the organizing Committee to tour Madrid city center, Aranjuez, Toledo, Salamanca and enjoy typical Flamenco dance.
I just said goodbye to them after sharing 5 days in the capital. They are studying day and night, eager to get the best marks in the competition.
Ri dongji, best of success for all the team!!
This competition originates in the former USSR and Warsaw Pact countries. Some quick background info can be found on the competition’s Wikipedia site and official site.
Here are the annual results (grouped by country) since the competition started in 1959. Of all these years, the DPRK (PRK) only competed in 2007-Hanoi (8th place – see team results here), 1992-Moscow (16th place – team results here), 1991-Sweden (Disqualified – the only team ever disqualified. Not sure why—anyone out there know?), and 1990-Beijing (19th place – team results here). Here are the results for all the individuals who have competed on the DPRK team.
Here is where the 2008 team’s results will be posted. The web page gives a contact name (Ham Yong Chol) and email address. Some enterprising journalist out there should try to get a story.
Posted in Civil society, Education, Sports | Comments Closed
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
Yonhap reports on the DPRK’s efforts to create an education endowment:
North Korea, which is marking the 60th anniversary of its foundation this year, has stepped up efforts to improve educational facilities across the country with help from foreign countries and overseas Koreans, a pro-Pyongyang Korean-language daily in Japan said Monday.
The program is being actively supported by Australian, Swiss, Vietnamese and Finish charitable funds as well as Korean residents in Canada, said the daily of Chongryon, or the pro-Pyongyang Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
Much of the funding is being used to construct a new building for Koryo Songgyungwan, a university of light industry in Kaesong, south of Pyongyang, and modernize educational facilities at Kimchaek University of Technology with a history of 60 years in Pyongyang, according to the report.
When I visited the DPRK in 2005 for the “60th anniversary of the end of Japanese colonialism (aka the end of WWII),” I picked up a brochure from this foundation—scans below:
(Click on images to view)
It is interesting to notice just how much they have learned from the Western non-profit world, including how to reward donors:
“KEF acknowledges and appraises the donations from contributors in different ways such as citation, issue of certificates, availability on publications, and arranging visit to project sites as well as tourism.”
Contributions are not tax deductible.
UPDATE: I have not had a chance to review all this material yet, but here are some more links:
KEF official web site
Information from Naenara
From KCNA:
Korea Education Fund Set Up
Pyongyang, June 7 [2005] (KCNA) — The Korea Education Fund (KEF) has been established. It is a legal non-governmental organization for public interests. Its mission is to regulate and strengthen financial and material support necessary to develop education in accordance with the requirement of the times.
Many Koreans at home and abroad and famous political, public and educational figures and organizations have rendered a lot of material and financial backing to the DPRK in its educational work, proceeding from the lofty humanitarianism of loving peace and valuing the future.
It has made a contribution to the improvement of educational conditions and the balanced development of education.
And many figures have advanced a proposal to establish an organization in the form of humanitarian fund for the purpose of strengthening the support to the educational work and have exerted efforts to realize it. Their efforts have resulted in founding the Fund in January last through an agreement and working procedure with parties concerned.
The Fund does not fix the regional limit in general activities such as raising fund and performing support. And it decides personnel selection according to relevant program and the agreed plan on specific objects, transcending the differences in political view, religious belief, race, nationality and sex.
The KEF welcomes all donators at home and abroad who are based on good intentions and voluntary principle.
Its support will be given mainly to the insufficient educational apparatuses and school things, improvement of infrastructure of educational establishments and studying conditions at schools and to training of personnel.
The KEF regards it as a supreme principle of its work to ensure trust in donators, receivers and volunteers. And it respects all those at home and abroad that join the assistance directly or indirectly and positively cooperates with them.
It organizes the work of recognizing and appreciating the donators and volunteers in accordance with the will of receivers and the principle of the Fund’s activity. Such activities include citation, issue of certificate, hanging of board, introduction through publications and organization of tour of the objects and scenic spots.
The KEF has its accounts in the Koryo Commercial Bank and overseas agent banks.
The KEF will be conducive to developing education in the country and rearing well the rising generation, the future of the humankind. (Fax: 0085-02-3814410, E-mail: [email protected])
Read the Yonhap story here:
N.K. renovating schools with foreign donations
Yonhap
Shim Sun-ah
6/23/2008
Posted in Banking, Civil society, Education, Finance, Korea Education Foundation | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
From the British Council:
English Teacher Trainers, DPRK (North Korea)
Based Pyongyang, reference OA08007
You must read the Information about the Job before you make an application. It contains vital information on how to apply, our selection procedure, and the application deadline, as well as job-specific information.
Senior English Teacher Trainer – £29,361 a year
English Teacher Trainer (three posts) – £25,772 a year
Contract from 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2009 (with the possibility of extension)
Benefits including free accommodation, pension provision, medical insurance and regular flights to Beijing and the UK
JOB SUMMARY
The British Council/Foreign and Commonwealth Office English language project in the DPRK aims to deliver high-quality programmes in teacher/trainer training and to develop the curriculum and related materials as well as assessment systems at three leading institution in Pyongyang. This high-profile project has been running since 2000, and we are now seeking four experienced English language teaching professionals to fill the above posts, which will be based at these institutions.
You will have: a diploma-level qualification in TEFL (e.g. UCLES DTEFLA/Cambridge ESOL DELTA, Trinity College London Dip TESOL); a minimum of three years’ ELT and teacher training experience overseas; and course/curriculum planning and materials development experience. An MA in TEFL/Applied Linguistics (or equivalent) and experience of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and of teaching ESP are desirable. Additionally, for the Senior English Teacher Trainer post you will have knowledge of testing, and people and project management experience is desirable.
Note: local restrictions mean that UK passport holders only can be considered for these posts. These are unaccompanied posts, although in exceptional cases the DPRK authorities might agree to a married couple.
WHO WE ARE
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We work in 110 countries and territories reaching millions of people each year, and increase appreciation of the UK through the arts, education, science, government and sport.
HOW TO APPLY: Visit their website.
Posted in Education, United Kingdom | 1 Comment »
Saturday, April 12th, 2008
If you want to make money, you have to spend money.
Excerpts from Yonhap:
North Korea regards [Chongryun] the pro-Pyongyang residents’ group in Japan as its major overseas support base. The pro-communist group operates a number of primary and junior and high schools in Japan where students of Korean ancestry learn the Korean history and language.
Kim Jong-il “sent 205 million yen as educational aid fund and stipends to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan for the democratic national education of the children of Koreans in Japan,” the Korean Central News Agency said in a report, monitored in Seoul.
The latest North Korean financial donation comes amid warnings by international aid groups that the isolated communist country faces its worst food shortage in years.
Read the full sotry here:
N. Korea donates US$2 million to pro-Pyongyang group in Japan: report
Yonhap
4/12/2008
Posted in Chongryun, Education, Japan, Political economy | Comments Closed
Saturday, February 16th, 2008
English education in North Korea is on the increase. On each of my visits in 2004 and 2005 I saw classes of all ages learning English–from elementary school students to older professionals. (I wonder if Chinese tourists are taken to Chinese language classes?)
While visiting Pyongyang in 2005, I met a Canadian woman who was teaching English at the Grand Peoples’ Study House, and she seemed to be doing a good job teaching “conversational” English. Here is a photo of one of her student’s notepads.
Additionally, she was paid in Euros; lived in the Central District (unlike most expats who are confined to the Yangdakdo Hotel and the Munsu diplomatic neighborhood); and she was recruited in China.
There can’t be too many Canadian women teaching English in Pyongyang, so I wonder if she is the same teacher featured in this Yohap story on the DPRK’s TEOFL exam scores:
Canadians seem to dominate the English profession in Pyongyang, another one was featured in this Yohap story on the DPRK’s TEOFL exam scores:
The average TOEFL score in the computer-based test by North Korean nationals has improved from 178 in the 1998-1999 period to 189 in 2003-2004 and 190 in 2004-2005.
The annual number of North Korean citizens taking the test, which stayed around 1,000 before June 2000, topped 4,000 in the 2003-2004 period and surpassed 6,000 in 2005-2006.
According to North Korean defectors in Seoul, Pyongyang has emphasized the importance of learning English since the 1970s.
“People are very eager to learn so there is a lot of improvement. Some of my students scored 500 on the (written) TOEFL exam,” Jake Buhler, a Canadian who taught English in North Korea for three months in 2004, was quoted by the radio station as saying.
English is now taught at all middle and high schools as well as universities in North Korea, according to Shin Eun-hi, a North Korean defector who taught English at the prestigious Kim Il Sung University and a foreign language college in Pyongyang. North Koreans previously avoided from learning English, calling it a language of U.S. imperialists.
However, she said only a small number of select people receive high-level English education. “The North Koreans who take the TOEFL are mostly students studying in third countries like China, Foreign Ministry officials and spies headed overseas,” another defector told Yonhap News Agency, requesting anonymity. “Such people are not inferior to South Koreans in their English skills.”
The full article can be found here:
N. Koreans, S. Koreans have similar TOEFL average: report
Yonhap
2/14/2008
Posted in Education | 4 Comments »
Thursday, February 7th, 2008
Writing today for the Asia Times, Sunny Lee gives an update on the North Korean-run restaurants in China and South East Asia. Much has already been published on these restaurants: how they channel money back to North Korea and how the waitresses tend to defect. (As mentioned in the Kaesong post yesterday, they probably also pay hefty bribes for their overseas posts and have well-connected relatives.)
Sunny Lee points out that these restaurants (see YouTube video here) are now diversifying their product lines to boost profits, and like other successful capitalists across Asia, they are doing it by leveraging their most unique asset–attractive North Korean women. How? By transforming into karaoke bars after dinner hours.
North Korea has some 100 restaurants overseas, mostly in China and Southeast Asia, including Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. These restaurants serve as an important revenue pipeline for earning foreign currencies for Pyongyang. Each overseas North Korean restaurant is said to be allotted a revenue quota to fill, ranging from US$100,000 to $300,000 a year to send to Pyongyang, which makes the total revenue estimation some tens of millions of dollars.
The business formula – restaurant by day and karaoke bar by night – is also seen as an effort for these restaurants to meet the assigned financial quota. Currently, there are scores of North Korean restaurants in China, including in cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Tsingdao, Dandong and Yanji. Beijing has 11 North Korean restaurants. All of these employ North Koreans whose total employment number in China is estimated to be several hundred. (Asia Times)
Despite the higher cost, business is brisk…
The reason that North Korean restaurants are expensive yet remain popular among customers is their immaculate service from beautiful employees. In China, where service quality at restaurants is often unsatisfactory, North Korean restaurants are becoming a favorite alternative among members of the businesses community. (Asia Times)
However, if you want to enjoy an authentic North Korean dining experience but have moral qualms about supporting the regime, then you can patronize similar resturants managed by North Korean defectors in South Korea–though the experience is quite different. Whereas the Chinese pay extra for premium restaurant service in Beijing, the South Koreans pay for the genuine socialist restaurant experience. In other words, they pay to be treated like an annoyance to the staff.
[At the Pyongyang Moran Bar (located in South Korea), the] North Korean waitresses wore traditional dresses in the bright colors that were fashionable in the South some years back. The singer’s interpretation of “Whistle,” a North Korean standard of the 1980’s, was shaky and off-key. Service was bad and included at least one mild threat. Drinks were spilled, beer bottles left unopened and unpoured.
But the South Korean customers could not get enough of the Pyongyang Moran Bar. (New York Times)
So you have your choice of North Korean themed restaurants: The propaganda ideal or the socialist reality.
The full articles can be found here:
Chillin’ at a North Korean karaoke bar
Asia Times
Sunny Lee
2/8/2008
In Deep South, North Koreans Find a Hot Market
New York Times
Norimitsu Onishi
5/25/2006
Posted in China, Economic reform, Education, Finance, Fiscal & monetary policy, Foreign direct investment, Joint Ventures, Restaurants, South Korea | Comments Closed
Friday, December 28th, 2007
Daily NK
Park Hyun Min
12/28/2007
The future dream of North Korea’s teenagers is no longer to become party leaders or soldiers, or even join the Party, but to become “merchants.”
“Good Friends,” an aid organization for North Korea, said through “Today’s News on North Korea” No. 104 on the 27th, “Most of the elementary and senior middle school students nowadays, upon being asked what they would like to do post-graduation, say they would like to be merchants.”
The source relayed, “Many of their peers have stopped going to school and have started doing business. It is too burdensome for some students to attend school, so they sell noodles or vegetables by sticking around the jangmadang (markets) and contribute to their families’ livelihoods.”
(more…)
Posted in Automobiles, Civil society, Economic reform, Education, Environmental protection, General markets (FMR: Farmers Market), Good Friends, Political economy, Supreme Peoples Assembly, Transportation, Water | 1 Comment »
Friday, December 14th, 2007
The most authoritative map of North Korea on Google Earth
North Korea Uncovered v.7
Download it here
This map covers North Korea’s agriculture, aviation, cultural locations, manufacturing facilities, railroad, energy infrastructure, politics, sports venues, military establishments, religious facilities, leisure destinations, and national parks. It is continually expanding and undergoing revisions. This is the sixth version.
Additions to the latest version of “North Korea Uncovered” include: A Korean War folder featuring overlays of US attacks on the Sui Ho Dam, Yalu Bridge, and Nakwon Munitians Plant (before/after), plus other locations such as the Hoeryong Revolutionary Site, Ponghwa Revolutionary Site, Taechon reactor (overlay), Pyongyang Railway Museum, Kwangmyong Salt Works, Woljong Temple, Sansong Revolutionary Site, Jongbansan Fort and park, Jangsan Cape, Yongbyon House of Culture, Chongsokjong, Lake Yonpung, Nortern Limit Line (NLL), Sinuiju Old Fort Walls, Pyongyang open air market, and confirmed Pyongyang Intranet nodes.
Disclaimer: I cannot vouch for the authenticity of many locations since I have not seen or been to them, but great efforts have been made to check for authenticity. These efforts include pouring over books, maps, conducting interviews, and keeping up with other peoples’ discoveries. In many cases, I have posted sources, though not for all. This is a thorough compilation of lots of material, but I will leave it up to the reader to make up their own minds as to what they see. I cannot catch everything and I welcome contributions.
Posted in Architecture, Art, Automobiles, Aviation, Cell phones, Civil society, Coal, Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Communications, Computing/IT, Construction, Dams/hydro, Department Store No. 1, Education, Electricity, Email, Energy, Film, Finance, Football (soccer), Forestry, Gambling, General markets (FMR: Farmers Market), Golf, Google Earth, Hana Electronics Company, Health care, Hoteling, Hwanggumphyong and Wihwado Economic Zones (Sinuiju), Hyesan Youth Cooper Mine, International Aid, Internet, Intranet, Juche, Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), Kim Chaek University of Technology, Kim Il Sung University, Korea Computer Center (KCC), Korean Buddhist Association, Korean People's Army, Light Industry, Lumber, Mansudae creative Company (art studio), Manufacturing, Mass games, Maternity Hospital, Military, Mining/Minerals, Ministry of foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Mt. Kumgang Tourist Special Zone, Musan Mine, Nuclear, Pyongyang Embroidery Institute, Pyongyang Film Studio, Pyongyang Informatics Center (PIC), Pyongyang International Information Center of New Techn, Pyongyang International Trade Fair, Pyongyang Metro, Pyongyang University of Medicine, Radio, Railways, Rason Economic and Trade Zone (Rajin-Sonbong), Real estate, Religion, Restaurants, Sea shipping, Sports, Television, Transportation, Wind | Comments Closed
