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Published: April 19th 2006
On top
This is a picture of me after we made it up to the highest point of the mountain.This past weekend, I had an opportunity to go to North Korea. The only way anyone is allowed across the boarder is through the Hyundai Tour to Kumgangsan. Kumgangsan is a mountain (san=mountain) that is said to be one of the most beautiful places in all of Korea. The trip was originally designed for students who were in the North and South Korean Conflict class, but it was opened up to all international students. It was a pretty pricy tour, as it lasted for 3 days and 2 nights in five star hotel. As an American Citizen, who is not permitted into the country under any other circumstances, I found this an experience I could not turn down. Not very many people I know back home can say, “Oh yeah, North Korea, I’ve been there.”
We left at 7 am on Friday, all 44 of us. We took a 5 hour bus ride to the northern part of South Korea where we picked up our handy little tourist IDs that had to be worn around our necks at all times. We also had to drop off all cell phones, internet connection devices, cameras whose lenses exceed 150mm zoom, and all
of those fun things you can’t take with you on an airplane. Another interesting thing was that they only accepted USD and South Korean Won...the currency of the two countries that are the least welcome. We then got back on the bus that took us to the boarder where we went through a second security check. Here they stamped our passports for Kumgangsan (they cannot put North Korea because it could cause problems for some people when they tried to get back into their original countries) and they scanned our bags. The tour altogether consisted of 13 tour buses with about 20-30 people on them each. The other busses were full of South Korean tourists.
The next bus would take us across the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone, aka 48th Parallel). Here we met our tour guides and were explained that NO PICTURES could be taken in the moving bus under any circumstances. This was for security purposes on both the Northern and the Southern sides. We drove for several Kilometers with fences on either sides of the road. We passed South Korean soldiers standing on look out and others working. We then got to the DMZ where we saw our last
Full Bus
There were 44 of us packed into the bus. S. Korean Soldier standing in a glassed in Traditional Pavilion and out first N. Korean Soldier standing next to a Glassed in Pavilion holding an AK47. Between the two points, there two barbed wire fences that stood about 3 Meters from each other and ran Parallel as far as the eye could see, over the mountains and even to the ocean on our right. Once we were in North Korea we saw the soldiers, in their brown uniforms and large hats with a big red stripe, every minute or so standing like statues in attention at posts throughout the countryside.
We were taken to another checkpoint where the North Korean Soldiers searched the 14 busses, our bags, cameras, and us. We went through the line individually. When it was my turn, I was looked directly at by the soldier and asked (in Korean, of course) if I was American. I said yes nervously. Then he surprisingly asked me what I was studying. After I answered, he finished checking all of my papers and let me through. When I got on the bus, apparently he had not asked anyone else any questions, so I felt honored as the boys said
East Coast
View from the South Korean shore on the drive North I was just hit on by a North Korean Soldier. As we went out of the checkpoint (which was like a large tent) to get back on the busses, there were three large bears amidst the military uniforms, official signs, and equipment. Two of the bears were made of plaster and the third was a person in a costume who stood between the two others waving at us, as though we were in a theme park. I must say that that was the most random thing I had ever seen in my life, and the last thing I would expect to be greeted with at the North Korean Military Checkpoint. Later, we found out that the bear was the “Mascot” for Kumgangsan, but it doesn’t change that fact that it was awkward.
As the bus drove into North Korea, I must tell you that I have never seen a place so magnificent. I also can’t tell you how much it pained me to not be able to take photographs to share with you this beautiful picture I will do my best to paint with words: The Mountains reached to the sky like walls that were meant to protect the
Kim Il Sung
This is one of the huge pictures that can be seen from the villages (sorry for the bad quality...it was dark) solitude that seemed to exist there. The bare, jagged rocks surrounded us on all sides. Only when the mountains fell from their peaks into the valleys that lay below, could you see any hint of life. These towering mountains were complimented by the simplicity of small villages. These villages seemed almost dead other than the occasional small children ridding around on bicycles, elderly people tending the land, and goats grazing in nearby fields. This lifestyle, though it seemed so close, was indeed separated from us by, not only the barbed wire fences that stood over 3 meters high, but also by the North Korean Guards stationed every 20 meters. As we drove through these valleys, the endless farmland and mountains fused together as though one could not exist without the other. Despite the tourist trail that lead through the North; all other aspects of daily life were preserved beyond the fences. From the villages, large Pictures of Kim Il Sung could be seen as we drove by.
The five star Hotel Gaegumgang looked as though it had once been a functional cruise ship. This blue and white construction floated by the dock of a large lake overlooked by mountains.
Hotel Haegumgang
This was the Five star Hotel/Cruise ship we stayed at. We were eager to meet the staff, but we later found that no North Koreans worked there, only South Koreans. It was obvious that they tried their best to make the place look alive and thriving. To the left of the entrance, there was a dinning room/bar where a pianist and two singers were performing, but no one was in the room. We were told that there were also two Night Clubs on this cruise ship, but when we checked them out, we found the places barren except for the workers. After we toured around, this really nice “five star hotel” seemed more like a ghost ship. It was quite eerie. The rooms were nice with two twin, western beds and Korean style showers (where the whole bathroom is basically the shower with the drain is in the middle of the room).
After we dropped our bags off, the busses took us to the main area where there were a few restaurants, a convenient store, a huge dome for entertainment purposes, and a rather large gift shop. We had a Korean Buffet for dinner and then were allowed to look around, but urged not to buy anything until Sunday,
The Lake
This was the veiw of the lake from the back of the ship when we left. After dinner we went back to the hotel for the evening.
Saturday morning we had breakfast from 6:30-7:30 and left on the bus at 7:40 to go to Kumgangsan. We were briefed several times on the way there that we could take NO PICTURES while the bus was moving. When we got there, we were told we could take all of the pictures we wanted, as long as we did not photograph any of the North Koreans. You could tell the North Koreans from the South, because they all wore a pin of Kim Jung Il on the left side of their shirt. We were also not allowed to talk with them and specifically told not to ask them for their Kim Jung Il pin, as it meant a great deal to them.
We were also encouraged to use the restroom before we left on the hike because once we got to the mountain you had to pay to go to the bathroom since all of the waste was carried out on the backs of Koreans and then disposed of. It was 1,000 won ($1) for a “small one” and 2,000 won ($2) for
Kumgangsan
On the top... a “big one.”
We then set out on our hike. It took about an hour to hike into the mountain, which was paved with stone and cut rock. Since the whole hike ran along side a stream, we crossed numerous bridges and saw several small waterfalls and even a few from towering cliff sides. Since it is not quite spring and the sun was not out, the land seemed really rustic with the lack of vegetation. On this hike, there were many signs in Red Korean letters that told the story of Kim Jung Il’s visit years back. There was also a lot of Korean text carved into rocks and even on the sides of mountains. Once we got to the foot of the mountain we hiked up stairs and huge metal latter/staircases. The 30-minute, straight, uphill hike seemed never ending. There were several times I just wanted to stop and rest, but then several 50+ year old Koreans would pass me going both up and down. I would then have to tell myself, “If they can make it, so can you!” So I would suck it up after their sweet, tired greeting of “hym dara” (Roughly meaning “exhausted”)
North Korean Monk
Amidst the construction of this temple, chanting and prayers could still be heard. with a fatigued smile as I repeated to two words.
When we finally made it to the top, the view was overwhelming. There were mountains as far as the eye could see and bright green pools of water below. The people looked smaller than ants and hike back endless. It was definitely worth all of the effort. We stayed up there about 30 minutes taking pictures and relaxing. Then, we took the, just as hard, hike back down. Once we were at the bottom, we continued back on the same path that lead us there. We had lunch at a restaurant at the foot of the trail and then headed back on the bus.
On the way back, we stopped at a Buddhist temple that was being reconstructed through the joint efforts of both the North and the South. After that, some people went to the hot springs and others back to the hotel. Later in the afternoon, we went to the Circus, which was more of an acrobat performance which took place in the large dome I mentioned earlier at the center of all the tourist action.
Saturday night was the highlight of the tour. After
Birthday Celebration
Here are two North Korean women dancing. If you look closely, you can see Jan and I in the background. the Circus, we went to another 5 star hotel to celebrate Kim Il Sung (King Jung Il’s Father)’s Birthday. When we first got there, there were over 200 North Korean Women in Hanbok (the customary dress) dancing traditional dances. I must say that all of these women were beautiful as they spun around in the colorful array of gowns. They all had huge smiles and danced with such ease and grace. Most of the Women worked at this specific hotel (I assumed). After a while, a few of our group members joined in and attempted to learn the structured dances. It was awkward at first because there was definitely a social barrier between our two groups, but they were kind and reserve, which can only be expected. There were a few of the North Korean men dancing, but most watched with us on the sides. Jan and I decided to go in for it. We managed to make it in time for a group one where the people danced in a circle holding hands. Here it was easier to get closer to the locals as they laughed at out mistakes and then tried to help us. I met a really
Chandelier
Thiw was in the Hotel where we celebrated. drunk North Korean Man who kept trying to help me dance but it was in vein because of the Soju. The lady he was following around was much more helpful.
Later on during the dancing, Jan and I met 4 of the sweetest and beautiful Korean girls. They helped us learn the dances and really enjoyed celebrating with us. At the end we shook hands and said goodbye.
We were escorted through the hotel. It had magnificent Chandeliers, upholstery, and paintings. All of the workers were kind to us, as we looked around on the second floor. It was hard to believe that all of this effort was for the tourists. We soon, however, learned that it wasn’t simply for foreigners. Our tour guide said that we should go to the 12th floor because “we would really like it.” Jokes went around about how it could be a trap. These jokes were a constant between many of the boys who were uncomfortable in the situation altogether.
On the 12th floor we found a sky bar full of the highest North and South Korean representatives. We were told we could not enter; we could just look from the
Koraoke
This was when we started to get our party on. doorway. Towards the end of the night we found out that Top Ranking Member of the Communist Party for that Region was meeting with the South Korean leader of Hyundai Tourism (the only company allowed to send people through the boarder…it was a Hyundai Tour we were on). Here, they were discussing the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. All of the top members of both sides were present at this meeting in honor of Kim Il Sung’s birthday. Later, someone made the comment that both parties were really intense and the only way they could discuss issues such as this was over Soju and Whisky.
After a few minutes of looking in, we were invited into the grand hall where over 30 men sat at a long table all dressed in suits. They had just finished a meeting and were now drinking and having rice cakes and snacks. They invited us to come in and sit at the tables along the sides of the huge windows, so the 44 of us came in and filled the seats. They had Karaoke going on and several Women in traditional dress took turns singing. One of the girls who knew Korean helped
The "Big Guys"
This is a classic picture of the leader of the communist party and the South Korean Hyundai director arm and arm as they sing for the crowd. break the awkward distance between the groups by unexpectedly running up there and singing a song in Korean. The men went wild and the party started. They treated all of us to a drink and some rice cakes. We began to intermingle as the music played in the background. If there was any point where I wish I could speak Korean the most, it was during those 2 hours.
The groups gather around the stage where the Communist and Hyundai leader sang us a song with their arms on each other’s shoulders. Most of the other men were mixed in with us foreigners and also took turns singing songs. Here the rules that once were presented to us on life and death terms ceased to exist as we were no longer tourists, but guests welcomed in the presence of the esteemed. We took pictures and talked freely.
At the end of the night we sang them a song as a group in thanks for their hospitality and drinks. We then took a group photo, shook hands and walked away in disbelief of what had just taken place. By the end, the North Korean Party Member was emotionally overwhelmed with
the activities that took place. For him it seemed to symbolize such progress as he interacted with so many of us from the U.S., Japan, and many other countries. At one point, he didn’t have the capacity to carry on in English.
On the bus, we were told that it was the first time in 18 years where foreigners were allowed to be anywhere near such an event, much less partake in the after party. That night we continued the party back at the hotel on an all time high. We drank a bottle of whiskey that they bought us and talked late into the night.
The next morning, we had the option of either sleeping in, going on another hike that was to be even harder, or go to the lake and ocean. As much as I wanted to sleep-in, I had already gotten up and taken a shower, so I decided to go to the lake. Sunday, the sun was out and it was much warmer. The views were incredible and in the process of getting caught for trying to smuggle out North Korean sand for my sisters collection, Jan and I met two young, North
"Cheers"
Alex and I cheering with our bottle of whisky, compliments of our hosts. Korean women who though we were married because it is automatically assumed if a man and a women are together. They were extremely nice to us considering our criminal actions and we saw them later on when we went to the lake. Our tour guide, who was with them, said that her and one of the women (who was a North Korean Guide) were best friends. She made it clear that one of them was from the south and one from the north…and that they were “best friends.” It was really neat.
The lake was beautiful as well and a hike all in itself. We went up the side of a mountain that overlooked farmland and the lake view. Then we went to the bus. I was really glad that I chose the excursion over sleeping in.
We went to lunch and then to buy last minute souvenirs and then were on our way back to Seoul. We went back through the checkpoints. The first one caused a great deal of nervous tension for some people. Two girls managed to make it through with 6 bottles of North Korean Wine each, and a lot of people were a
Oceanside
Utopian get away? wreck as a North Korean Guard scrolled through the photos on the digital cameras. Many people took illegal photos from the bus and if they were caught with them there cameras could be confiscated. No one was caught though. Once we got back across the boarder we were checked again and then took the 7-hour bus ride back to Seoul.
Overall, I couldn’t believe the experience that I had. It was really enlightening to see first hand the North Korean people and land where they lived. I know that we only had a small glimpse of what this country is like, but it was an encounter I will remember for the rest of my life. Being there really changed my perspective on how I viewed the North Koreans. Some people said that it was only an act that they were so happy and patriotic. There is no way to say for sure, but a part of me felt a real peace once I became closer with those N. Koreans who seemed so distant and cautious in our presence. I felt a tension that seemed to be rooted in the understanding that we were incapable of appreciating and accepting their
Lake/Hike
Looking over the lake once we got to the top. culture as it was, since most foreigners come with the understanding that these people are suppressed and have no true joy in life.
But, when I saw these men and women dancing and when I saw them hesitantly open up to us, I really sensed an honest joy and peace in them. Many people argue that these cannot exist in a society that has such social and economic restrictions, but the truth is that if you never know what it is like to experience freedom on the terms that our modern society knows it as, then you cannot miss it or even feel deprived of it. I am not saying that I support this particular system; I am simply putting forth an idea that could possibly lead to the better understanding of their perspective and condition.
We can only hope that one-day peace and understanding will flourish through the Korean Peninsula, with or without the reunification.
Pictures: For your convenience and mine, I went a head and named all of the pictures from this point on by their location and then put a description. I hope you enjoy!
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Burt
non-member comment
memorable moments
Bekah, Thanks so much for including me in your memorable moments. It was wonderful to share in this experience of a lifetime. I send my best. Have a safe and wonderful trip full of such moments. Burt