Welcome to North Korea
In Welcome to North Korea, Dutch film makers Peter Tetteroo and Raymond Feddema give an all too brief view of the realities of life in communist North Korea. The full realty is hidden from view, as the film makers are escorted by their hosts to the various monuments and museums of the capital, Pyongyang.
Outrageously expensive buildings seem empty, and the space around them is lifeless. Immensely talented children are directed into the service of glorifying their leader in front of foreign guests. There is a strange emptiness to Pyongyang, as the film makers realise they are the only guests in sight.
The North Korean people have no god to challenge the sovereignty of the now resting Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, or his successor (and son) Kim Jong Il. The mausoleum of Kim Il Sung is an enormous palace with his private train and Mercedes Benz on exhibit.
The contrast between Pyongyang, and South Korean capital Seoul is as obvious as the difference between death and life.
The 54 minute video can found at MacViaWeb (mp4 file, 40.4 megabytes), or viewed at Google Video (search for “Welcome to North Korea”). Another review can be found at the New York Times.
© Danny Haynes
