Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… Here are some basic observations I saw in North Korea without embellishment or analysis. When I looked out my hotel room the first night we arrived to see about half the city, because of their dearth of electrical power I could count the number of cars driving: two. Buildings outside Pyongyang were bunker-like concrete slabs, many unfinished. Many people appeared to live in[…] Keep reading →

Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… One of this trip’s major themes was the difference between expectations and experiences; also recognizing that expectations — Americans have wild expectations of North Korea — say things about yourself, not them. Experiences say something about the interaction between others and yourself. Americans, myself included, know little about North Korea and North Koreans. Our expectations tell us about what gets past the filters[…] Keep reading →

Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… Since returning I’ve found people incredibly interested in North Korea. For better or worse, many people ask what human rights issues I saw there, if any. People far more experienced than I have investigated and reported on North Korea beyond what I could observe. If you want to learn about their experiences, you can find them. See below for a short bibliography. I[…] Keep reading →

Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… If you read this blog regularly you know I don’t find value in people telling others what they should consider right or wrong, which ethics discussions usually do. I try to avoid using judgmental or evaluative language except when the criteria for evaluating are clear. Talk about visiting North Korea and you’ll find people want to talk about the rightness or wrongness of[…] Keep reading →

Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… The next most common question after how to get to North Korea and its legality is what it’s like. This blog will cover the experience in depth. For now some overall conditions of touring North Korea. Later posts will cover the sites and experiences. This post covers the basics of how the tour goes. Limited choice The North Korean government gives you a[…] Keep reading →

Continuing writing about my North Korea trip… Mention you went to North Korea and you’ll hear two questions more than any others: How do you get there and is it legal? With proper paperwork Americans can legally tour North Korea, according to the State Department, but it warns you you’re taking serious risks, you just have no legal recourse from the U.S. government because the two countries have no diplomatic[…] Keep reading →

The trip of a lifetime began with this message on my birthday from my friend Jordan Hey happy birthday man! All the best! What do you have planned for this year? p.s. I’m going to North Korea in August -get jealous! 🙂 North Korea?!? That came out of the blue. I had never considered going before. Could I travel there legally? Safely? I didn’t even know what questions to ask.[…] Keep reading →