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Walsh McGuire | profile | all galleries >> North Korea >> Pyongyang tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Pyongyang | DMZ | Mass Games

Pyongyang

Pyongyang is a cross between Las Vegas and Communist Moscow. The structures are amazing. As is the security apparatus. There are government men on every corner, wearing beige shirts and trousers, watching our every move (along w/ the citizens). They did not want to be photgraphed.
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Boarding our Air Koryo flight in Beijing - getting on state of the art Illyushin aviation technology
Boarding our Air Koryo flight in Beijing - getting on state of the art Illyushin aviation technology		 It wouldn't be a communist country w/out accordians
It wouldn't be a communist country w/out accordians		 Pyongyang streets - empty
Pyongyang streets - empty		 School kids - very curious.
School kids - very curious.
Guide at the Childrens Center - she is holding our gifts of smokes and candy.
Guide at the Childrens Center - she is holding our gifts of smokes and candy.		 u46/walsh888/medium/39924609.60300054.jpg u46/walsh888/medium/39924610.60300055.jpg u46/walsh888/medium/39924611.60300056.jpg
Kim Il-sung - all visitors must bow to this statue.
Kim Il-sung - all visitors must bow to this statue.		 u46/walsh888/medium/39924613.60300058.jpg u46/walsh888/medium/39924614.60300059.jpg u46/walsh888/medium/39924615.60300060.jpg
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comment
Jxn 01-Apr-2011 23:41
I see the DPRK's paid boosters are here talking it up. Nice picture galleries--it reminds me of early 1970s Seoul, if you had hit it with a neutron bomb and the Komsomol moved in afterward. There's an odd stateliness about it, which is the whole point of monolithic architecture and monuments that dwarf the individual. Super creepy.
samdog 26-Nov-2010 01:38
Good Lord--what a dreary place that must be! It also looks like the air is very bad. Is that due to all the coal that's burned, even for cooking?

I was in remote Lanzhou, China in the winter of 2002, and it, too, was very polluted from all the fuel oil and coal being burned in every household. There were days when I could barely stand to leave the hotel because the air was so heavy and gray. But, by contrast, Lanzhou was busy and thriving, and people were quite friendly and helpful.
Guest 25-May-2008 16:35
julian, what are you smoking? Harmony? Humanism? wow... that is just breathtaking... north korea? oh my goodness

>Great city. Nice country. North Korea is an example of harmony and humanism for the whole world.
Guest 29-Nov-2007 00:48
Why would that seem like a good political system? I could name over 100 countries with a better political system. Of course a government can take massive amount of money and create huge monuments to itself - the Pharaohs of Egypt did that. That doesn't impress me. The size of the monuments a government constructs are merely a good indicator of how oppressive that government is. Given how poor North Korea is, maybe another giant concrete hotel isn't needed?
Andres 13-Oct-2007 17:09
Very interesting country, it seems a good political system. Thanks for the photos.
Phillip Anselmo 02-Aug-2007 16:57
The gal in the pink/purple dress is kinda hot.....Walsh, did you tag that?
Evan777 25-Jun-2007 16:43
I have no idea why ANYONE would want to go to that God Forsaken Country American or not. And of corse the school kids are curious- they will never be allowed to leave that country.
Jeff 30-Dec-2006 05:44
I am sorry, but with all those poor North Korean dying left and righ, I cannot fathom saying North Korea is a nice country.
julian 06-Oct-2006 11:21
Great city. Nice country. North Korea is an example of harmony and humanism for the whole world.
TWF 06-May-2006 16:45
Must have been an exciting trip, Walsh. I am planning on attending this years' Mass Games.

Begz-- for the record, there are no travel restrictions (from the US, for US citizens) to North Korea. However, North Korea only grants visas to US citizens on special occations (such as the Mass Games), a recent development.
Guest 19-Aug-2005 12:53
I will assume you are not an American since American's are strictly forbidden from North Korea. Was it difficult to gain access to visit North Korea? How far ahead did you have to plan for this trip? I have such a strange desire to visit this one of a kind country. I think to walk down one of Pyongyang's grandios boulevard's completely empty of life, with only the occasional car passing by disapearing into the emptiness would make an impact on anyone.
Guest 28-Mar-2005 05:10
Did you notice that EVERYBODY has a flag bearing Kim Jong Il's likeness over their left breast? The "traffic ladies" are not there to save electricity. Despite having a 3rd world economy, everbody has a job in North Korea. Positions such as traffic lady, or the people who cut lawns with shears, and the millions of other jobs that are given just so people have something to do, are their way of keeping everybody employed. It is the opposite of efficiency, it's done in the most inefficient manner possible so that the work will be steady and it takes more people to do, there by providing more work.

I like some of your angles and it's rare to see so many photos of North Korea, but you should keep the best ones and ditch the rest.
James 21-Mar-2005 01:58
Amazing pictures. I am always very fascinated with images of this reclusive country. It's just so warped and different from anywhere else in the world. Hope to travel there someday soon.
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