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Life In North Korea Vs South Korea: My Visual Comparison After Visiting Them Both
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One year ago I went on a strictly guided 7-day tour in North Korea, where they took away my passport and didn't allow me to explore anything, even Pyongyang, on my own.
North Korea, or The Hermit Kingdom, was definitely the weirdest country I had ever visited and during my time there I kept wondering what life was like in neighboring South Korea, which used to be exactly the same country just over 60 years ago! That's why at the end of life in North Korea experience, I promised myself to visit South Korea this year so that I could compare my North Korea vs. South Korea experiences. Those pairs of pictures you'll see below show the differences of life in both Koreas - first one stands for South, and the second, after the flip, stands for North.
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Ever so sad when people aren't free !
Are any of us really free?
As a descendant of slaves on both sides of my family, I can say...Yes, this feels like freedom to me.
Certainly more freedoms in western countries than in North Korea. it's an insult to North Koreans to suggest otherwise.
deep
It really is Nancy. Just to show everyone the difference in the two nations, all one would have to do is line up a few ROKs and NoKos and just compare their heights. Even in 1971 wasn't impossible to find ROKS who were at least six feet tall, due to a good diet. I'll bet they are all over the place today. I just hope and pray they don't get the idea of uniting the two countries on down the road. The economic burden would be terrible on the South trying to bring them up to par. :O
given the political history of the 2, thats 100% impossible for the south and north to RE-unite as a single country. Not at least without a complete removal of the norths politics, which isnt likely to happen.
I suppose reuniting the country should be done slowly and by areas during several years. I don't know if this is plausible of course but you are right since it's going to be a huge economic burden on S.K.
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freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose
I think you mean the opposite. There is a great deal to lose if one is free....such as freedom itself. If you are NOT free, there is nothing left to lose.
I would like to know how the pictures of North Korea were taken. I've read that they are very strict about what they allowed shared and removed from their country. I'm curious is they were taken in secret or....
How strict they are about photos is grossly, grossly exaggerated. Usually our guides let us take pictures of most places, and warned us in advance if we were going to certain museums, palaces etc. where it wasn't allowed.
I think you've missed the point. The guides only show you things you're allowed to see and photo. You're not allowed to go by yourself and talk to commoners and photograph their true lives.
Most of the pictures were taken at places mandatory for every tourist by the NK government. And once you're at those places, you're free to shoot as many pictures as you like
How interesting!
Unlike Daria, who is currently living in ROK(Republic of Korea), I haven't been back since 1971, when I was stationed there. And even way back then it was easy to see how quickly the country was moving from an agrarian society to a technological one. There were several automobile manufactures, and the education level was high. Today, ROK is the world's largest ship maker, and on par with Taiwan. I love the Korean people because they are a 'no nonsense, what you see is what you get' people, unlike the Japanese. They are very much like Americans in their outlook. I do know that trying to reunite with NoKo would be a disaster. Germany tried that after the fall of the Wall, and it set them back so they really haven't completely recovered.
Yep! I've been in S.Korea since the start of the current decade, but from the history I learnt, I need to say the 1970s were an interesting decade. It is eell known how S. Korea was a poor 3rd world country in the 1960s, but thanks to the effort of the people, by the 1970s, they managed to get back on their feet and start recovering economically. Yeah, some may say it's thanks to financial help from abroad, but I assure you that hell was not for free. In the end, it's the efforts and smartness of the Korean people that help them become what they are today.
Well known* and "help was not for free"* (edit button, pleeeeeeeease)
Kimchi? It depends where you eat it. Home made Kimchi is usually nice, but there are restaurants where kimchi is not so tasty. Supermarket kimchi is usually only good when coocked/baked. ^_- The kimchi they serve at my company's canteen is not tasy. u_u But the rest is mostly fine.
By the way, hows the kinchi? ;D
Most it was the financial assistance in addition to the entrepreneurship of the locals. They paid a heavy price though. They became slaves of evangelists Americans who brainwashed them totally!
Germany hasn't really recovered since 1996? Germany has one of the most stable economies in Europe!
What's wrong with the Japanese? They're one of the nicest people on world with good manner (and clean).
Ever so sad when people aren't free !
Are any of us really free?
As a descendant of slaves on both sides of my family, I can say...Yes, this feels like freedom to me.
Certainly more freedoms in western countries than in North Korea. it's an insult to North Koreans to suggest otherwise.
deep
It really is Nancy. Just to show everyone the difference in the two nations, all one would have to do is line up a few ROKs and NoKos and just compare their heights. Even in 1971 wasn't impossible to find ROKS who were at least six feet tall, due to a good diet. I'll bet they are all over the place today. I just hope and pray they don't get the idea of uniting the two countries on down the road. The economic burden would be terrible on the South trying to bring them up to par. :O
given the political history of the 2, thats 100% impossible for the south and north to RE-unite as a single country. Not at least without a complete removal of the norths politics, which isnt likely to happen.
I suppose reuniting the country should be done slowly and by areas during several years. I don't know if this is plausible of course but you are right since it's going to be a huge economic burden on S.K.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Do you utilize a paypal ? in the event if you have you can make an additional 1100 a week to your profit just working on the internet a few hours every day.. see Good luck_____________ http://cutt.us/46UQo
freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose
I think you mean the opposite. There is a great deal to lose if one is free....such as freedom itself. If you are NOT free, there is nothing left to lose.
I would like to know how the pictures of North Korea were taken. I've read that they are very strict about what they allowed shared and removed from their country. I'm curious is they were taken in secret or....
How strict they are about photos is grossly, grossly exaggerated. Usually our guides let us take pictures of most places, and warned us in advance if we were going to certain museums, palaces etc. where it wasn't allowed.
I think you've missed the point. The guides only show you things you're allowed to see and photo. You're not allowed to go by yourself and talk to commoners and photograph their true lives.
Most of the pictures were taken at places mandatory for every tourist by the NK government. And once you're at those places, you're free to shoot as many pictures as you like
How interesting!
Unlike Daria, who is currently living in ROK(Republic of Korea), I haven't been back since 1971, when I was stationed there. And even way back then it was easy to see how quickly the country was moving from an agrarian society to a technological one. There were several automobile manufactures, and the education level was high. Today, ROK is the world's largest ship maker, and on par with Taiwan. I love the Korean people because they are a 'no nonsense, what you see is what you get' people, unlike the Japanese. They are very much like Americans in their outlook. I do know that trying to reunite with NoKo would be a disaster. Germany tried that after the fall of the Wall, and it set them back so they really haven't completely recovered.
Yep! I've been in S.Korea since the start of the current decade, but from the history I learnt, I need to say the 1970s were an interesting decade. It is eell known how S. Korea was a poor 3rd world country in the 1960s, but thanks to the effort of the people, by the 1970s, they managed to get back on their feet and start recovering economically. Yeah, some may say it's thanks to financial help from abroad, but I assure you that hell was not for free. In the end, it's the efforts and smartness of the Korean people that help them become what they are today.
Well known* and "help was not for free"* (edit button, pleeeeeeeease)
Kimchi? It depends where you eat it. Home made Kimchi is usually nice, but there are restaurants where kimchi is not so tasty. Supermarket kimchi is usually only good when coocked/baked. ^_- The kimchi they serve at my company's canteen is not tasy. u_u But the rest is mostly fine.
By the way, hows the kinchi? ;D
Most it was the financial assistance in addition to the entrepreneurship of the locals. They paid a heavy price though. They became slaves of evangelists Americans who brainwashed them totally!
Germany hasn't really recovered since 1996? Germany has one of the most stable economies in Europe!
What's wrong with the Japanese? They're one of the nicest people on world with good manner (and clean).