Posted on 08/23/2004 8:33:26 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
by Rebecca MacKinnon @ 07:28 PM in Economic policy, Engagement
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| After chatting up the waitresses at Shinuiju Hotel over dinner they eagerly agreed to allow us to take our pictures with them. About 6 waitresses and 4 foreigners - we snuggled tightly (they were the more aggressive) and said "cheese" together - with the girl on my left grabbing my arm together to make "peace" signs for the camera.
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In response to the recent discussion about the nature & extent of recent changes in North Korea, Shanghai-based Canadian businessman Randal Eastman has sent an email describing his most recent North Korea visit. Eastman has been spearheading a wheelchair project for the victims of the Ryongchon rail explosion. Click the link below to read his letter. If you have questions for Randal please leave them in the "comments" section.
Dear Rebecca,
I would like to share with you some observations from our 10 day trip to DPRK to deliver Wheelchairs to the victims of the Ryongchon disaster - as well as other disabled in Pyongyang. It was a very eventful trip where we overstayed our welcome by a day courtesy of China Southern arbitrarily cancelling its flight out on Friday from PY to Shenyang.
Our host kept looking at me accusingly (only half joking) that I had committed this sin myself not having booked a flight on Air Koryo - which apparently never cancels its flights...
I am happy to tell you that we saw quite the opposite from what Dr. Quinones was exposed to. The market economy is booming everywhere we looked -- what is lacking is investment capital. The Koreans in the North are no less industrious than their compatriots in the South - they just need the tools to increase output and quality. For example:
-- the Mushroom farm we visited needs better technology to increase production of compost - the main ingredient for them to make more white button mushrooms. Would they like to - of course!
-- Ice cream entrepreneurs abound - and have a steady supply of customers
-- The Hamburger has arrived - with Korean characteristics
-- A restaurant promoting a seasonal special - very innovative.
-- A private outdoor beer garden & bulgogi restaurant -- catering to its customers needs and with excellent food.
With less Korea expertise but no less spunk I have to tell you that I noticed a sea change of difference between my visit this July and the previous year in March 2003:
-- In Kim Il Sung square in Sinuiju we went for an evening walk after dinner and 100 m from KIS statue across from the Railway station were at least half a dozen small informal kiosks (tents) selling snacks & smokes -- by the light of a single tiny candle. It would not have been out of place in that peaceful setting to see an old woman selling Russian icons. Market forces in their infancy and without the criminal elment that characterized Russia in the early 90's.
-- And I did see bananas being hawked at one point too.
-- Pyongyang was dramatically changed. Much more traffic on the road -- we saw a plethora of used japanese cars.
-- Sondok, one of the local mineral water brands has been packaged in shiny new plastic bottles with a jazzed up label. Dr. Urbani mentioned this was done with Chinese equipment I believe.
-- We observed our first car accident in Pyongyang. Never thought I would see that, but a further sign of the amount of traffic on the road.
-- An interesting corollary concerns traffic safety. The Korean Association for the Disabled is distributing a fold out brochure for adults and children that teaches basic traffic safety tips for both pedestrians & drivers. We noticed something interesting that I have not seen in other countries: about 50 m before a pedestrian cross walk (which itself features a familiar blue triangular sign) the Koreans have a red triangle that warns the driver of the coming pedestrian crosswalk. Very caring.
-- It took several days for our host to locate the restaurant but on our last day we had a light lunch with Dr. Urbani in the Sonbong restaurant where we sampled our first DPRK hamburger. It was very fresh, very neatly made with wonderful bread (a refreshing change from China) and a Korean touch (a layer of omelette) and individually wrapped in a plastic bag. We were delighted and even more delighted when we were served a slightly less grandiose version on the Air Koryo flight back to Shenyang.
-- Pyongyang is awash in soft ice cream vendors. We even found a vendor inside the compound of the state owned clothing factory that we visited. The equipment I believe comes from China. In 5 days in Pyongyang I am sure I spotted at least 30 ice cream vendors.
-- We unofficially visited a beer garden tent bulgoki restaurant. This was adjacent to our hotel, officially under the aegis of the hotel but clearly run by the private owner - a stylish young lady wearing a striking designer t-shirt under a two piece outfit where she placed her KIS badge. She was clearly running the business efficiently and affording all of the guests the degree of privacy that they wished. (INconspicuous capitalism).
-- At the same location I spotted a bottle of Stolichnaya for sale at a crazy price (about € 1.50) and wanted to buy it but then noticed that it said "Made in USSR". I examined the bottle and it looked quite fishy - I am sure that the Koreans didn't store for a decade good vodka unutilised - and it had no excise seal. My hosts nevertheless purchased it and one gulp satisfied my curiosity that it was an awful Chinese fake. The downside of a new market economy where consumers must educate themselves quickly.
-- Also worth noting that nearby out hotel in Sinuiju we went out several times to a small cafe that was serving locals mostly but still part of the compound. The shop was full of neatly packaged locally made foods available for takeout. We tried some of these but also consumed a great quantity of pistachios there with beer. I thought this rather odd because clearly they were coming from China - and those likely coming from the USA. Why not from Iran where the pistachios are bigger, better and would be much more affordable?
-- It took us several days to realize that the hand painted poster that we were walking past in our hotel on the way for dinner was promoting a seasonal specialty -- a fresh dog soup that is a traditional way to start off the hot summer season (which was just about hit us the next day). It was being promoted at the entrance and there seemed to be a good run of customers coming for this special treat.
-- While we were stuck in no-man's land at the Sinuiju border post (Korean side) waiting for the arrival of our hosts -- our entry having been delayed for several hours because of the complexities of the one way traffic between China and Korea over the bridge -- we noticed that the Korean Customs officers were checking all cargo that Chinese and Korean traders were bringing in to the country in small mini-vans. One officer found a set of fake leatherbound daytimers and ripped out from each piece the two pages that had international time zones and IDD dialing codes listed.
-- Targeting the "young emperors" of Pyongyang. We noticed adjacent to both roads leading into the Pyongyang Institute of Foreign Studies, the leading training ground for DPRK's linguists - both at middle school and university level - there was a long row of kiosks offering snacks and things for the students. Clearly they are recognized to reflect a wealthier class of residents and the kiosk owners are capitalizing on this.
-- Perhaps the most promising of all however was the unchecked enthusiasm of one of our friends who is managing a VCD/DVD assembly factory. Operating in small but well lit facilities his group is assembling for the local market from components sourced in China both the players and the VCD's that they are licensed to produce. They are competing head to head with all of the imported products, offering a much better price/value combination, a 24 hour service hotline, a 3 month guarantee, and what I thought most interesting - they have added a component to the basic VCD machine (retail price €21.00) - a video game card and controller for the kids. Their products are sold out in the market and they cannot keep up with demand. They intend to bring as much of the value added elements into their own hands (ie localizing packaging production) and build out their market incrementally.
-- But the most uplifting or unique moment was a late dinner we had in our Sinuiju hotel - in one of the adjacent restaurants - where we were beckoned by some furiously waving and cherubic waitresses after our business. Being entirely a group of full-blooded men - locals and foreigners - we could not resist and so went up. Our host was upset because the prices were more expensive than the cafe down the road, but we had such an incredible time with the cheerful and playful waitresses who fell in love with our urbane doyenne of the diplomatic community, our Italian Dottore Urbani. After chatting up the girls over dinner they eagerly agreed to allow us to take our pictures with them. About 6 waitresses and 4 foreigners - we snuggled tightly (they were the more aggressive) and said "cheese" together - with the girl on my left grabbing my arm together to make "peace" signs for the camera.
Unforgettable, simple human moment.
Those geeky expats in the picture are clearly overjoyed. It really shows.:)
Ping!
Can you say Potemkin village?
Clearly, places mentioned here are show pieces, the best the country can offer. Fair amount of make-believe is in the mix, no doubt. Nevertheless, it seems that there is the change of public mood, which seem to show a sign of breaking out of the boundary enforced by the government.
Were the girls official "foreigner handlers?" If not, then they might get shot or imprisoned for flirting so closely with imperialist, western influences. i.e. guys.
You cannot rule out the possibility that it was staged. They may not be full-time handlers. However, they could have gotten drafted to perform "their duty for the state".
Can you say....honeypot? Sure...I knew ya could!
Interesting.
Ping
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