My trip to North Korea

I have recently travelled to Kumgangsan Mountain (Diamond Mountain) in North Korea.  I was there for two nights and three days, on a tourism program organised by Hyundai.  Although most of what you see there has been manufactured by Hyundai and by the North Korean government, the experience is interesting and pleasant, because it is such a curious place and the environment is pristine.

 To get there, you cross the DMZ in a bus.  Tours have to be booked in advance, and South Koreans go through security checks.  I'm not sure what checks were made on me.  I'm not sure what countries are barred from going there, but there is a very long list of nationalities who are not allowed in North Korea.

Hyundai have developed the area at the base of the mountains and made it into a tourist complex.  It is actually a very small portion of the land Hyundai own in North Korea and they have plans to develop the rest in the future.  Maintaining the area has taken a huge toll on the Hyundai dynasty, with the suicide of the son who took care of Geumgangsan for his father.

The area has a scattering of South Korean businesses such as Family Mart.  It is fenced away from the surrounding North Korean villages.  North Korean guards also patrol the area frequently.  Although contact between tourists and the villagers is forbidden, you can see the villagers and their houses quite clearly, because they are on the other side of the fence.  The people of North Korea use separate roads to the tourists, and you can see them on their bicycles heading to and from work.  They look simple in their dress yet they look proud. 

The environment is very beautiful.  The mountains are spectacularly covered with mist.  The forests are thick and the air is fresh.  After two nights there, I felt healthy and revitalised.  An excellent spa and sauna is located in the tourist complex, which contributed to my wellbeing (to use a word Koreans favour). 

My accommodation was a small bungalow close to the shore, which I shared with my friend.  We weren't able to actually go to the beach, which was a shame.  The people who managed the bungalows were very helpful, although they became very confused when we checked in and went away again.  Upon our return, they informed us some other people had checked into our room.  After patient questioning, it turned out they'd seen us check in and thought we were different people when we returned in the afternoon. 

 The scenery of Geumgangsan is stunning. Waterfalls fall from great heights and enormous words have been carved into the rocks on the mountainsides, celebrating the leaders of the Communist Party.  We hiked up into the mountains on both days, as part of a group of tourists.  We chatted to some North Koreans who acted as our guides.  They seemed nervous but were courteous and friendly.

While I loved my trip to North Korea, it is frustrating to not be able to become more involved with the people.  However, it helps to remember that tourists are not the only people who have been 'zoned' in North Korea.  Villagers families are distributed around the country according to their worth in the eyes of the ruling party, and they cannot travel freely.  The idea of tourism- travelling for the sake of travelling- must seem incredibly strange to them.  The villagers lucky enough to live at Geumgangsan are highly valued and are well-fed and have been gifted with bicycles.  They are there to service the tourist community and create a good image, but that's all it really is.  Still, it is a fascinating rustic image and I think the people who live there must enjoy their lives.

 When I wasn't climbing mountains with my friend or relaxing in the spa, we were entertained by special performances put on by gifted North Korean performers.  We saw an amazing gymnastic performance on one evening, and a stunning display of traditional Korean singing the next night.  The female singers were cloaked in beautiful hanbok, and sang shrill songs.  We also enjoyed the food there which was extremely delicious, as it was mostly organic. 

Although the experience has been crafted by the Hyundai Corporation as a money-spinner and by the North Korean government to give a good impression of the country, it was undeniably a fantastic and amazing trip.  The natural environment left me feeling recuperated and the vision of North Korea further kindled my interest in inter-Korean issues, which are currently at the forefront of every Korean's mind who is preparing to vote in the next election in the South.  I would recommend going to Geumgangsan to anyone who is curious about North Korea and can't afford to go to Pyongyang, or anyone who is in South Korea and need to go somewhere for rest and relaxation.