My travel to North Korea

Hi all,

I would like to tell you about my travel to North Korea.

Back in year 2004 I participated in Swedish Business Mission to DPRK. The aim of mission was to investigate North Korea telecommunications, energy and other important sectors situation and provide guidelines for development.

I spent there 5 days but these days were very interesting and full of impressions. First of all when we arrived to Pyongyang airport mobile phones were collected from us. I do not know why but maybe mobile phones uses the same frequencies as North Korea military is used for communications.

When I left without my mobile phone I realized how we are getting tied with technology. I felt that something is missing - it was very strange that I can not just pick my mobile phone and call to someone.

From airport we were transported to hotel. We stayed in Potongang hotel. As it was stated in hotel prospect it was the only hotel in North Korea with international TV. Later I realized that by meaning international TV they had in mind two international channels one of them was CNN. (what was another one I do not remember)

It was not allowed to went outside hotel without supervision by North Korean officials. We were transported in places where we had meetings, we were transported to have lunch or dinner and whole time we were supervised.

It was quite interesting feeling but it was so. We made quite good analysis and what concerns telecommunications field by this time they had really good experts.

Most of time we were in capital of North Korea Pyongyang. What was very interesting that there are a lot of crossroads with traffic lights but traffic lights are not operational. There are traffic regulators instead - young ladies. By this time there were not so many vehicles on the roads. One day we noticed big crowd near road and wondered what they are doing there. When our bus drive close we noticed that traffic accident occur in that place. It seems that as there not so many vehicles on the roads traffic accidents are quite rear and brings a lot of attention from people.

After our visit come to the end we were transported to airport. In the airport our mobiles phones were returned! And we flew to China. In China I was able to use my mobile phone and technology returned to my life.

So such impressions....

Best regards,
rokasltu