There is nothing to be afraid of in a trip to North Korea.
…just leave the Jesus at home, don’t sneak across the border, refrain from stealing things, avoid walking in restricted areas at odd hours, don’t tear up your passport and demand to stay… etc.
Certainly, most people can refrain from engaging in clearly incorrect behavior for a week or two if they really put their mind to it.
Can Joshua Stanton show an example of someone North Korea has troubled who wasn’t clearly begging for trouble?
Waiting.
There are reasons not to go to North Korea. Fear is not one if the reasons.
setnaffa
8 years ago
“Can Joshua Stanton show an example of someone North Korea has troubled who wasn’t clearly begging for trouble?”
You mean someone who didn’t make the bone-headed choice of going to DePeRKistan?
Well, recently there were the land mines, before that the elderly mushroom farmers killed by the folks from the sub that ran aground, and before that the folks killed off Myanmar by Norkish bombs on their plane…
ChickenHead
8 years ago
No, no, no, Setnaffa…
I mean of those who traveled to North Korea as tourists (or illegal border crossers).
Every tourist who has been detained in North Korea completely, obviously, and deservedly brought their problems upon themselves.
If you can find a single example otherwise, I would like it pointed out to me.
The only one which might come close is the South Korean tourist who was shot at Mt. Kumgang for lurking around at 4:30am in a “restricted zone” with dubious signage… which was likely a clash of poor crowd managent and military hyper-preparedness than premeditated evil intent… with a dose of foolishness on the part of the victim who shouldn’t have been traipsing around in the dark.
Shopping List of Stupidity:
Evan Hunzinker: Got drunk, swam across the Yalu River from China, naked. Detained from 24 Aug-27 Nov 1996.
Gov. Bill Richardson had to go fetch him. Shot himself later.
Euna Lee/Laura Ling: Tried to cross the Yalu River, got caught. Detained 17 Mar-4 Aug 2009.
Former President Bill Clinton had to go fetch them.
Robert Park: Went to North Korea to protest against North Korean genocide and human rights violations. Yeah, that went well. Detained 25 Dec 2009-6 Feb 2010.
Yes, genocide and human rights violations are bad, but this was “sticking your diick into a meat grinder” stupid protest.
Ajialon Gomes: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained 25 Jan 2010-26 Aug 2010. Jimmy Carter went to fetch him home.
Eddie Yong Su Jun: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained Nov 2010-28 May 2011
Kenneth Bae: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained 3 Nov 2012-8 Nov 2014. Released along with Matthew Miller
Merrill Newman: Decided to go to North Korea to find old insurgents and “Get the Band Back Together.” Reunion Tours don’t always work out. Detained 26 Oct 2013-7 Dec 2013
Matthew Miller: Thought it would be “Cool” to tear up his passport at the Airport and demand asylum. Not such a cool dude, Fatty Kim had him sentenced to 6 years hard labor. Released with Kenneth Bae.
Jeffery Fowle: Found God, decided to drop off a Bible to “Lift the Hearts of at least one North Korean.” Busted, tossed in jail. Detained 4 May 2014-21 Oct 2014.
Sandra Suh: Found God, formed a NGO for sending food to North Korea. Accused of taking photos for Propaganda Purposes. Detained, then released due to her age. 8 Apr 2015 (One day only)
Kim Dong Chul: Businessman between Rason DPRK and Yanji, China. Accused of Spying, details fuzzy. Oct 2015-Present
Otto Warmbier: Thought it would be “Cool” to steal a North Korean Propaganda Poster from the Hotel he was staying at. Too big to carry away, he ditched it and went back to his room. Of course, it was all seen on CCTV, and he was busted at the airport. 2 Jan 2016-Present.
So with the exception of Kim Dong Chul, everyone on this list did something patently dumb to get busted by the DPRK. I’m curious about North Korea (or I wouldn’t post links and opinions here for confirmation or rebuttals), but I’m not going until the Kims are gone. I don’t want my money going to support Fatty Kim’s Cheese and Hennessey habit.
@MTB Rider, great run down. There is no doubt that the people who got in trouble in North Korea did things to bring it upon themselves. However, that has nothing to do with why I discourage travel to North Korea. Much like yourself I don’t think people’s tourism dollars should be going to support the Kim regime. People try to rationalize their travel by saying that they are trying to engage with average North Koreans or whatever fantasy they want to believe. The bottom line is that every tourism dollar given to the regime is one more dollar to support their lifestyle and nuclear ambitions.
setnaffa
8 years ago
So… “The only way to win is not to play the game…”
I honestly cannot understand the motivation of anyone in going to Norkopolis. I partially understand the Christians who want to spread the light of the Gospel in that very dark place; but it’s rather scary. I guess I haven’t been called to do that.
Some folks want to do things no one else has done. I see going to North Korea as being far safer than climbing Mt. Everest, but I know not to flick boogers at the Portraits.
Just because it is my Right to Free Speech in the U.S. doesn’t mean I can act a fool in other countries.
I’ve said before that I’d live to ride a bike up to Pyongyang just to do it. It’s not a really long ride, maybe two days, maybe three. I’d like to stay at whatever hotels they may have along the way, try the local foods, etc. But not a dime to the Kims, and why go on a canned tour? May as well buy a travelogue and look at the pictures.
Ole Tanker
8 years ago
Easier to find God and go to North Korea, then go to North Korea and find a dog. What a revelation in truth!
This yapping is painful.
There is nothing to be afraid of in a trip to North Korea.
…just leave the Jesus at home, don’t sneak across the border, refrain from stealing things, avoid walking in restricted areas at odd hours, don’t tear up your passport and demand to stay… etc.
Certainly, most people can refrain from engaging in clearly incorrect behavior for a week or two if they really put their mind to it.
Can Joshua Stanton show an example of someone North Korea has troubled who wasn’t clearly begging for trouble?
Waiting.
There are reasons not to go to North Korea. Fear is not one if the reasons.
“Can Joshua Stanton show an example of someone North Korea has troubled who wasn’t clearly begging for trouble?”
You mean someone who didn’t make the bone-headed choice of going to DePeRKistan?
Well, recently there were the land mines, before that the elderly mushroom farmers killed by the folks from the sub that ran aground, and before that the folks killed off Myanmar by Norkish bombs on their plane…
No, no, no, Setnaffa…
I mean of those who traveled to North Korea as tourists (or illegal border crossers).
Every tourist who has been detained in North Korea completely, obviously, and deservedly brought their problems upon themselves.
If you can find a single example otherwise, I would like it pointed out to me.
The only one which might come close is the South Korean tourist who was shot at Mt. Kumgang for lurking around at 4:30am in a “restricted zone” with dubious signage… which was likely a clash of poor crowd managent and military hyper-preparedness than premeditated evil intent… with a dose of foolishness on the part of the victim who shouldn’t have been traipsing around in the dark.
Shopping List of Stupidity:
Evan Hunzinker: Got drunk, swam across the Yalu River from China, naked. Detained from 24 Aug-27 Nov 1996.
Gov. Bill Richardson had to go fetch him. Shot himself later.
Euna Lee/Laura Ling: Tried to cross the Yalu River, got caught. Detained 17 Mar-4 Aug 2009.
Former President Bill Clinton had to go fetch them.
Robert Park: Went to North Korea to protest against North Korean genocide and human rights violations. Yeah, that went well. Detained 25 Dec 2009-6 Feb 2010.
Yes, genocide and human rights violations are bad, but this was “sticking your diick into a meat grinder” stupid protest.
Ajialon Gomes: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained 25 Jan 2010-26 Aug 2010. Jimmy Carter went to fetch him home.
Eddie Yong Su Jun: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained Nov 2010-28 May 2011
Kenneth Bae: Found God, went to North Korea to Spread the Word. Didn’t go well. Detained 3 Nov 2012-8 Nov 2014. Released along with Matthew Miller
Merrill Newman: Decided to go to North Korea to find old insurgents and “Get the Band Back Together.” Reunion Tours don’t always work out. Detained 26 Oct 2013-7 Dec 2013
Matthew Miller: Thought it would be “Cool” to tear up his passport at the Airport and demand asylum. Not such a cool dude, Fatty Kim had him sentenced to 6 years hard labor. Released with Kenneth Bae.
Jeffery Fowle: Found God, decided to drop off a Bible to “Lift the Hearts of at least one North Korean.” Busted, tossed in jail. Detained 4 May 2014-21 Oct 2014.
Sandra Suh: Found God, formed a NGO for sending food to North Korea. Accused of taking photos for Propaganda Purposes. Detained, then released due to her age. 8 Apr 2015 (One day only)
Kim Dong Chul: Businessman between Rason DPRK and Yanji, China. Accused of Spying, details fuzzy. Oct 2015-Present
Otto Warmbier: Thought it would be “Cool” to steal a North Korean Propaganda Poster from the Hotel he was staying at. Too big to carry away, he ditched it and went back to his room. Of course, it was all seen on CCTV, and he was busted at the airport. 2 Jan 2016-Present.
So with the exception of Kim Dong Chul, everyone on this list did something patently dumb to get busted by the DPRK. I’m curious about North Korea (or I wouldn’t post links and opinions here for confirmation or rebuttals), but I’m not going until the Kims are gone. I don’t want my money going to support Fatty Kim’s Cheese and Hennessey habit.
@MTB Rider, great run down. There is no doubt that the people who got in trouble in North Korea did things to bring it upon themselves. However, that has nothing to do with why I discourage travel to North Korea. Much like yourself I don’t think people’s tourism dollars should be going to support the Kim regime. People try to rationalize their travel by saying that they are trying to engage with average North Koreans or whatever fantasy they want to believe. The bottom line is that every tourism dollar given to the regime is one more dollar to support their lifestyle and nuclear ambitions.
So… “The only way to win is not to play the game…”
I honestly cannot understand the motivation of anyone in going to Norkopolis. I partially understand the Christians who want to spread the light of the Gospel in that very dark place; but it’s rather scary. I guess I haven’t been called to do that.
The others are just crazy with no excuse.
Some folks want to do things no one else has done. I see going to North Korea as being far safer than climbing Mt. Everest, but I know not to flick boogers at the Portraits.
Just because it is my Right to Free Speech in the U.S. doesn’t mean I can act a fool in other countries.
I’ve said before that I’d live to ride a bike up to Pyongyang just to do it. It’s not a really long ride, maybe two days, maybe three. I’d like to stay at whatever hotels they may have along the way, try the local foods, etc. But not a dime to the Kims, and why go on a canned tour? May as well buy a travelogue and look at the pictures.
Easier to find God and go to North Korea, then go to North Korea and find a dog. What a revelation in truth!