Tuesday
The crazy guys from VBS have 14 parts of strange-but-interesting video footage from that open air prison known as North Korea... check it out.
I do not think they are going to be invited back.
Fascinating, thanks for posting this.
This might not be the correct response, but I couldn't help but find it ironic that one of the most oppressive regimes on Earth doesn't have a smoking ban. :)
On a more serious note, what I found myself thinking was that although this looks insane to us, to the people of North Korea living like this seems totally normal. It's a reminder of how many of the world's people have lived, and live, in insane societies. All it takes is for lunatics to take over. I believe our own society has fallen over the edge of that precipice.
I've no doubt that Kim Il Sung, touring the fabulous great works he had made, must have felt he'd done a great job, saved his people, and that everything was right and justified in the name of "the better society".
Take away the more militarist aspects and the single figurehead and you see Progressivism, in its final state.
Posted by Ian B at March 25, 2008 01:54 AM
And just to think the South Koreans spend their days ruling the Starcraft servers.
Makes it all the sadder when you consider that inside every North Korean brainwashed drone is a master Starcraft player, trying to get out.
Posted by The last toryboy at March 25, 2008 01:58 AM
Yeah, having now watched it all, the main thing that shines through is that its just so sad. The tea girl especially stood out.
Posted by The last toryboy at March 25, 2008 03:50 AM
Chaos and disagreement aren't a problem.
They're the answer.
Posted by Dishman at March 25, 2008 07:45 AM
I couldn't figure out how to watch 13 & 14. Any ideas?
I have seen similar stuff about NoKo before but this took the biscuit and dunked it. It's truly beyond comment though like the other commentators I found the tea-girl segment very moving.
I did find myself wondering throughout how the NoKo's would react if the DMZ was opened (Berlin Wall fashion) and they got to see the bright lights of Seoul... I could imagine it being traumatic in a way that the opening up of Eastern Europe wasn't.
Posted by Nick M at March 25, 2008 01:04 PM
I do not think they are going to be invited back.
If only more reporters were willing to accept losing that "exclusive access" for the cause of revealing the horrid truths behind tyrannical countries.
Posted by Jso at March 25, 2008 01:18 PM
I couldn't figure out how to watch 13 & 14. Any ideas?
Just... click on them. It worked for me!
Posted by Perry de Havilland at March 25, 2008 01:22 PM
It amazes me that there are people so close to this in South Korea or China who are yet STILL in complete denial of the nightmare right next to them.
I also liked the Johnny Rotten at the end.
Fitting, it was.
Posted by Tman at March 26, 2008 08:08 AM
