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[–]JoshCarter4 1778 points1779 points  (186 children)

If you could ask anyone in the DPRK's regime one question and have it answered honestly and sincerely, what would it be?

[–]jchengwsj[S] 2497 points2498 points  (45 children)

Hey guys! I'm back to answer this one. It's a tough one because there's so much that we want to know, and there are plenty of good questions that would be perfectly adequate, but you always want to find that perfect question, if you ever got the chance. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is a perfect one. Most of the things we want to know are things that nobody knows, or that are likely to change quickly depending on circumstances, like, "How close are we to war?" or "Do you ever plan to use your nuclear weapons?" There are also a few that would fall into the unsolved mysteries category, like "What happened with Otto Warmbier exactly?" or "Did you order the hit on Kim Jong Nam, and why?" (North Korea has a lot of these unsolved mysteries, stretching right back to 1945 and beyond, but these would be two of the more recent ones.) Then there are the frivolous ones, like "Why Dennis Rodman?" or "Why that haircut?" I suppose I could also go down another line of reasoning: "What really keeps you up at night?" "Does your conscience ever nag you?" And I guess the one I'd really like to ask would be along those lines, and it'd be like this, for Kim Jong Un: "Did you ever contemplate a different path for North Korea when you took over from your father? You were educated abroad, and the country you inherited is in a very different position, and the world is a very different place, than when your grandfather founded the DPRK in 1948. Did you give any serious thought to a different path, and why did you ultimately choose this one?" I'm not sure how thoughtful and contemplative Kim is, but given the parameters of your question, Josh, with the prospect of an honest and sincere answer, that's probably what I'd ask. But hey, if anyone's got a better question, I'm all ears!

[–]lgnc 370 points371 points  (12 children)

don't think there is a better question tbh

[–]wapz 150 points151 points  (2 children)

I think something simple like "What's stopping you from taking a different path?" would be a very good question and shows that change is okay as opposed to past tense which may infer there's no return.

[–]i_make_throwawayz 17 points18 points  (7 children)

What about the prison camps? They sound truly horrific and I would want to know why, for real, the Kim dickbags have held an entire country hostage for decades.

[–]Masterzjg 43 points44 points  (2 children)

To maintain power. That's not even a question.

[–]akalliss 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I really appreciated your caveat about the level of Kim Jong Un's thoughtfulness and contemplativeness. It made me wonder about how governed he is by other people's desires (ie; military leaders etc). I think age plays a huge part in people's decision-making abilities and given that he's most likely somewhere in his thirties, that could influence some of his choices or who he listens to. I don't think many people could say that they had it entirely together in their thirties.

[–]deLamartine 86 points87 points  (0 children)

I just opened your AMA and I'm probably one of the first persons to read this reply. These are exactly the things we really want and need to know if we want to make the world a better place.

[–]LOKTAROGAAAAH 20 points21 points  (9 children)

Wow. I never knew he was educated abroad. Wonder how brainwashed you'd have to be to continue running NK like that. Crazy to think some people were Kim's classmates too!

[–]FlyIggles_Fly 33 points34 points  (7 children)

Kim knows what happens to leaders who start engaging in deescalation, ie Gaddafi, Sadam, etc. He might be evil, but he's not stupid. You don't run a nation called the Hermit Kingdom in this day and age without at least being animal-smart.

[–]JoshCarter4 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your answer, Mr. Cheng! From your musings in your other answers, I had thought it might be something like, "Who really controls the regime? Is it Kim Jong-Un, or is he just a puppet?" but your question is above and beyond better than I had considered.

Thank you for your time!

[–]jchengwsj[S] 2283 points2284 points  (113 children)

Josh, I'm saving this question for last, because I think it's a great one and my brain needs to process this a bit more...

[–]alicevirgo 676 points677 points  (18 children)

Most honest AMA answer ever.

[–]philphan25 233 points234 points  (17 children)

As long as he comes back to answer it.

[–]svenne 231 points232 points  (5 children)

He commented 19 mins ago on Twitter that he is still thinking about this question and how to answer it.

[–]DocRingeling 69 points70 points  (6 children)

If not he would bee a good politician.

[–]Psyman2 32 points33 points  (4 children)

The best politician.


[–]SBInCB 21 points22 points  (0 children)

You saved it for last but the upvotes have made it first, so don't forget! Lots of eyeballs on this one.

[–]spunkymarimba 53 points54 points  (0 children)

Blink twice if they have a gun to your head.


Its because many of the traditionally good direct questions would not receive a good answer. e.g.

Q: "What would you do if the government was overthrown." A: "Impossibru"

[–]pekinggeese 14 points15 points  (5 children)

!remindme 5 hours

[–]flosantiae 364 points365 points  (19 children)

Hello, Mr. Cheng!

Looking back at the trip now, what would you say has made the biggest impression on youself?

Also a general question, if OK. How did you become interested in North Korea?

[–]jchengwsj[S] 482 points483 points  (18 children)

Hi there, and thanks for the question. The biggest impression, I think, was the same one I had when I was there a few years ago: the cult of the Kims is something truly to behold. It's certainly unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced, or even read about.

As for your second question, I became interested the same way many of our readers became interested. I read the newspaper articles for years before moving to Seoul, and was intrigued by it. Many of us in the newspaper business, of course, are drawn to things that we can't quite understand. The origins of the state, and the rise of Kim Il Sung in particular, are also fascinating to me. I studied history in college, and focused a lot on East Asian history, so that has always been an extra source of interest as well.

[–]craneat 40 points41 points  (6 children)

Hi Jonathan, great AmA so far! Could be a dumb question but would you mind elaborating a bit on what you mean by the "Cult of the Kims?" Do you mean the so-called mythology behind the family, or just how they're generally viewed there?


There's a documentary where journalists entered NK with a renown surgeon who was going around NK fixing cataracts for free. After he fixed people up, they would gather in a room and give thanks to a picture of Kim Jong Il (back when he was alive).

The hysteria and religious fervor involved in this display went to the level of church services where people speak tongues, become possessed and etc.

The cult of the Kims is a real religion where people are forced to give full mental, emotional and spiritual energy towards otherwise face severe consequences.

[–]JagerNinja 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Aren't these the same thing? The propaganda builds the Kims up as larger-than-life heroes of the country, which in turn is used to justify the reverence with which they are treated by the population.

[–]mandarinfishy 715 points716 points  (340 children)

How many North Koreans do you think actually believe most of the propaganda?

[–]jchengwsj[S] 1305 points1306 points  (299 children)

I think a lot more of them believe a lot more of the propaganda than one might think. Keep in mind that this isn’t a country where there are multiple sources of mass media and information. North Koreans have been provided with one narrative for their entire lives, and it’s only with the beginnings of alternative sources of information — USB drives, more travel to China, the internet (as restricted as it is) — that this is beginning to change. But only just a little, so far.

[–]V1per41 254 points255 points  (57 children)


This is the first I've heard of North Koreans getting any access to alternative information. Do you have any more information on this?

How are they getting the USB drives?

How much of the information on them do they believe?

Is there an internal/underground network in DPRK where people disseminate this information?

Is there any sign of any kind of resistance forming as a result?

[–]jchengwsj[S] 377 points378 points  (12 children)

There's a lot you can read on this. USB drives is a major channel for these new ideas. Try picking up Daniel Tudor/James Pearson's book, or Jieun Baek's, or any number of others who have done research on this.

[–]SuperMcG 221 points222 points  (8 children)

Here is a good Wired article from 2015 on the proliferation of DVDs and USB drives with outside media on it.

[–]jchengwsj[S] 122 points123 points  (0 children)

Thank you -- yes, that's a good one.

[–]Timtimmerson 25 points26 points  (3 children)

This was a great article , I learned a lot!

[–]SuperMcG 11 points12 points  (1 child)

Thanks, when I first read it, I thought how stunning it was that this much information flows into North Korea. I really believe the regimes days are numbered as this continues.

[–]issy-belle 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That was a great read! Thanks. Stuff like this gives me hope that one day soon the regime will falter or collapse.

[–]JonMeadows 114 points115 points  (31 children)

People from outside North Korea, like South Koreans or Chinese 'smugglers' have been sneaking hundreds of USB drives filled with all kinds of outside media into North Korea, has been going on for at least a decade now. I remember watching a VICE documentary on it around 2009

[–]Chumbag_love 53 points54 points  (1 child)

It's a three-parter on youtube:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

[–]rahtin 131 points132 points  (27 children)

Let's be real here. These are regular people. Most of it is porn and superhero movies.

[–]gsfgf 57 points58 points  (23 children)

It was a US supermarket that convinced Yeltsin that the USSR was fucked. Realizing that the rest of the world has casual access to porn and superhero movies could well be way more influential to a regular North Korean than any military prick waiving.

[–]FlyIggles_Fly 24 points25 points  (7 children)

Bingo. Military force is the worst thing we could do, and cement the US as the "evil aggressors." It worked as well in Vietnam as it will here.

Just chuck em a whole bunch of porn, cinema, groceries and liquor. Maybe slip in a couple NFL broadcasts, an episode of that Kardashian show, and a bunch of us saying "we don't hate you, let's play accordions."

Boom, peace in the near east.

[–]Klaus_Goldfish 7 points8 points  (4 children)

Um, just one question, if you don't mind.

Why accordions?

[–]Losifer 4 points5 points  (1 child)

A US Navy Seal had a pretty perfect idea. Fly over and drop millions of iPhones. Then have satellites beam them free access to the internet.

[–]GreyCatOrangeBeard 18 points19 points  (2 children)

don't forget cat pictures.

[–]FernadoPoo 23 points24 points  (1 child)

Don't underestimate the value of porn and cat pictures

[–]ribeyecut 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Likewise, I'd also recommend this excellent Frontline documentary from 2014: Secret State of North Korea. I remember it mentioned how information was being snuck into the country.

[–]SashimiJones 51 points52 points  (3 children)

I've heard that South Korean groups will send USB drives with music and TV shows over the DMZ attached to balloons.

[–]josh_the_misanthrope 10 points11 points  (1 child)

This is true. Too lazy to find a source but SK activists do this pretty regularly. Not sure how many get picked up though.

[–]wertyy102 57 points58 points  (1 child)

There is! LiNK (Liberty In North Korea) in the last decade has sprung up in this, helping move refugees out of DPRK and into a non-hostile nation-state, as well as distributing information about the world as a whole back into the country.

[–]diffcalculus 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Nice try, Kim

[–][deleted]  (28 children)


    [–]jchengwsj[S] 114 points115 points  (0 children)

    Thanks for sharing. I think we can all agree that this kind of thing is possible all over the world.

    [–]jacybear 141 points142 points  (1 child)

    Was his roommate Borat?

    [–]Cougar_9000 55 points56 points  (12 children)

    Can vouch for this. Dated a Jewish girl for a few years and she had multiple stories of people asking about her horns when they found out. Most of them were from Oklahoma

    [–]notahipster- 27 points28 points  (10 children)

    I'm Jewish and have never been asked anything like that. I've heard stories of people older than my parents having those experiences, but I assumed they no longer happened.

    [–]Cougar_9000 26 points27 points  (6 children)

    Yah I was floored when she told me because it was so shocking. This was 2003-2004

    [–]HouseReyne 14 points15 points  (1 child)

    Like Man in the High Castle.

    [–]TorontoStanDan 31 points32 points  (7 children)

    Jonathan, what's your favourite KBO team/player?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 89 points90 points  (5 children)

    Softball question! I’m glad you asked, though the answer is complex. I’ve been to many games now, mostly in Seoul, since…well, that’s where I live. I’ve tried to get into Doosan and LG, the two obvious choices, but neither of them has given me a game that would inspire me to devote my allegiance to them. Maybe I’m asking for the impossible. But last game I went to was an LG game where I really wanted to love them…and then in the top of the ninth, they gave up a walk-off grand slam to the other team. I want so badly to want to cheer for them, but I’m not a masochist. And, per your handle, I’m a Toronto native, so the Jays are obviously my MLB team of choice.

    [–]TorontoStanDan 21 points22 points  (2 children)

    Thanks for answering! You gave the correct answer: Doosan, and then kind of LG, but they suck ;)

    [–]acid_jazz 15 points16 points  (1 child)

    All wrong. Go Lotte Giants.

    [–]brayfurrywalls 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Boo. SK for life

    [–]alexbr59 121 points122 points  (46 children)

    How do they treat forigeners?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 362 points363 points  (43 children)

    We were invited guests of the Foreign Ministry, so our treatment was very good. Tourists are paying customers, so they are treated well, with a few notable and tragic exceptions. Aid workers, too, are bringing in things and providing services that the state is not, so they are also treated well. Foreigners from friendly nations are allies and comrades, so they too are treated well. With respect to Americans in particular, the line that we often heard is that they don't like the U.S. government, but they're fine with Americans as individuals. (Many Americans would say the same of North Korea.)

    [–]botulizard 79 points80 points  (2 children)


    Hell, I think many Americans would say the same of America.

    [–]alexbr59 38 points39 points  (34 children)

    I saw a video of a tour group their and they seemed to be treated ok for the most part. It was from 2012 though so I didn't know if they had changed since then.

    [–]iamabadphotographer 48 points49 points  (32 children)

    I was there as a tourist less than 2 months ago and we were treated perfectly fine.

    [–]adudeguyman 19 points20 points  (3 children)

    You recently posted some great pictures.

    [–]maximuslimes 12 points13 points  (0 children)

    Username doesn't check out

    [–]iamabadphotographer 8 points9 points  (0 children)

    I'm glad you liked them! :)

    [–][deleted] 195 points196 points  (35 children)

    Do the people want war? Nuclear war? Do you think they really know the ramifications of a nuclear war?

    In general, what was it like?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 415 points416 points  (34 children)

    I don't think the people want war. I think what they would probably say is what you hear coming from the U.S. leadership: We don't want war, but we're not afraid of war if that's what it takes. Do they know the ramifications of a nuclear war? I don't know that any of us really do, on a visceral level. It's been 72 years since an atomic bomb was used to kill people, and I know a lot of disarmament and arms control experts have been working overtime to try and convey the seriousness and horror of nuclear war to a world that's a bit inured to it all, but I still think a lot of us don't get the ramifications. And in North Korea, I'm not sure they have any voices trying to convey this message -- not that I've seen, anyway.

    [–]Skwerilleee 15 points16 points  (0 children)


    I think this is a huge part of the problem with the conversation recently. It's been so long since nukes were used that the general public really takes for granted how horrible of a thing they are. And it's not just ww2 that's far back now. A good percentage of the population at this point is young enough that they weren't even around for the cold war. They never really had to ponder the concept of nuclear annihilation every day. So they throw around the 'just nuke em' casually without really understanding the ramifications.

    I think that someone needs to make a modern version of something like threads or the day after. No holds barred, a movie with modern cinematography that really showcases how awful nuclear war would be. That might help give this generation some perspective.

    [–]ARandomOgre 10 points11 points  (12 children)

    I was hoping to get some elaboration on what you touched here regarding the ramifications of a nuclear war.

    How exactly does the average North Korean think of the US in terms of our ability to wage war with them? Do they think we're militarily on the same footing, and that North Korea could actually defeat the US in a nuclear exchange, barring any outside interference from China or other actors?

    I feel it's a pretty objective, evidenced assessment that even if NK managed to get a nuke through and hit us, the US would still exist, while North Korea would be completely decimated in response. I feel that the North Korean leadership probably has to understand that as well. So does the propaganda there claim that North Korea could actually survive, or maybe even win a nuclear war against the US? Does the average citizen believe that North Korea could succeed in an armed conflict against the US? Or do they count on the deterrent of having nuclear weaponry in the hopes of forcing the US to back down, despite its more powerful nuclear force?

    [–]alreddyreadit 256 points257 points  (22 children)

    what's the most surprising opinion you've heard from someone in North Korea?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 575 points576 points  (21 children)

    I think what struck us as a group (and I’m just recalling this off the top of my head) was hearing our handlers at the Foreign Ministry complain, genuinely, about how obsessed their kids were with computer games and their smartphones. It’s just not something we were expecting to hear, I guess because we ourselves have our own conceptions about what life in North Korea is like. On the more conventional, political front, I think what was most surprising was a quote we included in our story last Saturday, which was a waitress/bartender telling us that she wished Pyongyang would fire off 20-30 missiles per day. It was a reminder that there may be even more hawkish opinions inside the country than we hear/read about.

    [–]Hockeyhoser 156 points157 points  (14 children)

    Did you believe them when they said these things?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 322 points323 points  (12 children)

    I do. I don't think they were coached to say it (as I mentioned in answer to another question), and in the case of the bartender's 20-30 missiles remark, that sentiment broadly reflects the state's priorities -- which I do believe have been deeply inculcated into the people's thinking.

    [–]Hockeyhoser 41 points42 points  (8 children)

    Ok. I was just recalling the seemingly phony show put on for Vice news when they were there. Thanks for responding!

    [–]MaxwellCE 24 points25 points  (4 children)

    Would you happen to know anything about the video games that NK youth have access to? It never crossed my mind that NK would at all be a market for the video game industry, though I'm thinking it must be a black market of sorts.

    [–]iamabadphotographer 34 points35 points  (2 children)

    Our handler when I was there had several games on his phone but the most popular one was, much like the west, a football game! He also had a puzzle game with a Korean version of checkers on it, I forget the name of the game. They'll tell you that they're all developed in the DPRK but I couldn't tell you if that's true or not.


    [–]allen009 143 points144 points  (4 children)

    What was the scariest thing you saw there?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 363 points364 points  (3 children)

    On the second night, three of us from the Journal went out on an evening stroll from our guesthouse (circa 10pm). It was pitch black outside, and we were in a rather remote rural guesthouse. Why did we walk out? Because the Foreign Ministry officials said we should, and we wanted some fresh air and to stretch our legs after a long, grueling day of being shuttled around Pyongyang in cars. We wandered down a hill in the darkness (I had my phone flashlight/torch on), and I definitely heard someone coming towards us. It was just four armed soldiers marching past us. Didn't glance up at us. Didn't seem to pay us any mind. Just doing their marching thing. It made me recall the 2008 shooting death of a South Korean woman who had gone up to Keumgangsan (Mount Keumgang, Diamond Mountains), a resort set up just north of the DMZ on the east coast, where South Koreans were -- until the shooting -- able to visit the North on vacation. While the circumstances of that death remain a pretty bitter source of dispute between the two Koreas, we figured it was a good reminder that we should probably get back inside.

    [–]szpaceSZ 15 points16 points  (0 children)

    That must have been an incredible view of the Milky Way and the starlit sky.

    Did you look up?

    [–]Alien_Way 6 points7 points  (1 child)


    I'd bet this was one of the pre-planned stage-bits where they hope you walk away convinced that even during the dark of night there are patrols.. which, if it was a pre-planned thing, it would be a confession that they don't have much dark-of-night security (walking around with no light source, too?)..

    [–]seijisloan 246 points247 points  (10 children)

    What do North Korean people think of South Korea and is the goal of reunification on their minds?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 415 points416 points  (9 children)

    Officially, many of them are repulsed by South Korea because, in their minds, it's not a real country. It's a puppet state propped up by the U.S. after the Korean War. But obviously, there is a lot of pathos and intrigue with the South as well, since -- more so than in South Korea -- they still keep very much alive the dream of unification. Not to say they don't in South Korea, of course, but you feel it and see it more when you're north of the DMZ. At least, based on my limited interactions...!

    [–]roboconcept 23 points24 points  (2 children)

    In the event of reunification, would South Koreans likely visit/tour the North? Where will they be most curious about? What would surprise them the most?

    [–]theonlyonedancing 31 points32 points  (0 children)

    There've been South Korean tours into North Korea for decades now, especially through the Sunshine Policy. They're just very controlled and only allowed in certain areas and such. There would be MORE tours if reunification occurred.

    [–][deleted] 122 points123 points  (21 children)

    Did you feel any kind of tension in Pyongyang? Is the population aware of Donald Trumps recent threats against North Korea? Does the state-run media mention it?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 210 points211 points  (20 children)

    Unfortunately, we were in Pyongyang just before Donald Trump's UN speech, which really raised the heat. We've seen DPRK's state media come out ferociously since then, in a way I haven't seen in my four years watching North Korea closely. (Nicholas Kristof was in the country after me, so maybe he'll have some thoughts on this...) While we were there, though, in mid-September, it really was quite calm. Yes, there are posters and cakes and all sorts of other messages plastered all over Pyongyang warning of destruction and war and all of that, but you don't see it in the people -- unless, of course, you ask them how they feel about the U.S.

    [–]lost_cays 73 points74 points  (7 children)

    Warning cakes?

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 199 points200 points  (2 children)

    When they present you with a warning cake, you know it's serious.

    [–]HarryTruman 69 points70 points  (1 child)

    Oh good god, you can't just say that and leave! What the hell is a warning cake?!

    [–]retnemmoc 21 points22 points  (0 children)

    The warning cake is a lie.

    [–]dogfriend 63 points64 points  (2 children)

    Like my mother in law makes - you know, weaponized confectionery.

    [–]52ndstreet 25 points26 points  (0 children)

    It’s a popular recipe in The Passive Aggressive Cookbook

    [–]sarasublimely 73 points74 points  (11 children)

    When you asked the people of North Korea how they feel about the U.S., what were some responses?

    Thanks for doing this AMA.

    [–]jchengwsj[S] 172 points173 points  (10 children)

    Their answers were mostly in line with the government's stance: the U.S. is the source of many of North Korea's woes because it divided the country, tried to stifle it with sanctions, turned the southern half of the peninsula into a puppet state, etc., etc. But again, they were careful to point out that they don't dislike Americans as individuals per se -- just the U.S. "hostile policy" (a phrase, by the way, that you will hear a LOT if you go to North Korea as an American).

    [–][deleted]  (41 children)


      [–]jchengwsj[S] 613 points614 points  (39 children)

      One way to answer this is to say that they're always preparing for war. The country is on a perpetual war footing, and the language and rhetoric of their state media really has made it seem like a U.S. invasion has been imminent for a very long time. Are they more prepared than usual at the moment? It's hard for us to know, unfortunately, on a five-day guided visit to the capital. But my sense is that it must be at least a touch higher than usual, given -- as I mentioned in answer to another question -- that the situation these days is truly more unstable than in the past. North Korea is near the finish line on its weapons program, and a very unpredictable -- you could say a proudly unpredictable -- president is in the White House.

      [–]allwordsaremadeup 118 points119 points  (7 children)

      Follow up to war preparation story. Is NK sacrificing other aspects of it's military/society and all-in on the nukes, or are the nukes part of a general increase in means. I've seen hints of both.

      [–]jchengwsj[S] 217 points218 points  (6 children)

      Great question. I'll try to answer through the lens of official state ideology. Under KJU's dad Kim Jong Il, the official policy was "son'gun," or "military first." As that name implies, it explicitly prioritized the military's needs over those of civilians or the party. Under Kim Jong Un, the policy is "byungjin," or "dual advance," meaning that nuclear development shares a top billing with the economy. It's the "guns and butter" policy, you could say. That's just a political line, of course, but my gut sense is that under KJU, it really is both that are growing. Obviously, any development that goes into its weapons program must come at the expense of it going into something else. But then again, the South Korean authorities estimate that economic growth in North Korea is at its best level in years, because its weapons program is helping its economy. I'm not sure I totally buy that, but I hope this answer mostly helps.

      [–]frogjg2003 15 points16 points  (2 children)

      Is it possible that the improved economy will gradually lead to less extreme policies as the people have more to lose in a was war they're almost certain to lose?

      [–][deleted] 52 points53 points  (28 children)


      [–][deleted]  (6 children)


        [–]jchengwsj[S] 112 points113 points  (5 children)

        Good question, but one that's hard to answer without asking a lot of follow-on questions. Presuming you mean under the current leadership of the DPRK (if you don't mean that, then that's a very different question), my answer would be a cautious yes, in principle, but the reason would have to be a very good one. Even if I don't see a risk myself, there are many others around me -- my wife, my family, my employer, my colleagues, my government -- for whom the risk calculation is very different, and by going, I'd be potentially making life more difficult for them. But in principle, yes, cautiously, with big caveats.

        [–]in_client_hell 28 points29 points  (4 children)

        Just as a follow-up, I've heard some arguments that visiting North Korea as a private person (tourist) should be considered 'morally grey' - with some equating participating in tourism there as support towards the current leadership, and others wondering if it's possibly considered exploitation. What are your personal thoughts, and do you believe that tourism helps or hurts the DPRK?

        [–]pompousfucktwat 19 points20 points  (2 children)

        As a follow up to this, you just made me think; I wonder what a typical NK citizen thinks when all of these different people from different countries come to visit and take tours of their cities, but the N Koreans never get to leave their country to visit any others. I have to imagine that there's a "we are the best country in the world and everybody wants to visit us!" rhetoric that they likely use.

        [–]PantherU 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        They can travel, but it's mostly reserved for the elites.

        [–]egytoker 218 points219 points  (26 children)

        I've heard many people talking about how marijuana is both legal, and socially accepted in NK. Is that actually true?

        [–]jchengwsj[S] 414 points415 points  (22 children)

        I've read that as well, but it's not something I know for sure either way -- and I must confess, we neglected to ask our Foreign Ministry counterparts about this while we were there. All I can say is that we didn't catch any whiffs of weed while we were there.

        [–]Lunabeanknox 71 points72 points  (17 children)

        Just to piggyback on the above question, I've read that it isn't weed but meth (or a similar amphetamine) that is both legal and socially acceptable in North Korea. Any truth to this?

        [–]MadScientist420 62 points63 points  (9 children)

        Yep. Perfect drug for overworked under fed populace.

        [–][deleted]  (6 children)


          [–]HeartOChaos 4 points5 points  (0 children)

          MadScientist42 from Roblox? Creator of the Beta TARDIS?

          [–]Calt_ 77 points78 points  (4 children)

          What do you think are the biggest problems in the western media's portrayal of North Korea and what do you see as the underlying reasons for it being what it is? What could be done to improve/diversify the coverage?

          The image people get from the media has a huge effect on how they think. The larger audience aside, how much influence do you think the media narrative has on those actually deciding the policy? Mostly referring to the U.S. here but also elsewhere.

          Thank you! Please keep doing what you do, love reading your articles & KCNA quotes on twitter :)

          [–]jchengwsj[S] 115 points116 points  (3 children)

          The biggest problem in the western media, I think, is the same thing that bedevils western media coverage of other parts of the world: resources are few, and they're not likely to get any better. That means that you have very few people on the ground trying to cover a country of 23 million people (in North Korea's case) or of 50 million people (in South Korea's case). Many western media outlets don't have anyone permanently stationed, or permanently focused, on Korea. That's not to say good work can't be done, but it does make it more difficult for in-depth work and careful consideration to be given to the issue. We have a bureau of five in Seoul, which is pretty good all things considered, but I'd sure love to double that size. (I'm dreaming, I know.) And then, of course, there are some things that even adding more bodies can't fix: access to North Korea is extremely limited, and even when it's granted, it's debatable how helpful it really is, since that access does come with serious strings attached.

          As for policymakers, it's hard for me to know, not being a policymaker. I know that senior U.S. officials have far more sources of information than just the WSJ, or NYT/Washpost/FT/Bloomberg/Reuters/AP/etc., at their disposal. I presume we are one factor in that, and that we are read by policymakers as much for the impact it'll have on public sentiment as we are for the actual content of what we write.

          [–]Calt_ 18 points19 points  (2 children)

          I suppose what I'm mostly just worried that apart from the breaking news of missile launches, Kim Jong-Un portrayed as being 'crazy' and the occasional 'rare glimpse' articles with the same Pyongyang pictures all over again end up being the only thing most people will ever see or understand about the country.

          I'm sure you are right about the manpower problem. How much do you think being on the ground in North Korea's case helps the reporting? I know CNN had their guy staying there for a while, but Id think that its easier to do the job from China or SK. Do you think that for example your recent trip in Pyongyang gave you some new insights? I presume that due to the restrictions it would be challenging as a journalist to get something 'new' out of it each time.

          [–]_pigpen_ 30 points31 points  (1 child)

          I think you are spot on. There is nothing to be gained from believing KJU is crazy. I think he is completely rational: His father and grandfather both died of natural causes while in office. They both executed their enemies or rivals without hesitation. They both sabre rattled and won concessions and/or aid from the west. Gadaffi gave up his weapons of mass destruction following promises from the West, and he’s dead. Saddam, the same. KJU’s world is not the same as ours. In his world his actions make complete sense. We miss the point when we dismiss him as crazy. This is why it’s important to have smart people in the State Department.

          [–]aspz 445 points446 points  (9 children)

          You wake up in Kim Jong Un's body. You can speak and understand Korean. Without getting assassinated by your commanders, how do you transition North Korea and its people from an Orwellian state of despair to a prosperous nation so you can then ride your fame to launch your career in music?

          [–]jchengwsj[S] 859 points860 points  (8 children)

          Tell the Chinese I want out, have them sub in a puppet leader for me in Pyongyang and have them promise to veto any UN resolutions that would ever target me. Then, call up Dennis Rodman and start a record label or something.

          [–]jerichosway 36 points37 points  (0 children)

          This guy.

          [–]jamespweb 107 points108 points  (0 children)

          Meta, I like it.

          [–][deleted]  (1 child)


            [–]CatOfGrey 24 points25 points  (0 children)

            I can't disagree. But this is my favorite answer. And it does cover all the bases.

            He's helping out the Chinese, and they get control of the country in exchange for a relatively small tactical operation. Not bad - North Korea is a great mining resource, and the Chinese would love that cash cow. Nothing like rich mineral resources to stabilize a currency.

            And Dennis Rodman...just...yeah...damn.

            [–]guysmiley00 5 points6 points  (0 children)

            Do you have any indication of anyone setting up such a game-plan for regime change in NK? I'm not talking invasion; I mean helping the Kim regime collapse in a way that doesn't inevitably lead to complete disaster. It strikes me as very similar to the fall of the USSR, which could have been apocalyptic if not for the extreme integrity and self-sacrifice of Gorbachev. Kim Jong-Un is clearly no Gorbachev, so is anyone looking ahead to give him a way out that doesn't involve a mushroom cloud?

            [–]A_Bungus_Amungus 5 points6 points  (1 child)

            So abandon the country and be successful in music? I like it.

            [–]rigelstarr 61 points62 points  (1 child)

            What is your most memorable quote coming from the DKPR news agency? There have been some real winners I know as I follow you in Twitter.

            Also, do you believe the journalists actively help subvert the truth or actually believe what they report to be true in the DKPR?

            Is there basically a mass delusion effect going on because they are so cut off from the world?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 105 points106 points  (0 children)

            Yeah, this is another impossible question. KCNA is truly masterful at the insults and memorable quotes. Some of it is definitely because of translation issues and the linguistic gap (e.g. "dotard"), but a lot of it is by design. As with the rest of their capabilities, the DPRK is very good at playing the asymmetric game, and having an arsenal of bet-you-never-thought-of-that zingers at their disposal is a sign of how sophisticated they are, I think. Or maybe I'm giving them more credit than they deserve. But alas, I don't think I can choose just one. They're all my favorite!

            [–]A_Tame_Sketch 63 points64 points  (1 child)

            How was the soju? I've had some pyongyang soju and that shit was like gasoline.

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 83 points84 points  (0 children)

            Be careful with that stuff!

            [–]Jasonaxe 32 points33 points  (2 children)

            Will your answers to this questions effect your next visa in anyway?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 68 points69 points  (0 children)

            To be honest, it's impossible to know what they read, how much of it they read, and how much they care. There's certainly plenty that I've written and said prior to our trip last month, in the WSJ or on Twitter or otherwise, that I suppose you could argue would be dealbreakers, depending on what one considers a dealbreaker. But there we were in Pyongyang. I do always try to be careful and measured with what I say and write, knowing that it's a complex and delicate situation, but if they don't want me there because of something I've written, then that's a price that I'm willing to pay.

            [–]Aj834 62 points63 points  (2 children)

            Did you get to speak with any North Koreans other than your guides? What did they say?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 136 points137 points  (1 child)

            Hi there. Yes, we did, but only a couple of short exchanges in each case. The only truly extended conversations we got were with our two Foreign Ministry handlers, who were with us throughout the day everyday, and with the senior official who we got to sit down with for extended chats a few times (in our case, a man named Ri Yong Pil). We quoted some of the other North Koreans in the article that we ran last Saturday, and what they said -- surprise, surprise -- wasn't terribly different from what we heard from the Foreign Ministry officials. People ask if that's because they were coached. I don't believe they were coached (i.e. "You're going to meet these foreigners from the Wall Street Journal. Here's what you should say."). I think that the message is so deeply inculcated into society that they don't need that kind of coaching because I think they truly do believe the narrative. It's a compelling one: We're a small nation that stood up to the world's most powerful country, an empire that seeks to swallow us whole. Once you accept that, much of the rest of their message -- we need nuclear weapons to defend ourselves, for example -- isn't so much of a stretch.

            [–]shittymicrobiologist 137 points138 points  (3 children)

            I saw a few photos from another group that just visited NK and I was surprised at how modern some parts of the country seems. What are some misconceptions that the US public may have about NK that you, having taken this trip, would like to help clear up?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 251 points252 points  (2 children)

            Yes, indeed! Keep in mind that you're probably looking at photos of the capital, Pyongyang. That's not to say that things are filthy and awful elsewhere, but the most modern parts are generally in Pyongyang. We published a bunch of photos of this too in our Saturday essay last week, if you want to have a look. The main misconception I think that persists in the U.S. about North Korea is that everyone is struggling and wants to get out (that's a bit of a blanket statement, but there are many people in the U.S. who feel this way). There surely are North Koreans who want to get out -- 30,000 have resettled in South Korea, and there may be many more who would like to leave but can't. But there are also many millions who don't want to leave. For one thing, they don't know much about the outside world, and what little they do know isn't positive (you can thank North Korean state media for that). And many of them may believe that life is much better outside the country, but the risks, and the costs, of trying to leave are simply prohibitive. And life is definitely improving for the higher classes in North Korea, so arguably there is less reason to leave. I could go on and on, but I hope this makes sense. And to be clear, I'm not saying everyone is happy there (or that everyone who is happy would remain happy if they knew more about their own country and about the rest of the world), but if you got to ask people freely how they feel about their country (and if they were allowed to freely answer), I think most of them would genuinely tell you that they like where they are.

            [–]HouseReyne 46 points47 points  (1 child)

            Given the tight controls on information, how do North Korean refugees know enough to want to go to South Korea? If it’s painted in such s poor light, why would they want to go there? Is it just blind faith and hope?

            [–]EngineerSib 19 points20 points  (0 children)

            Many of them do know a little about life in South Korea, like they discuss in this article: https://www.wired.com/2015/03/north-korea/

            Barbara Demick's book Nothing to Envy also goes into that aspect a little bit. Defectors are usually either elites (so they know the truth) or people who don't really fit in to begin with, so it's not like they have so much to lose.

            [–]queequeg12345 25 points26 points  (3 children)

            What were the most striking similarities between the United States and North Korea?

            [–]athos45678 8 points9 points  (0 children)

            just want to say, i wish he had answered this

            [–]akjkakjk 115 points116 points  (8 children)

            What’s the feeling among South Koreans right now? How’s it impacting their political environment? Thanks!

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 217 points218 points  (4 children)

            Good question. Many South Koreans are definitely concerned (though not all of them, not by a long shot), but life goes on. This is life in the shadow of a North Korean threat that’s existed since the 1950s, just like I imagine life in NYC or London rolls on under the threat of terrorism. (Not the same, I know, but perhaps the mentalities are the same?) As for the politics, the most striking thing we see is just how left out and wrong-footed the new administration has had with the crisis. Moon Jae-in is a left-leaning president, the first in nearly a decade, and he had a very different vision for how things would play out on the inter-Korean front under his watch. I don’t think he expected things to play out this way. And the feeling of being left out is very real here. Donald Trump seems to portray the issue as one either between himself and Kim Jong Un, or at most, one that involves China and Japan. South Korea and Russia, it seems, are more tertiary players in the way he’s framed things, or at least that’s how it often feels in Seoul.


            A small sample size, but my girlfriend's family is concerned mostly about Donald Trump's responses rather than NK threats

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 153 points154 points  (1 child)

            I haven't done the research, but I suspect your girlfriend's family is not alone on this one.

            [–]fredzannarbor 81 points82 points  (6 children)

            What do you think is the maximum provocation North Korea is likely to undertake?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 153 points154 points  (5 children)

            Thanks Fred, that's a tough, almost unknowable question, but I think the answer, roughly speaking, is that North Korea will find ways to come right up to the line -- whatever that may be -- without crossing it, and it will probably do so in a way that we don't necessarily expect. Take an example from recent weeks. They threaten Guam with a pretty specific scenario, and then they test-launch a missile over Japan (and then do it again). Now, they've threatened an H-bomb detonation over the Pacific...my hunch is that it's a red herring and they do something else instead. Not that I know for sure, of course...

            [–]jmk4422 12 points13 points  (2 children)

            Would they escalate things by actually taking shots at US warplanes outside their airspace? Inside it? Could that be a red herring too, I suppose I'm asking, or could that be the surprise/bold move they feel could near this line without crossing it?

            I think we all know what happens if they do take shots at US planes, right?

            [–]Snippins 8 points9 points  (1 child)

            They already downed a USN recon plane in the 60's and killed 31 service members. There was no retaliation then and doubtful a war would start today of something similar happened. But who knows.

            [–]Duke_Paul Senior Moderator 44 points45 points  (2 children)

            Hi Mr. Cheng, thanks for doing an AMA!

            I have a couple of questions: First, is the North Korean regime (whether it's Kim Jong Un calling the shots or not) actually nutso, or are they playing with a Madman policy, or are their actions actually fairly reasonable/logical? Secondly, what is your take on the sanctions in place on the country (and its leaders?)--do they impact the leadership in any meaningful way, or do they end up just falling on the people anyway?

            Thanks again!

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 80 points81 points  (1 child)

            Thanks for the question. I personally do not believe they are nuts. Nuts can work for a little while, but it generally doesn't work for three generations, over the course of 72 years, when stacked up against the world's biggest political and economic powers (the U.S., Japan, China, Russia, South Korea). I'm not saying it's reasonable or logical, per se, but I do think they know what they're doing, and they're very smart about it.

            And I'm not sure on sanctions, to be honest. It's been a hot debate for, oh, years and years and years. No question the leadership have ways to ensure that the pain to them is minimal.

            [–]Ih8pixelmodz 37 points38 points  (5 children)

            Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 133 points134 points  (4 children)

            Vanilla. But please don't overinterpret that. I really do just like vanilla ice cream.

            [–]Dilinial 38 points39 points  (1 child)

            You're not alone. Fight the power brother.


            There are dozens of us! DOZENS!

            [–]haydenj96 14 points15 points  (8 children)

            Hey Jonathan,

            Love reading your coverage of Korea in WSJ every morning (well, not every morning, you need a day off too, but you know what I mean).

            How did you get the DPRK to even agree to this? I would think WSJ would represent everything that they hate about this country. Do they see this as a win? I'd think they'd find it quite easy to just say no way. Why do they see this as a good thing?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 42 points43 points  (7 children)

            Great question. I think they really had a message they wanted to get out there: We have nukes, we've won, give up and sign a peace treaty with us already. And we were far from alone in being invited -- as I've mentioned elsewhere, the New Yorker went in before us, the NYT after us, and I suspect the message was quite consistent. We at the WSJ have an extra edge, in the sense that we're perceived as being the paper closest to the current administration, and are therefore a good conduit of this message. (I'm not going to go into a long spiel here on the differences between our news and opinion pages, but suffice it to say that the four of us who went in for the WSJ work for the news pages, and aren't aligned with any political party or ideological commitments.) That's my best guess of why they wanted us there.

            [–]El_Chupachichis 6 points7 points  (4 children)


            What would be in such a Peace Treaty?

            [–]jonoboiiy 13 points14 points  (2 children)

            Hi Jon. RHHS represent!

            If NK was to welcome any North American boyband, which one would it be?

            And which boyband member would get caught doing something ridiculous to sabotage the event?

            Edit: one letter of the alphabet.

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 32 points33 points  (1 child)

            RHHS was a great place! North Korea has brought in some pretty strange acts over the years. I'm going to vote for 98 Degrees and Nick Lachey, because Kim Jong Un is a child of the 90s and I can just kind of picture that happening.

            [–]Carb0hydrate 13 points14 points  (3 children)

            Hi Jonathan! I love reading your coverage on NK. You do excellent work.

            Most of the questions I'd like to ask pertaining to NK have already been asked, so instead I'll ask about the atmosphere of working in WSJ. How do you like it? Did the WSJ experience a spike in subscription post-Trump's election (I believe I read that it did for TNYT, so I'm wondering about WSJ)? Did the work atmosphere change after it, and if it did, was it for the better or the worse, in your opinion?

            Also - what news sources do you regularly read that are non-WSJ? Thanks for your work!

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 17 points18 points  (2 children)

            Hi there, thanks for the question. I've been at the WSJ for more than a decade now, and I love it. It's hard to separate out what change in atmosphere there was post-Trump in the WSJ, as opposed to the many changes in atmosphere that were apparent everywhere else in the world. I don't think there was anything particular to the WSJ that changed after his election -- I think the world changed to a large extent. And being in Korea does insulate me as well in some ways, simply because I'm so far away and the time zones are inverted and we're not watching a lot of developments in real time. As for non-WSJ sources, most of my Twitter links should give you a sign of what I'm reading. I don't tweet everything I read, but most everything I find interesting, regardless of whether it's WSJ or not, I will tweet, presuming it's credible.

            [–]TophersGopher 4 points5 points  (1 child)

            Does the Korea Bureau for the WSJ have any internship positions? I'm a journalism student, and I have a massive interest in international affairs and the Korean Peninsula specifically, so being able to work with you and your team seems like a dream come true. I'm sure this isn't really a question you were looking for but hopefully you see it and have the time to answer!

            [–]meme_forcer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            He mentioned elsewhere that the korea bureau is only 5 people, so it seems unlikely. IMaybe if you got hired as an intern in their headquarters you could specialize on some issues like international news in asia?

            [–]quintussp 22 points23 points  (0 children)

            There are stories of Nazi-style concentration camps in North Korea. However, some defectors that told (and sold) these stories didn't tell the (whole) truth. What's your take on that?

            Do you think that Warmbier was tortured? Officials say there is no evidence of that - would anyone in the US be interested in covering up such evidence?

            [–]yukaby 60 points61 points  (6 children)

            Hello Mr. Cheng, I follow your twitter! You're cool.

            What do you think it would take for internal collapse of the regime? Do you think it's possible within the next few months? I live near Seoul, so I've been very worried. Honestly, I'm hoping for a miracle that could kill KJU without some sort of war.

            Thanks for your reporting, and venturing into NK for the rest of us 🙏

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 86 points87 points  (0 children)

            Hi there, predicting the collapse of the regime is a bit of a fool's errand. We may as well try and predict the collapse of...well, any other state in the world. I think the only thing we know is that it never happens when everything thinks it's going to happen. There are many internal contradictions in North Korea -- but there are in any country, including the U.S. -- and that doesn't in and of itself doom the current leadership to ruin. Internal contradictions can run on and on for a long time. On the other hand, I think people who assert that North Korea will never collapse, simply because it's been wrongly predicted by others, is also misguided. It really could collapse, and it may have nothing to do with anything we're thinking of right now. But yes, I think we can all agree with your sentiment: nobody wants war.

            [–]RandomPotatos 34 points35 points  (41 children)

            Do you think North Korea has the capability to launch a full scale attack on the US?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 103 points104 points  (39 children)

            No, but if it were, say, to strike one or two large American cities with a nuclear device -- which is something they could conceivably do in the coming days/months/years, missile-defense willing -- then you have to ask the question, how different is that really from a full-scale attack? It's not boots on the ground (which I don't think anyone really thinks is possible), but it'd be incredibly horrifying...


            How far did your observations differ from the reality of North Korea being a place of poverty and famine? Did the North Korean officials stage anything?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

            I don't think they staged anything for us in particular (beyond little things like the orphanage visit and children's musical performance), but that's overlooking that all of Pyongyang is a stage in a sense. Evan Osnos of the New Yorker, who went in a week or two before us, made that analogy. North Korea did indeed suffer a famine in the 1990s, which it has been quite open about (though it hasn't been upfront about all the causes of it), but it's not in famine any longer. Poverty, though, surely exists, though we didn't see much of it in the showcase capital.

            [–]BabyRolliePolli 7 points8 points  (6 children)

            If you had to predict, how do you see this all turning out? Do you think we are going to be in a state of Cold War-like tension for years with no actual military conflict? Do you think there is going to be a war? Do you think there will be some kind of coup or regime change that comes internally or from China or somewhere else that doesn't have anything to do with us?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 34 points35 points  (4 children)

            I'm no seer, but I'm presuming a military conflict doesn't break out, though that may be more a reflection of what I want. That leaves us, likely, with a state of Cold War-like tension, as you put it. North Korea develops its capabilities and becomes a de facto nuclear state, though the U.S. denies it for a while. Finally, someone in Washington throws in the towel and tries to strike a peace treaty with North Korea -- mostly on Pyongyang's terms. Not a pretty outcome, but I think this is my working base-case assumption.

            [–]Andrique_ 8 points9 points  (2 children)

            What effect do the sanctions placed on NK have on their missile program? Considering that they have seemed to largely ignore them

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 35 points36 points  (0 children)

            I think Vladimir Putin put it best when he said a few weeks ago that the North Koreans will eat grass, but they won't give up their weapons program (that's a paraphrase). That's not to say sanctions have no place in policy, but if anyone's expecting sanctions alone to make Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons, I've got bad news for you.

            [–]BabyRolliePolli 6 points7 points  (9 children)

            What do you think the US could do to calm the situation? What do you think would be helpful at all to get to some kind of peaceful resolution or at least de-escalation?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

            Many of us who live in South Korea and the region would certainly sleep more easily with some kind of deescalation. But it seems like the current U.S. administration is trying to use escalation as some kind of a policy tool. But I haven't spoken with the president lately, so I'm not sure exactly what is going on.

            [–]fredzannarbor 18 points19 points  (1 child)

            What would you estimate the probability of war and how would you describe your confidence level of that estimate?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 58 points59 points  (0 children)

            Hi again Fred. I'd estimate the probability as still being south of 50%, maybe even as low as 10%, but I'm not sure I'd ascribe a high level of confidence to that estimate. As has been pointed out by many, many others, the concern really is on both sides, these days. Under previous U.S. presidents, you could be reasonably confident that the U.S. would never launch a unilateral strike, and you could be reasonably confident that the North would never do one either. But Pres. Trump truly changes the calculus on the U.S. side, and that in turn I think changes the calculus on the Pyongyang side. Keep in mind too that Trump's election is not the only major new factor here; the other is that the DPRK is more or less at the finish line of what it needs/wants -- a credible nuclear-tipped missile that can reach the U.S. Once it has that, it will presumably continue to develop its weapons programs, but that'll be gravy for them, I think, on top of a baseline credible deterrent.

            [–]Air_Hellair 5 points6 points  (0 children)

            I hear you saying the people believe the propaganda and that seems plausible, but do you also get a sense of fear of reprisal/exposure among the people? My only exposure is through fictionalized accounts, but do people fear that a single misplaced word or failure of enthusiasm or lack of conformity could result in a trip to a labor/death camp?

            [–]frequenxyiv 5 points6 points  (1 child)

            Have you covered on any other issues other than on North Korea working as a bureau chief?

            And what was going through your mind when you first covered on North Korea?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

            This year has been a pretty busy one for Korea. In addition to North Korea, we had a major corruption scandal in South Korea that took down the president and put Samsung's heir in prison. That took a lot of time to cover!

            [–]shawnwasim 9 points10 points  (3 children)

            How would you describe the poverty in NK? Is it really as bad as American media makes it seem?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 34 points35 points  (1 child)

            There is poverty in North Korea, but none of it is really visible if you stick to Pyongyang, as we did. You'd really have to get out to the provinces -- North and South Hamgyong Provinces, for example -- to get a better sense of that. On the outskirts of Pyongyang, we saw lots of oxcarts doing agricultural work, but I presume you mean more urban poverty.

            [–]sparkywilson 5 points6 points  (1 child)

            Has the attitude of North Koreans towards the Chinese changed since the NK missile launch when China allegedly warned NK that they would be alone if they started a war?

            [–]gonzolives369 4 points5 points  (0 children)

            How accurate are the accounts in such books as "Nothing to Envy" by Barbara Hambly or Pyongyang by Guy Deleslie about life in DPRK? If you stuck to only Pyongyang, did you witness the mythical 3rd floor of the hotel? How is the pool and billiard rooms really? How many other non-DPRK people did you see there?

            [–]itsmelen 8 points9 points  (1 child)

            Jonathan, have you seen evidence that the North Korean regime maintains gulag style labor camps?

            Also, have you been able to slip away from the parts that the regime "wants" you to see to get a better sense of how North Koreans live?

            [–]jchengwsj[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

            This is a relatively simple question to answer: Yes, I've read evidence of these labor camps, in the U.N. Commission of Inquiry's report from 2014, among other places. Have I witnessed these camps firsthand in North Korea? No, alas, I have not.

            [–]moosebog 4 points5 points  (0 children)

            What scared you the most on your trip?

            [–]tfoust10 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            Do you feel like you have to speak very carefully in your responses to our questions for fear that if you offend North Korea, they will harm you when/if you return?