In North Korea, there is no mortgage for all people, free medical care for all, do you believe it?
Assign work in the DPRK state, do you believe it?
Do you believe that the average salary in North Korea is 300-400?
If you marry a North Korean girl, you will not have a bride price, and there will be a dowry, do you believe it?
In North Korea, no one plays with mobile phones, do you believe it?
……
Today I will take you to know a different North Korea.
North Korea is both cordial and distant to us. Although it is also a socialist country.
Although it is close to us, although it has had a period of majestic glory with us, its closed policy gives us a sense of mystery about it.
The more mysterious it is, the more I want to find out, and in 2018, I took my parents and embarked on a trip to North Korea.
We followed the tour group and took the train from Dandong through Sinuiju and finally to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.
At the Pyongyang railway station we were greeted by two beautiful young North Korean ladies, who were eye-catching, youthful and beautiful, who spoke fluently Chinese, gentle and shy without losing their professionalism, and their words revealed a literary and artistic atmosphere.
Dinner at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang was a super experience. The waiters are generous and beautiful, dignified and beautiful, the typical duck egg face looks gentle and cute, fair skin, smiling, every dish will bow once, and look at you, your heart can be melted.
After serving our young lady, I pulled her and asked, "Do you have a partner?" Leave a phone, my brother has no partner, introduce you", before he finished speaking, he was taken away by a woman who looked like a leader, it turned out that the waiter was not allowed to talk to the guests.
Sure enough, the girl who was still serving food just now ran to the stage to perform, singing and dancing, and dancing with us, it was really relaxing and happy, and at this moment you will feel as if this is not in North Korea at all but in your own home.
After we finished eating and settled into the accommodation, the tour guide sister said to take us out for a walk, she said that this is generally not allowed, but she said hello to the leader.
As we walked on the streets of Pyongyang, it was instantly like traveling back to the 80s and 90s in China, with simple streets, simple buildings, and occasionally North Koreans passing by on bicycles.
Although it is the time when the lights are on, Pyongyang does not have the prosperity of our country, nor neon lights, nor small stall vendors.
Because North Korea doesn't have an internet connection and can't play with mobile phones, we talked for a long time. The tour guide said that they enjoyed the treatment of state civil servants, and the hotel waiters were also highly paid, and many people could not envy them.
Through conversation, we know a different North Korea, so I will interpret it for you.
Overview of North Korea:
North Korea, one of only five socialist countries in the world, is a high-profile self-sufficient "closed" country across the river from the mainland's Dandong.
North Korea has an area of 123,000 square kilometers and a population of about 25 million, which is equivalent to the size of Fujian Province on the mainland. It borders Russia to the northeast, and the "38th parallel" to the south.
The Korean nation is a single ethnic group, the common language is Korean, and one municipality directly under the Central Government: Pyongyang City, two special cities: Nampo City and Rasham City, and the capital Pyongyang, is the political, economic and cultural center of the country.
North Korea and South Korea were originally one country, but in 1945, under the manipulation of the United States and the Soviet Union, South Korea became independent, and the Korean Peninsula was divided into north and south parts along the 38th parallel.
North Korean Economy:
North Korea's economic situation is equivalent to that of the mainland in the eighties and nineties, with a per capita GDP of $620, which is a low-income country.
The average salary in North Korea is 300-400 yuan (RMB), and more than 500 yuan per month is a high-paying occupation.
The salary of scientific researchers is about 1,000 yuan
The salary of the tour guide is more than 500 yuan
The hotel waiter is more than 400 yuan
Female traffic police officers are more than 700 yuan
What I want to say here is that hotel waiters, tour guides, and female traffic police are all highly paid in North Korea, these professions are very demanding, must be a college graduate, waiters are required to be versatile, can sing and dance, female traffic police are more demanding (more will be said later).
How much is one North Korean won equal to?
1 Korean Dollar = 0.00792 CNY
(1 RMB = 126.26 KRW)
The DPRK economy implements a dual-track system, that is, the local people implement one consumption system, and outsiders implement one consumption system. Specifically, it refers to the fact that North Korea implements the ticket system to buy, and foreigners implement currency purchase.
In North Korea, we foreign tourists can directly use RMB and US dollars to shop, which is very convenient for us, but we have to buy at special external stores, because state-run stores can only be internalized.
The things in the external store are really expensive, more expensive than domestic.
15 yuan for a cabbage
A pound of cucumber 21 yuan
An egg is $3
A bowl of regular noodles costs 30 yuan
A bowl of Korean cold noodles is more than 20 yuan
A portion of Korean ginseng chicken soup costs 280 yuan
A piece of rice balls 20~30 yuan
A bottle of Sprite 7.2 yuan (domestic three yuan)
Dragon fruit 40 yuan / jin
Rice 6 yuan / jin
Metro tickets cost 5 yuan
One piece of Korean ginseng costs 800 yuan
And what about the consumption of the North Koreans?
North Koreans only need five cents to take the subway once, and one yuan can buy two pounds of fruit.
Every month, the government issues a fixed amount of food stamps, fuel stamps, lottery tickets, etc., which can be purchased directly at state-run stores.
North Koreans' low consumption is one reason they are not stressed, but the more important reason for their happiness is North Korea's welfare system.
1. Free and compulsory education
North Korea has 12 years of free and compulsory education, and there is no charge from the year before school to the completion of high school.
2. Free fertility
North Korea is sparsely populated, and the government particularly encourages more births, free hospitalization for childbirth, 180 days of paid vacation, and subsidies for employers.
Mothers who gave birth to five children were awarded the title of "Heroic Mother", along with awards.
3. Free room splitting
In North Korea, as long as you are of legal marriage age, you can apply for housing with a marriage certificate, which is usually approved within a few months.
The housing is fully equipped and you can move in with your bags, just pay your utility bills on time.
4. Assign work for free
In North Korea, as long as you graduate from university, the government will arrange employment according to your academic qualifications and majors, and you don't have to run around looking for a job yourself.
5. Free medical care
In North Korea, medical care is free for all, whether it is surgery, examination, treatment, or registration.
This is undoubtedly the most beneficial policy for the people, and there will be no pain of "returning to the pre-liberation period."
6. Marry a daughter-in-law for free (I added one)
North Korea has a large population of women and fewer men, and girls generally do not need a bride price when they marry, and there is also a dowry for their mother's family.
More importantly, North Korean girls are restrained and conservative, pure and precious, do not live before marriage, and do not even behave excessively. They are not only beautiful but also virtuous, and after marriage, they are family-oriented, and they have special respect for their husbands.
North Korea's divorce rate is extremely low.
Female traffic policeman on the street
On the second day of coming to North Korea, the guide took us to the major attractions of Pyongyang.
Walking on the streets of Pyongyang by bus, the most beautiful scenery is the female traffic police of North Korea, looking at the past from afar, people can't take their eyes off, holding a baton, changing various gestures to direct traffic, each gesture is so in place and beautiful.
Tourists took out their mobile phones to take pictures, and many told drivers to drive slowly. When the bus passed by the female traffic police, he saw the girl's face clearly, she was really watery and handsome, and she was even whiter against the background of a white uniform.
The tour guide said that in North Korea, female traffic police are fragrant food, not ordinary people can marry home, they are all excellent girls selected by North Korea, female traffic police treatment is particularly good, sunscreen, cosmetics will be welfare.
Pyongyang female traffic police are selected through layers of selection, must be over 16 years old (selected in each middle school) height above 1.65, body image must be good and excellent in character and learning, female traffic police at a time of about 3 hours, generally 26 years old retirement, after retirement can continue their studies.
Many men in order to pursue female traffic police, on the road countless times a day, just to talk to people, and more naughty, with intentional violation of traffic rules to set up with traffic police girls, not to mention, this trick is quite effective, the tour guide said that his classmate successfully chased a female traffic policeman.
North Korea has seen and heard
1. The most common means of transportation seen on the streets of Pyongyang is the 28 bar bicycle. There are also no hawkers on the streets of North Korea, no advertising slogans, and the streets are quiet and tidy.
2. In North Korea, you can't see the scene of playing with your mobile phone while walking on the streets, but many students and young people are reading.
3. North Korean women dress very conservatively when they go out, most of them are national costumes, or long clothes and trousers, and there will definitely be no clothes that show their thighs and waist.
4. North Korea is full of soldiers in green uniforms, because North Korean boys must serve 10 years of military service from the age of 17, and girls are voluntary, and the period is 7 years.
5. There are a large number of men on the streets of North Korea who wear black leather shoes, hold briefcases, and wear formal clothes, these are people with identity in North Korea, and these are the signs of their identity and social status.
6. North Korean houses are colorful outside, especially after rain, especially beautiful, like a castle in a fairy tale.
7. North Korea's subway has only one station for tourists to experience, is Rongguang Station, which is known as the deepest subway in the world, reaching as deep as about 200 meters underground.
8. When going to North Korea, you can't travel at will, you must follow a group, you can't leave the group, you can't bring a telephoto camera, you can't take pictures of the country's leaders at will.
9. North Koreans have a lighter taste, like rice and kimchi, they don't eat lamb. Korean cuisine includes: cold noodles, ginseng chicken soup, pine nut porridge, beaten cakes, pickle barbecue, etc., these specialties are a must-try.
10. North Korea's large shopping mall is in the Guangfu Commercial Center, this shopping mall is jointly invested and built by the mainland and North Korea, and the goods are complete and health care products abound, but it is still necessary to consume rationally.
Some of the best places to visit in North Korea:
1. Kim Il Sung Square
Kim Il Sung Square is the largest square in North Korea, ranked 16th in the world, covering an area of 75,000 square meters, and is the center of North Korean politics and major festivals.
Kim Il Sung Square was built after the structure of Tiananmen Square on the mainland and completed in 1972.
2. People's Great Study Hall
The People's Great Learning Hall has Korean characteristics and has an ancient beauty.
Most of the books, newspapers, magazines, etc. in North Korea are collected here, as well as various reading materials from abroad. There are about 30 million books.
In 1982, the Great People's Study Hall was officially opened to the public and became a national learning center for Koreans, which can accommodate 12,000 people to study and read every day.
3. China-DPRK Friendship Tower
Located in Pyongyang's Peony Peak District, the China-North Korea Friendship Tower was built to commemorate the feats of volunteers who died in the Korean War.
The China-DPRK Friendship Tower was personally selected by Premier Zhou Enlai. The tower is made of 1,025 pieces of granite and marble, symbolizing the mainland volunteers' march to Korea on October 25, 1950.
The tower is 30 meters high, with the words Friendship Tower inscribed in Korean on the front, and an inscription at the base to commemorate the Chinese and Korean soldiers.
That year, 197653 martyrs of the Chinese Volunteer Army were laid to rest in North Korea.
When visiting the China-DPRK Friendship Tower, facing the heroic souls of the martyrs, I couldn't help but cry silently, praying for the blessings of the fallen soldiers and their families.
On the shore of Xiangshui, Yingmu is pale, in a foreign land, and the soul returns home...
Pray that the heroic spirits of the martyrs will return to their hometowns, see their relatives, see the hot land that once raised them...
Written at the end:
Although the Korean people are in short supply, they are spiritually rich, self-sufficient, live and work in peace, and the smiles on their faces are a testimony of happiness.
When you step on the territory of North Korea and stand in the crowd of North Korea, you can feel their inner stability and happiness, they are hardworking and kind, they are peaceful and brave.
I hope that the friendship between China and the DPRK will last forever, that this friendship forged with blood will continue from generation to generation, and I wish the Chinese and DPRK people eternal happiness...