Anju Links for 22 Feb 08
MY, WHAT BIG BRASS COCONUTS YOU HAVE: North Korea fires missiles toward and over Japan, Japan builds a missile shield, and then North Korea has the chutzpah to say —
Their extreme hostile policy toward the DPRK is heightening the hatred of the army and the people of the DPRK toward Japan. Should the Japanese reactionaries persist in their moves for reinvasion, accelerating the building of missile shields targeted against the DPRK, this will entail catastrophic consequences. The Japanese reactionaries would be well advised to bear this in mind and stop their rash actions. [KCNA]
So are we ready to remove these people from the list of state sponsors of terrorism yet?
A LONG RECONSTRUCTION. If you want some idea of just how difficult reconstructing North Korea will be after seven decades of massive atrocities, consider how painful it’s been to reconstruct South Korea, six decades after a spasm of atrocities on a much smaller scale.
BOYCOTTING LONELY PLANET? I’m conflicted about this one. I certainly won’t go to Burma until a better regime is in power, and I hold dim views of people who do travel there, but to say that a book shouldn’t even be published is a step further than I’m prepared to go. The BBC, which owns Lonely Planet, is obviously conflicted, too, citing arguments for and against travel there. Here are the four “for” arguments:
– Tourism one of few areas to which locals have access
– Carefully targeted spending reaches individuals in need
– Locals have told travel guide authors they are in favour
– Abuses less likely in areas frequented by foreigners [BBC]
Maybe you consider those factors persuasive in Burma’s case; I don’t. But not one of those factors applies to North Korea.
CHOOSY BEGGARS, aren’t they?
Having visited both Burma and North Korea (and owning Lonely Planet books for both locations), I have some appreciation of these concerns, but obviously I decided to go anyway…
In Burma, there are amazing opportunities to interact with locals and patronize local venders. I spent several afternoons with monks talking about local politics and teaching English–these opportunities also give you the chance to learn about a place beyond what you read in foreign headlines. The government takes most of its cut when you arrive at the airport (purchasing FECs), hotel taxes (which vary depending on what kind of hotel you stay in), and some transport services (oh, and access to Bagan). Everything else you spend goes to private, local venders…and they are eager for the business. My feeling that denying them my patronage certainly does not make them better off.
But you are right about the DPRK. With rare exception, these four “for” arguments do not apply in North Korea. I have spent about 20 days in North Korea, and in all that time, I was able have only one conversation, without the presence of a guide, to a group of “ordinary” people who were eager to know about life in America. But the North Korean government employees who depend on the tourist trade are eager for more (if only for selfish reasons). Empowering them opens up more doors to North Korea and the bouderies of areas open to tourism, and spontaneous interaction, increase. This process is slow in North Korea, but it is already changing things.
The Lonely Planet book on Korea (at least the version I own) does not have a section “Should you go to North Korea.” I think the Myanmar version does out of deference to Aung San Suu Kyi. There is no DPRK equivalent of her.
Targeted shields! 😆