25th August
Arriving in Beijing, I take a taxi to the hotel and meet up with the rest of the group for breakfast; I am travelling with Christian Friends of Korea (CFK) – a US non-profit organisation that has been working in DPRK since 1995). There are six of us in total including a team of experts in diagnostics and TB treatment, plus four or five Koreans from the Ministry of Health, taking the opportunity to see the projects.
Heidi [Linton], the indefatigable Director of CFK disappeared off to the North Korean embassy with my passport and photos to get my visa. By 11 a.m. we were in the departure lounge with a collection of returning North Koreans who were loading up with Marlborough and Camel cigarettes, plus a troop of girls in traditional “hanbok” dresses who appeared to be musicians returning from a concert tour.
Arriving in Pyongyang, I see the first sign of change since my last visit – the old-fashioned soviet-style booths with side windows had been replaced by a row of immigration officials in military style uniform facing us as we arrived.
We had to hand over all phones and communication devices but otherwise, little interest was taken in any of our belongings. So although I am incommunicado, it is very noticeable that since I last visited four years ago, all our guides now have cell phones and make full use of the available selection of ring tones and even watch movies on them. Apparently they can call each other, but not receive calls from foreigners, so behind the scenes there are still a lot of rules. Foreigners can buy mobile phones for their local friends, as long as they are paid for in hard currency, euros for preference, in local shops which are extremely popular these days. People also have laptops and there is an infranet for use in N. Korea, but no internet.
Our guides are all full time officials from the Ministry of Health. By mutual agreement, the guides are to go everywhere with us, so walks down to the river from the Potongang Hotel are fine but not jogging along the river itself – although they probably would have sent someone to accompany me if I had asked! They are hard working, friendly, and keen to help. Some of them have travelled or studied abroad and they all speak good English. They are happy to chat about their families, work and other neutral subjects, and we share many jokes over the course of our visit.
CFK is working with the Ministry of Public Health which oversees the civilian population, so they are our hosts. That night we had what can only be described as a banquet – 10 courses included grilled trout, barbequed beef, and beer, soju (rice wine) and even a bottle of warm Muscadet – very friendly and convivial.