Uploads from Eric Lafforgue, tagged coréiadonorte, with geodata

Publication in Sunday Times - UK

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:27:12 -0700

In the spectrum section for the UK readers!

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Video: Arirang in Pyongyang North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:49:48 -0700

All over the capital, the Arirang adverts (« Grand mass gymnastic and artistic performance », « Welcome to Pyongyang » and so on) warn the profane…Between August and October, takes place one of the biggest and most impressive performances in the world. The tone is set : even the Beijing Olympics ceremony can’t compete with the mass games organized by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The show is held several times a week and welcomes tourists from all over the World, including the US, in one of the most isolated and despised country on earth. The well-called « mass games » are designed to emphasize group dynamics rather than individual performances as the supreme emblem of communism. Prepared by hundred of thousands performers all along the year, after their classes for the youngest of them, they are entirely dedicated to the NK’s leader Kim Jong Il and his deceased father Kim Il Sung, considered as the « Eternal president » and « sun of the 21st century »…

In the surroundings of Pyongyang's May Day giant Stadium, two girls are running to perform for the Arirang show. They are already dressed in their gymnastic outfits, as well as some 100,000 others who participate to the performance. They all come to honour their self-proclaimed « dear leader » Kim Jong Il, after a very hard and gruelling training, since their earliest age. Yet, it has been many years that Kim Jong Il has not shown up, formally for business reasons. But officials now admit the western medias’ assertions of illness. Anyways, Kim Jong Il or not, the mass games are held every year in Pyongyang, as a means for the regime to show to the entire world the country’s strength and good shape. To reach this sole purpose, not less than 100,000 people are involved in a choreographed show of simultaneous dancing and gymnastics. Many symbols are displayed by thousands of trained athlets, whether they are adults or even children. Hand over their heart, the young pupils sing in chorus "We are the happiest children in the world", one of the famous propaganda songs in North Korea. Many dancers make movements either with ribbons or colourful flowers named « kimjonglias » after the leader Kim Jong Il. All along the show, a live band plays a ceremonious music.

On the background, some 20,000 young koreans sit on the terraces, facing the spectators. They flip coloured cards at a high speed to form a fresco of animated and detailed images, changing from one to another. Each time they turn the page to create a new giant picture, they cry out. It creates a awe-inspiring atmosphere, as the shout is mixed with the noise of thousands of pages turned at the same moment. The figures are stunning : to compose these images, 2000 children are needed to make only one soldier, 20,000 for a north korean flag. Hiding a much more grim reality, the panels represent Pyongyang enlightened by night, wheat fields ready for harvest, scientists at work, atoms as symbols of the nuclear bomb and others for the reunification of two Koreas. One of the North Korea’s myths (history according to them) is recounted by the means of a huge image made by thousands of children. It represents the two pistols reportedly used by Kim Il Sung, when he founded the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerrilla Army in 1932. When the pistols appear, the audience applauses loudly. Among them, many soldiers attend the show as the ultimate award after years of good and faithful service.The thousands and thousands of boys and girls involved create a giant mass movement in the stadium which leaves the public stunned. These talented performers are used to that kind of performance: in North Korea they have to dance, sing, jump and spin around as many times as there are celebrations, always in praise of their leaders. There are mainly two sorts of shows. The first one is the classical artistic show, named "Arirang" after the famous korean folk song (whose story sometimes changes, but most often recounts the legend of a disappointed woman who hopes that her lover will return to her –metaphor of the break-up with South Korea). The second one is a more political show, which was untitled in 2008 "Prosper our country" and intended to show the country’s greatest achievements and its struggle against the foreign oppressors.

The show continues in the same way for one hour. Thereafter, the thousands of people present vanish in the dark and silent streets of Pyongyang, which contrast with the flood of lights and music in the stadium. Within the space of a few hours, it gives us a a strange feeling, between the real and unreal, of another universe both terrifying and fantastic.

Dans toute la ville, les publicités d’Arirang (« Grande représentation gymnastique et artistique de masse », « Bienvenue à Pyongyang » etc.) mettent le profane en garde …Entre août et octobre, a lieu l’une des plus grandes et impressionnantes représentations au monde. Le ton est donné : pas même la cérémonie des Jeux de Pékin ne peut rivaliser avec les mass games organisés par la République Démocratique Populaire de Corée (RDPC). Le spectacle se tient plusieurs fois par semaine et accueille des touristes du monde entier, y compris des Etats-Unis, dans l’un des pays les plus isolés et méprisés sur terre. Les biens nommés mass games (« mouvements de masse») sont conçus pour mettre en avant les dynamiques de groupe plutôt que les performances individuelles comme emblème suprême du communisme. Préparés par des centaines de milliers d’artistes tout au long de l’année, après les cours pour les plus jeunes d’entre eux, les jeux sont entièrement dédiés au leader de la Corée du Nord, Kim Jong Il, et feu son père Kim Il Sung, considéré comme l’ « Eternel président » et « soleil du 21ème siècle »…

Aux environs du Stade géant May Day de Pyongyang, deux filles courent pour participer au spectacle de Arirang. Elles sont déjà en costume de gymnastique, tout comme quelque 100 000 autres qui participent à la représentation. Tous viennent pour honorer leur autoproclamé « cher leader » Kim Jong Il, après un très difficile et éprouvant entraînement, depuis leur plus jeune âge. Pourtant, cela fait plusieurs années que Kim Jong Il ne s’est pas montré, formellement pour des raisons professionnelles. Mais des officiels admettent les assertions des médias occidentaux sur sa maladie. Quoi qu’il en soit, Kim Jong Il ou pas, les jeux de masse ont lieu chaque année à Pyongyang, comme moyen pour le régime de montrer au monde entier la puissance et bonne santé du pays. Pour atteindre ce seul but, pas moins de 100 000 personnes sont engagées dans une chorégraphie de danses et gymnastiques synchronisées. De nombreux symboles sont affichés par des milliers d’athlètes entraînés, qu’il s’agisse d’adultes ou même d’enfants. Main sur le cœur, les jeunes élèves chantent en chœur « Nous sommes les enfants les plus heureux du monde », l’une des chansons de propagande les plus connues en Corée du Nord. De nombreux danseurs font des mouvements avec des rubans ou avec des fleurs colorées appelées « kimjonglias », du nom du leader Kim Jong Il. Tout le long du spectacle, un orchestre joue une musique solennelle.

À l’arrière-plan, quelque 20 000 jeunes coréens sont assis sur les gradins, faisant face aux spectateurs. Ils retournent des cartes colorées à une grande vitesse pour former une fresque d’images animées et détaillées, changeant de l’une à l’autre. Chaque fois qu’ils tournent la page pour créer une nouvelle illustration, ils crient. Cela crée une atmosphère impressionnante, le cri étant mêlé avec le bruit de milliers de pages tournées au même moment. Les chiffres sont stupéfiants : pour composer ces images, 2000 enfants sont nécessaires pour faire un seul soldat, 20 000 pour un drapeau de la Corée du Nord. Cachant une réalité bien plus dure, les panneaux représentent Pyongyang éclairée la nuit, des champs de blé prêt à être récolté, des scientifiques au travail, des atomes comme symboles de la bombe nucléaire et d’autres pour la réunification des deux Corées. L’un des mythes de Corée du Nord (ou histoire selon eux) est relaté au moyen d’une image gigantesque faite par des milliers d’enfants. Elle représente les deux pistolets que Kim Il Sung aurait utilisés quand il a fondé l’armée de guérilla populaire anti-japonaise en 1932. Lorsque les deux pistolets apparaissent, le public applaudit bruyamment. Parmi eux, de nombreux soldats assistent au spectacle comme récompense ultime après des années de bons et loyaux services. Les milliers et milliers de garçons et de filles participant créent un mouvement de masse géant dans le stade, qui laisse le public ébahi. Ces artistes talentueux sont coutumiers de ce type de représentation : en Corée du Nord ils doivent danser, chanter, sauter et virevolter autant de fois qu’il y a de célébrations, toujours à la gloire de leurs chefs. Il existe principalement deux sortes de spectacles. Le premier est le spectacle classique artistique, appelé « Arirang » d’après la célèbre chanson folklorique coréenne (dont l’histoire quelques fois change, mais qui raconte le plus souvent la légende d’une femme déçue qui espère que son amant lui reviendra –métaphore de la séparation avec la Corée du Sud). Le second est un spectacle plus politique, qui était intitulé en 2008 « Que prospère notre pays » et qui tentait de montrer les plus grandes réalisations du pays et sa lutte contre les oppresseurs étrangers.

Le spectacle continue de cette façon pendant une heure. Ensuite, les milliers de personnes présentes disparaissent dans les rues sombres et silencieuses de Pyongyang, ce qui contraste avec le déluge de lumières et de musique dans le stade. En l’espace de quelques heures, cela nous donne un étrange sentiment, entre le réel et l’irréel, d’un autre univers à la fois terrifiant et fantastique.

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Mansudae Grand Monument Pyongyang North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:46:59 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Video: School kids in Pyongyang North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:39:02 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a video:

Kids in the streets of Pyongyang

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Video: Wedding day in Pyongyang North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:42:45 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a video:

Wedding time in Pyongyang. The man told us his feeling on his very special day for him...

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Video: Human rights in North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:19:42 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a video:

North Korea's state media released a "detailed report" Tuesday claiming that American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee entered the country illegally in order to record material for a "smear campaign" against the reclusive communist state.It added that the two women "admitted that what they did were criminal acts ... prompted by the political motive to isolate and stifle the socialist system of the DPRK by faking up moving images aimed at falsifying its human rights performance and hurling slanders and calumnies at it."

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

About Laura Ling and Euna Lee - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:35:48 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a video:

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two U.S. journalists sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in North Korea.
Before the trial, nobody in NK knew the news...

August 4: Bill Clinton comes back with them!

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

North korean soldiers at DMZ, North Korea, Polaroids

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:38:20 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

I'm sure the best way to make reunification with South Korea and peace with the rest of the world is to give Polaroids to the NK soldiers! It changes their moods, and they even smile!

We had the chance to interview the Colonel on the picture. He takes care of the wall section in North Korea. South Korea has built a wall all along the border, on its territory, and North Korean do not appreciate it!

The colonel=
You have travelled a long way to reach the security check point, and I’m very happy
to see you here. I’d like to welcome you on behalf of all our soldiers.
We are now in the military zone and here you can see the great weapon protected
wall that shows the division between a country and its people.
As you know, Korea, land of the bright morning, has a long history of five dynasties
with a brilliant culture. But due to the power of the conflicts with the Americans, the
United States, more than half a century later we are still suffering the tragedy of the
nation’s separation.
The tragedy of the separation of a country and a nation causes much suffering to our
people, which is unheard of in other parts of the world.
The militarized wall is a symbol of the separation of our nation, let me explain (he
turns to the map behind him)
Here, is the militarized wall which separates our country in two, now here we have
displayed the wall from west to east.
The Korean government started building this huge wall in august 1976, and finished it
in October 1979.
According to American statements, it’s the South Korean president at the time who
initiated the construction of the wall
Let me explain the dimensions of the wall, we can say that this wall is a large artificial
wall, which separates perfectly our territory from the east to the west, over 240
kilometers in total. It’s height is between 5 and 8 meters, and it’s width at the base is
between 10 and 19 meters, and it’s width at the top is between 3 and 7 meters.
As you can see here, if you look at it from the South Korean side, it’s slightly inclined,
but from the North Korean side it’s vertical.
At the North Korean line starts the demilitarized zone, and if you go forward for two
kilometers from this point, you reach the central demarcation line, and if you go
forward two kilometers more to the south, thus 4 kilometers in total, there’s where
they built the wall.
Q=
The wall is 240 kilometers long, so what does this mean in terms of the amount
of men mobilized, on the south and north sides? It’s 240 km long, that’s huge.
So there are men posted all along, so what are the estimates of the north
Korean and American soldiers?
A=
Every 5 or 7 meters you can find a military post, so it’s easy, you just have to work it
out… (between 35 and 48000 men). They have barricaded the whole territory, even
the mountains, the rivers, the forests, everything…
Q=
can you explain to us in simple terms how many men make up the army, in
north korea? How many north Korean soldiers are there at the moment?
A=
We can’t really know exactly…
Q=
But in North Korea, in total, it is said that there are two million soldiers, is that
not what is said?
A=
We can’t really know exactly…
Q=
In France, we do not have a mandatory military service, in North Korea how
does it work?
A=
In our country, we say that national defense is the supreme right of each citizen, our
young people, almost all our young people, do not consider it to be mandatory, but
like a right to volunteer. With the country being divided, and the considerable might of
the enemy, our young people are always considering doing their military service.
Q=
Do these young people consider that South Korea and North Korea form a
single country?
A=
Yes, of course, because it’s the same nation, they have the same culture.
Q=
When the tourists come here, do they then understand the situation a little
better, according to the colonel?
A=
By seeing the wall for themselves, all the tourists understand exactly what the
situation is. A lot of foreign tourists, including French tourists, have visited the wall,
and have had an exact understanding.
Q=
We know that the United states are clearly the identified enemy, and who are
the other enemies and true friends of North Korea today?
A=
For a long time, the US have been our sworn enemies, the Americans are
responsible for all the pain and suffering of our nation, and the Japanese are also our
enemies, they are against the reunification of our country, and finally, some south
Koreans are going to prolong the division of the nation.
Q=
And the real friends of North Korea?
A=
We consider as our friends, all the progressive states of the world, who raise their
voices against the division of our nation, who reduce the entry of american troops
into south korea, including the international intervention by France as well.
Q=
So France is a friend, or a foe?
A=
(laughs) During the Korean wall, the French government was mobilized into the
affray by the Americans, due to the UN security resolution, but we still consider the
French people to be our friend.
Q=
And the fact that France has joined NATO? An alliance with the Americans, is
that a problem?
A=
I’m not a NATO specialist, NATO is not doing much to help our nation reunite.
Leaving NATO was a good thing, but re-entering is bad (laughs) because the
Americans have the control of NATO
Q=
do you think that Obama will change the US’s policies towards North Korea?
A=
Our soldiers are keeping a close watch of Obama’s government’s new policies, but
as you know, after our satellite was launched, the US was the first to adopt a
resolution against the launch of our satellite, and sanction us for doing so.
Q=
But why do they do so?
A=
They do not want a small country like North Korea to have military techniques. They
think of themselves as a super power, in the world, as if they were the world’s police.

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Kim Il Sung statue - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:33:50 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Mansudae Grand Monument, Kim Il Sung statue. Pyongyang North Korea.
People come from all over the country to lay flowers in front of the giant statue and to pay respect to the former president. For the North Korean people, even if he's now a momy , he is still alive, and he is their father.

The Mansudae Grand Monument was erected in April, 1972 to commemorate the 60th birthday of President Kim Il Sung. It is located on Mansu Hill in front of the Korean Revolutionary Museum and the huge mosaic of Mt. Paektu.
The bronze statue of the late President Kim is 66 ft. / 20 m. high and looks out over Pyongyang below. On either side of his statue are giant stone replicas of the Korean flag and the Workers Party of Korea flag. On either side of these flags are over 200 almost life-size bronze statues of various military and civilian figures in heroic poses.

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Propaganda poster North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:33:05 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

"Let us dedicate this year to the aim of building a great prosperous and powerful country"

The worker, the student, the woman, the soldiers, the missile, the symbols of the Juche way of life !
DPRK 북한

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Propaganda poster North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:32:58 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

"In every place in the whole country, let us perform large-scale fish-farming"

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

North Korea opens first Fast-Food restaurant

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:09:45 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

The Samtaesong restaurant opened last month in cooperation with a Singaporean company, according to the Tokyo-based Choson Sinbo.
The minced beef and bread at the new fast-food restaurant costs only $1.70, the newspaper said, but that would eat up more than half of the average North Korean's daily income. South Korea's central bank put last year's average per capita income at $1,065.

On this picture taken in Pyongyang, the waitress of a local restaurant has a Big Mac bracelet, a gift from a western tourist i imagine. She did not knwew what was the meaning of this bracelet and of Big Mac...

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Bongsu Church in Pyongyang - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:53:06 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Bongsu Church is the first Christian place of worship built during the communist rule.
In September 1988, North Korean regime constructed the two-storey building with 450 seats in Mankyongdae district, Pyongyang, in order to show the country’s ‘religious freedom’ to foreign visitors of the 13th World Youth and Student Festival in 1989.
The construction cost, which was about half a million NK won at that time (equivalent to a quarter million US $), was contributed by ‘Christian believers around the nation and churches overseas,’ according to the Korean Christians Federation of DPRK.
Bongsu Church is consisted of a head minister, one vicar, 8 elders, 14 deaconesses, 5 deacons and about 300 gatherers.
According to its constitution, North Korea guarantees freedom of religion. But in reality, the regime severely restricts religious observance, with the cult of personality created by Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, serving as a virtual state religion.
The government has authorized four state churches: one Catholic, two Protestant and one Russian Orthodox.
This picture was taken in a place that our gides told us was "a church", in Pyongyang, in september 2008. The people in the place all came with brand new buses, nobody had the Kim badge, apart one man, in the back, who was sleeping!
An american (native from south korea) man from a christian Tv who made a report in the church told me everything was fake,as he understood what was told during the ceremony.
We were able to take pictures and to stay for one hour inside the place.
North Korea, Pyongyang

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Bongsu Protestant Church in Pyongyang - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:53:00 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

The government has authorized four state churches: one Catholic, two Protestant and one Russian Orthodox.
This picture was taken in a place that our gides told us was "a church", but it seems it is the protestant temple in Pyongyang, in september 2008. The people in the place all came with brand new buses, nobody had the Kim badge, apart one man, in the back, who was sleeping!
An american (native from south korea) man from a christian Tv who made a report in the church (temple?) told me everything was fake,as he understood what was told during the ceremony.
We were able to take pictures and to stay for one hour inside the place.
North Korea, Pyongyang

© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

Arirang posters Mass Games - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:36:06 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Arirang posters Mass Games - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:35:44 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Arirang posters Mass Games - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:35:51 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Arirang posters Mass Games - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:36:14 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Arirang posters Mass Games - North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:35:58 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo:

Propaganda poster North Korea

nobody@flickr.com (Eric Lafforgue) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:32:34 -0700

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: