Most Depressing Country.

00:04:13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap9GQCBS7mM

Summary

TLDRThe video shares a personal account of a trip to North Korea, emphasizing the country's strict regulations, pervasive poverty, and lack of freedom. The narrator describes the journey from Beijing, the rigid border controls, and the oppressive atmosphere once inside. Despite the country's rich culture and traditions, the focus is more on military power, with public displays of strength overshadowing the needs of the people. The emotional impact of witnessing such a repressive regime led the narrator to tears, as they reflect on the grim reality faced by North Koreans and their uncertain future.

Takeaways

  • 🚆 Long journey: A 24-hour train ride from Beijing to North Korea.
  • 🔍 Strict inspections: Soldiers check all items, including phones and books.
  • 🚫 No freedom: Religion and political expression are banned.
  • 🏚️ Visible poverty: The country faces extreme poverty and poor infrastructure.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cultural pride: Despite hardship, North Koreans maintain cultural traditions.
  • 🎖️ Military focus: The government's priority is military power over citizen welfare.
  • 😢 Emotional impact: Narrator's heartache for the North Korean people's plight.
  • ⏳ Uncertain future: The hope for prosperity seems distant.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:13

    The speaker shares their experience in North Korea, highlighting the oppressive and isolated nature of the country. They describe the strict regulations upon entering, including thorough inspections of belongings, restrictions on religious texts, and a lack of access to the internet or outside information. The extreme poverty and isolation are evident in everyday life, with few cars on the roads and power outages common in homes. Despite having a rich culture, the focus of the regime is on military power and propaganda, overshadowing the struggles of the people. The visit was closely monitored, and the speaker expresses deep emotional pain for the North Korean people, feeling that their country remains a prison with little hope for improvement in the near future. They conclude with a somber acknowledgment of the disparity between North and South Korea and the long road ahead for change.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is the travel process to enter North Korea?

    Travelers can only enter North Korea as part of an organized tour group and must take a train from Beijing.

  • What restrictions are in place for visitors to North Korea?

    Visitors face strict inspections, including checks of personal items, phones, and prohibitions on religious texts, political books, and sensitive information.

  • What is the condition of infrastructure in North Korea?

    The infrastructure is poor, with unstable power supply and very few cars on the roads due to economic conditions.

  • How do North Koreans live within the country?

    North Koreans live in extreme poverty with limited freedom and no access to the internet or outside information.

  • What did the narrator feel during their time in North Korea?

    The narrator felt deep sadness for the people of North Korea, recognizing their struggles for freedom and prosperity.

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Subtitles
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  • 00:00:03
    north korea is not a joke it's one of
  • 00:00:05
    the worst countries in the world it's
  • 00:00:08
    isolated it's dangerous it's strict but
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    above all it's depressing
  • 00:00:14
    so here is my time inside north korea
  • 00:00:21
    i visited north korea by taking a
  • 00:00:23
    24-hour train from beijing to the border
  • 00:00:27
    here you can only enter as part of an
  • 00:00:30
    organized tour group and now we have to
  • 00:00:32
    take a train to north korea for 24 hours
  • 00:00:35
    and the minute you cross the border you
  • 00:00:37
    enter a whole new world soldiers will
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    inspect everything you own
  • 00:00:43
    they check every picture and every page
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    of every book that you have please do
  • 00:00:48
    not take photos the person in military
  • 00:00:50
    unity they make sure you don't carry any
  • 00:00:53
    bibles or qurans or any religious texts
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    because religion is banned
  • 00:00:59
    no political books no nude magazines no
  • 00:01:02
    internet transmitters and no sensitive
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    information soldiers even take your
  • 00:01:08
    phone to check which pictures you have
  • 00:01:12
    and it all makes sense because this
  • 00:01:14
    country is like a prison
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    inside of it you'll see extreme poverty
  • 00:01:21
    and extreme isolation with no freedom no
  • 00:01:25
    wi-fi no facebook no access to the
  • 00:01:28
    outside world this place is such a close
  • 00:01:31
    community that
  • 00:01:32
    everything they produce is produced
  • 00:01:34
    internally
  • 00:01:35
    which means there's no trade or very
  • 00:01:38
    little trade with other nations
  • 00:01:41
    [Music]
  • 00:01:43
    and no matter how much they try to hide
  • 00:01:45
    it north korea is poor on the highway
  • 00:01:49
    there are very few cars because people
  • 00:01:52
    can't afford them this is
  • 00:01:54
    the main highway
  • 00:01:57
    of north korea right here inside homes
  • 00:02:00
    there is no stable power because it
  • 00:02:03
    keeps going out the power went off again
  • 00:02:07
    outside homes poverty is apparent and
  • 00:02:10
    the people are trapped inside
  • 00:02:13
    say hi
  • 00:02:14
    hi
  • 00:02:15
    what do you want to say the camera
  • 00:02:19
    they have a beautiful culture beautiful
  • 00:02:22
    traditions amazing sports events
  • 00:02:24
    circuses and dances they are proud
  • 00:02:28
    people but the problem is
  • 00:02:31
    [Applause]
  • 00:02:33
    they don't matter
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    what matters in north korea is the
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    missile the tank the soldiers the fake
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    illusion of power military displays are
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    everywhere in the country and leaders
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    are on every building
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    this is what the country chose to focus
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    on at every cause
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    and not this
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    [Music]
  • 00:03:06
    my time in north korea only lasted five
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    days and it was orchestrated to see what
  • 00:03:12
    the government wants you to see and on
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    my train out of the country i got
  • 00:03:17
    checked one last time by soldiers we
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    just got checked
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    and luckily they didn't steal our videos
  • 00:03:24
    and as soon as we were in the clear
  • 00:03:27
    i cried
  • 00:03:29
    i cried for the people there
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    there is no solution for the average
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    north korean
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    their country is and will remain a
  • 00:03:40
    prison
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    one day it may be as prosperous as its
  • 00:03:44
    neighbor south korea
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    but that day
  • 00:03:49
    is very far
  • 00:03:50
    from today
  • 00:03:52
    see you
  • 00:04:12
    you
Tags
  • North Korea
  • Travel
  • Isolation
  • Poverty
  • Military
  • Culture
  • Regulations
  • Freedom
  • Oppression
  • Personal Account