Michael Palin had a 2 part series recently in North Korea and I swear he did exactly the same tour as you did - even down to the "friendly general" in the DMZ.
Not surprised. Our Australian organiser did say that, you need to have a reason to go to a place. Korea would let you go to a place, if you could give them a reason, and they don't think that it is a problem. Example: you like surfing, our Australian organiser arranges surfing tours to all the beaches along Korea. You do need to give them a reason to let you in.
I found this article
Michael Palin irks North Korean officials for having hands in pockets next to leaders' statues, and I can already say that some of the "
North Korea | How to avoid causing offence - Advice from Dr Robert Winstanley-Chesters, lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Leeds" are partly incorrect or completely incorrect. Let's have a look at some of the points by this lecturer.
"Political discussions are highly offensive. North Koreans consider their leaders as liberators and founders of the nation"
Not true.
You do have to exercise extreme courtesy; but that is the courtesy you extend to a guest. George Bush 1 just passed away, so you don't go around or on TV and start counting all the bad things he did, regardless of what it is.
Yet, just because you need to show courtesy does not mean you cannot talk about it. Turned out the guy from the UK works in a community radio station, which he needed to declare on his visa application. This means that, he was asked many times to go on radio when he is back home and tell people about Korea. Our male tour guide was also very interested in his view of Donald Trump, asked him about Trump and UK politics. When we have reached the boundary of discussion, he (tour guide) would say I don't know, I'm not a politician, I don't have an opinion, and we would back track our discussion.
"Likewise, outward expressions of affection and sexuality are forbidden - even hand-holding is new among young people in Pyongyang"
You don't do that in most parts of the world. This is boring.
"Clothing and appearance must be conservative: no long hair for men, but makeup is allowed for women"
That is true, because they dress well and show respect to everyone. Kinda like old businessmen in Japan. Make up is not just allowed, but if you have a job and have some money, you should kinda go out with make up. If you are a woman, try going out in France without make up!
"Shorts and t-shirts are too casual for visiting monuments to North Korea’s leaders, where behaviour is tightly controlled"
100% false.
We only needed to bow at the leaders at 2 locations during this trip: the Palace, and just a few posts before, where we
needed to get flowers at 7-11 and bow at the monuments.
Yes, there was strict dress codes at the Palace, that's understandable. Our tour guides told us what to do, like tuck your shirt in, etc.
At the monuments? No. T shirt jeans no problem, no one cared. I don't even think there was any police or what not. Just don't be too ridiculous like a FIFO worker in flip flops.
"Tourists are also forbidden to take a picture of part of a statue or monument - guides will insure you capture the entirety"
This rule is true. Also not at an angle, so you must be holding the camera directly in front of the whatever you are taking.
"Putting you hand in you pockets in front of statues would be regarded as ignorance or disrespect, and cause awkwardness for your guide"
Partly true.
Hands in pocket in photos are not OK, and they
may ask you to re-take; or not. Walking around in front of the statue with hands in your pocket is definitely OK
"Similarly, it is more respectful to keep your hands at your sides - not behind your back"
Same as point above, your hands should be on your side, not front, not back, that's just part of the protocol above.
"And avoiding pointing at people with your feet"
Who does that?!
"Folding a newspaper or picture of the Kims' is unacceptable; locals would typically be punished for it"]
True.
Don't know about folding specifically, but we were told that, any material we do not want should be left in original (as new) condition. So this would including folding and anything else you could think of.
"As is touching state propaganda materials forbidden - an act that led to the detention and death of American Otto Warmbier recently"
I do not think that is true.
We have never been told about not touching anything. The only rule regarding touching is in museums of similar, and they would even put things in glass display, or behind ropes (think going to an art museum).
I see this as a problem, that there is so much incorrect information, making Korea sounds so scary to those who had never been in the country (including myself); then once we were in, we followed what I would describe as similar to diplomatic protocols (think people at foreign affairs have to learn), everything else was meah.
And that catchy headline:
1: He was told he could not have his hands in his pocket before the filming, why did he do that?
2: You don't have your hands in your pocket, because it is not polite regardless of where you are. Regardless of what you think of Donald Trump, if you are part of a trade delegation, and you see him in person, do you take a photo with him with your hands in your pocket?
I don't know, maybe I was taught and knew about protocols since I was very young, so I know what they are, and I follow them. I am a casual political activist (done things like how to vote card at polling stations and in the same sex survey campaign); but I also know when to stop questioning and just follow the protocol. Maybe some people find all these rules challenging?
