News

North Korea: On the frontline

Step inside the room that lies at the epicentre of a political earthquake

This month, faced with fresh competition, Kim Jong-un dramatically raised the stakes in the ‘Who Is The World’s Craziest President?’ contest. After celebrating the successful launch of a ballistic missile, the North Korean government was likely behind the assassination of the Dear Leader’s less than dear half-brother Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur airport.

This has tightened the already quite taught tensions on the Korean peninsula, and this bizarre room is the epicentre of the political earthquake. Forget Trump’s much talked about Mexican wall, the 38th Parallel – the line that splits North (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) from South (Republic of Korea) – is a proper border. Though the divide itself is marked by an underwhelming fence, it is has a two kilometre demilitarised zone (DMZ) on either side along the 250km border, dotted with two million landmines (there used to be three million).

The one spot where North and South Koreans can stare at each other in the face – and they do, for hours each day – is the Joint Security Area (JSA), an island in the DMZ administered by the UN where the two sides can come together to have peace talks, which they rarely do. This room sits right on the border, half in the DPRK and half in the ROK.

This scene of Apocalypse-maybe-coming-soon is one of the regions most popular tourist attractions. A couple of hundred visitors are bussed in each day, led by clean cut US soldiers with movie star charisma who speak of eagerly anticipating President Trump’s visit to the base, check nobody is planning to defect and encourage photo taking, except of “the big grey weather tower”, pronounced in a way that conveys that is definitely not a weather tower.

north-korea-4

To go on the tour you need to do two things: sign a waiver acknowledging “the possibility of injury or death as a direct result of enemy action” and adhere to a dress code – dress to impress so the rest of the world looks smart. It becomes clear that tourists are only brought in because it annoys the North Koreans. On the day The Big Issue visits, it is the first time in a week when both sides have not been blasting propaganda recordings at each other – songs celebrating the Dear Leader versus K-Pop.

north-korea-3

While missiles are being tested and people assassinated, on the frontline the battle is being waged with music and snap happy tourists. We live in strange times.

Big Issue vendors are back!

It’s not just the shops that are opening again. From Monday 12th April onwards,  Big Issue vendors are back in business, with a big smile and a stack of magazines. Buy from your local vendor today!

Find out more

Support the Big Issue

For over 30 years, the Big Issue has been committed to ending poverty in the UK. In 2024, our work is needed more than ever. Find out how you can support the Big Issue today.
Vendor martin Hawes

Recommended for you

View all
Care worker faced homelessness as low pay left her with 'nothing' to fall back on
social care/ abbie bowler
Social care

Care worker faced homelessness as low pay left her with 'nothing' to fall back on

Housing crisis: Shared ownership an 'unbearable reality' which has 'failed to deliver', MPs warn
Housing

Housing crisis: Shared ownership an 'unbearable reality' which has 'failed to deliver', MPs warn

Most tenants have never heard of the beleaguered Renters Reform Bill
Renters and the Renters Reform Bill
Renting

Most tenants have never heard of the beleaguered Renters Reform Bill

'Job apocalypse': Up to 8 million Brits risk losing their jobs to AI, government warned
Employment

'Job apocalypse': Up to 8 million Brits risk losing their jobs to AI, government warned

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know