Nampo, Sariwon & Sinchon
These areas to the south and west of Pyongyang make for convenient day trips from the capital city.
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A couple scenes from the drive from Pyongyang to Sinchon.
The sign above means "Follow the General for 10000000 ri," a distance so great it effectively means "forever".
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The Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities elicits mixed emotions. While no one disputes that thousands of Korean civilians were butchered here during the Korean War, there is heavy doubt as to whether it was really the Americans that did the killing or the Korean People's Army executing a massive purge of unwanted people and then blaming the Americans for the massacre. The museum includes very graphic photos of burned, dismembered, and decapitated bodies, but the over-the-top propaganda paintings give the museum an almost ridiculous, humorous undercurrent. American soldiers are shown with hooked beak-like noses reminiscent of the crudest Nazi propaganda against Jews, while Koreans in the artwork exude a brave, almost supernatural courage in the face of such adversity. In short, a lot of emotions were experienced -- but I really didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Avenge the American imperialist bastard murderers 100,000 fold!"
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The entrance to the Atrocities Museum. On the left, a mural that says, "Let's take revenge on the Yankees 1000 times!" while on the right underneath flailing Japanese and American soldiers is the slogan, "Let's drive out the imperialists and unify the country!"
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More evidence that the alleged American atrocities are suspect. Even the displays in English are filled with spelling errors and grammar transgressions, including those that purportedly show actually paperwork captured from the enemy. The displayed communiqu�s were so obviously written by non-English speakers that it was hard for the Americans in our group to keep a straight face.
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Room after room after room of alleged proof of Korean suffering at the hands of dastardly Americans.
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But where the museum gets most weird and exceedingly outrageous is the artwork. Several oversized paintings show American misdeeds in excruciating detail. Here's one painting showing soldiers mercilessly beating their Korean captives. Pay particular attention to the facial expressions of the American demons; the sloppy grin of the guy in the right bottom corner is priceless.
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Another graphic display of American barbarism.
Here, American soldiers gleefully drag children away from their wailing mothers.
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Some shocking closeups of the above painting. A group favorite was the American soldier purposely stepping on the baby.
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Graphic displays of Americans torturing their Korean captives.
The demonic expressions of the Americans are so over the top it's hard to take these seriously.
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This was my favorite painting in the museum, a scenario so absurd it strains credulity. An American soldier caught in the act of hammering a nail into the head of a Korean patriot. The possessed expression of the executioner contrasted with the stoic beauty of the woman, the demarcation between good and evil has never been portrayed more clearly.
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Underground bunker next to the Atrocities Museum, alleged site of a massacre of hundreds.
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A couple scenes from the drive to Sariwon, capital city of North Hwanghae Province. There didn't seem to be any real purpose for us to be visiting there, which was actually a refreshing change after being taken all the way to Sinchon for the sole purpose of being told what heartless bastards we all are.
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Sariwon City.
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The drive to Nampo, an important port city on North Korea's west coast situated at the mouth of the Taedong River.
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One of the most amusing things about being a tourist in North Korea is the choice of sites they show you. As a tourist, you have no say in where you are taken; everything is carefully planned ahead by government minders. Inevitably such itineraries include highlights of the socialist system like fertilizer factories, cooperative farms, or this marvel of North Korean technological accomplishment, the massive West Sea Barrage, a huge system of dams, lock chambers, and sluices that allow passage of ships up to 50,000 tons. Here, a local guide goes over the building project in excruciating detail.
