N. Korea An "Alternate Universe"
In 2007 and last year, journalist Shane Smith traveled to North Korea and shot undercover footage that was turned into a 14-part TV series.
Smith, co-founder of Vice Magazine and VBS-TV, and his cameraman, first applied for permission to enter the Communist nation as journalists, but Pyongyang agreed to let them in as tourists.
He says that led to their being terrified of the North Koreans discovering their real reason for being there. "They already knew we were journalists," Smith says on his network's Web site, "and over there, if you get caught being a journalist when you're supposed to be a tourist, you go to jail. We don't like jail. And we're willing to bet we'd hate jail in North Korea."
On The Early Show Tuesday, Smith told co-anchor Harry Smith North Korea is "an alternate universe. It's like going back in time to Stalinist Russia. We used to joke about it being a sort of Disneyland ride of a socialist utopian state. It's crazy."
The entire regime, he said, is about "the great leader propaganda," meaning glorifying Kim Jong Il.
Shane Smith told Harry Smith he didn't notice even a hint of a desire to rebel beneath the surface. "We had interviewed a lot of refugees or people who had snuck out of North Korea when we were in South Korea and China," Shane said, "but when you're in North Korea itself -- first of all, you have guards, secret police with you at all times. You can't really go talk to the real people. But, no, you wouldn't see it. And I don't believe there's a lot of it there because, from the time you're born, you're taught that the socialist state of North Korea is the best."
Shane said he hopes Pyongyang uses Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two American journalists just sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean labor prison, as pawns. "Hopefully," he said, "they'll be used to get more food, humanitarian aid, energy. When I was there the second time, the guards opened up and said, 'Quite frankly, we have no food.' And that was a huge, huge admission. So hopefully, they won't go to a war camp because that's -- a North Korean war camp is..."
"That literally is a death sentence for many people who come because there is no food. Conditions are phenomenally harsh," Harry Smith remarked.
"It's a death sentence," Shane Smith agreed. "Unbelievably harsh. We've been to Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq -- it's nothing like a North Korean war camp. So hopefully, they're going to use them as pawns to get energy and food, which is what they really need."
Shane Smith says his whole mindset while in North Korea was, "Don't get caught by the secret police. We were shooting on Sony cyber-shots and on large memory cards, and I was really worried that, when we left, they were going to check the cards, see what they were shooting, and that would be it. (We were) really terrified of getting caught. And it's not like getting caught in Iraq or Afghanistan, or taking a stray bullet. You know you're gonna go away and go away for a long time."
To see the entire VBS-TV series on Smith's time inside North Korea, click here.
The series aired last year.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Smith, co-founder of Vice Magazine and VBS-TV, and his cameraman, first applied for permission to enter the Communist nation as journalists, but Pyongyang agreed to let them in as tourists.
He says that led to their being terrified of the North Koreans discovering their real reason for being there. "They already knew we were journalists," Smith says on his network's Web site, "and over there, if you get caught being a journalist when you're supposed to be a tourist, you go to jail. We don't like jail. And we're willing to bet we'd hate jail in North Korea."
On The Early Show Tuesday, Smith told co-anchor Harry Smith North Korea is "an alternate universe. It's like going back in time to Stalinist Russia. We used to joke about it being a sort of Disneyland ride of a socialist utopian state. It's crazy."
The entire regime, he said, is about "the great leader propaganda," meaning glorifying Kim Jong Il.
Shane Smith told Harry Smith he didn't notice even a hint of a desire to rebel beneath the surface. "We had interviewed a lot of refugees or people who had snuck out of North Korea when we were in South Korea and China," Shane said, "but when you're in North Korea itself -- first of all, you have guards, secret police with you at all times. You can't really go talk to the real people. But, no, you wouldn't see it. And I don't believe there's a lot of it there because, from the time you're born, you're taught that the socialist state of North Korea is the best."
Shane said he hopes Pyongyang uses Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two American journalists just sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean labor prison, as pawns. "Hopefully," he said, "they'll be used to get more food, humanitarian aid, energy. When I was there the second time, the guards opened up and said, 'Quite frankly, we have no food.' And that was a huge, huge admission. So hopefully, they won't go to a war camp because that's -- a North Korean war camp is..."
"That literally is a death sentence for many people who come because there is no food. Conditions are phenomenally harsh," Harry Smith remarked.
"It's a death sentence," Shane Smith agreed. "Unbelievably harsh. We've been to Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq -- it's nothing like a North Korean war camp. So hopefully, they're going to use them as pawns to get energy and food, which is what they really need."
Shane Smith says his whole mindset while in North Korea was, "Don't get caught by the secret police. We were shooting on Sony cyber-shots and on large memory cards, and I was really worried that, when we left, they were going to check the cards, see what they were shooting, and that would be it. (We were) really terrified of getting caught. And it's not like getting caught in Iraq or Afghanistan, or taking a stray bullet. You know you're gonna go away and go away for a long time."
To see the entire VBS-TV series on Smith's time inside North Korea, click here.
The series aired last year.
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North Korea is quite a problem, evidently they have many needs but are to proud to ask help for them instead they try to intimidate and bully their way into getting what they need. We do not want a war with N Korea. They need our help not our bullets. How to resolve this problem may be Obama's biggest challenge. We should all give him our support and prayers.
- "As Americans shouldn't we all be on the same side? Well, it seems that the Republican right is just not going to buy into that theory. They're too busy still slinging mud at Obama or any number of other politicians."
What happened years ago when our President Bush wanted to implement the "Surge" in Iraq (that the liberals wanted to FAIL)? We had riots. We had protests. We had liberals screaming bloody hell. Why? Because they believed it was the wrong thing to do. It wasn't just the surge. Both sides screamed at the immigration reform bill. The democrats and many republicans screamed at the social security bill that would have partially privatized social security. ALL THROUGHOUT the last three or so years of Bush's presidency, all we heard was complaining from Obama, Pelosi, and Reid. Now, when the Democrats are in power, we are supposed to be "on the same side"? Correct me if I am wrong, but there are values that all Americans should have (the value to protect our freedom and create economic opportunity), but there are also values that are diverse. Though I do not always agree with these values, I agree that we are better because we have a diverse amount of values.
- "I'll say this one more time and I'll shout it so you might understand. COME UP WITH BETTER IDEAS OR SHUT UP! "
You have been conned by the Pelosi powerhouse if you think that the Republicans have not come up with ideas. Two years ago in the middle of the gas crisis, Republicans came up with an energy independence plan BEFORE the Democrats did, but Pelosi would not even allow it to be PRESENTED to Congress to vote on it. The Democrats were too busy being on vacation.
This year, Congress passed the "stimulus" bill. The Republicans came up with an alternative that would have created TWICE as many jobs at HALF the cost, but again, Pelosi would not even allow it to be presented. The Democrats conned you into thinking that you were receiving a bill that would stimulate the economy and create jobs, but they crammed so much pork into it that it has spoiled and done very little to help the economy.
Also this year, Republicans have proposed terms for the health care reform BEFORE the Democrats did. The details have not yet been written in to a formal bill, but be assured, Pelosi will block it.
You have been misinformed for so long. The Republicans are not the party of no. The Democrats are. The Republicans produce ideas just like the Democrats do, but the Democrats won't even HEAR the Republicans ideas. The Democrats and Obama have conned you into thinking that they are all for bipartisanship and the Republicans are obstructionists, but you are wrong if you believe that. The only time in the last couple years (since Dems took control of Congress) that a Democrat has offered to work with a Republican on a major bill was the McCain-Kennedy Immigration bill, otherwise they play dirty and tell you to give them a blind check on all their agenda. The Republicans have stood their ground and kept to their principles, offering their own ideas, but the Democrats are so partisan and want things their own way.
Rush has been on drugs so long he's stopped being an American and become who know what but it sure isn't something to be proud of. I wonder how his ratings are these days as opposed to say 10 years ago.
Welcome to Earth.
We hope Mars landing is not difficult for you.
Clearly, such a long stay outside the atmosphere is causing disruption mentally.
We wish you health quickly as possible.
Just do not forget to tighten the belts before landing.
Oh yeah, do not click on the red button, it's not room service.
Try not to make too much damages, while your staying.
By the way, you're a great dancer, but the music you make is terrible.
PS
Give regards to ET, we all miss
Oh, I almost forgot, I heard you are seeking for a global uranium fuel bank.
well, how about north korea?
Peace for all,
UFO
Posted by maghop at 6:40 AM : Jun 9, 2009
Whoa!! Boated a big one here mrs_trepidatious!! It appears that maghop's are feisty on the line! Are you going to release this one or is this one going home to the frying pan??
Posted by maghop
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Dont you watch FOXNews? Its all there for you to see.