Graceful swimmers glide through a pool. They move their arms and legs at the exact same time. An arena of people watches. The watchers wear brightly colored, traditional clothes. They have gathered in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, to celebrate the birthday of a dictator who once ruled there.
More than 25 million people call North Korea home. But outsiders have another name for the country: the hermit kingdom. The hermit kingdom and the hermit crab get their names for the same reasons. They live separated from the outside world. Neither one likes it when strangers come poking around. A hermit crab doesn’t say, “Come on in. See the inside of my home!” Neither does the North Korean government. When members of the government do let foreigners in, they show them Pyongyang. In Pyongyang, high-rise apartment buildings fill the skyline. People dress well. They use modern technology (but not outside internet sites). On political holidays, fireworks explode in the sky. Children carry flowers to statues of North Korea’s leaders.
About three million people live in Pyongyang. That’s just over 10 percent of North Korea’s population. Another 70 percent of people live in other cities that aren’t showcased like Pyongyang. Fewer than 20 percent live in rural areas.
We know from people who escape that many North Koreans are struggling under a harsh government. We know that far away from Pyongyang—and far from the eyes of foreigners—thousands of North Koreans labor in remote prison camps. Prisoners here may be criminals, people who tried to escape the country, or Christians. Persecution of Christians is reported to be higher in North Korea than any other country.
Photos of North Korea usually make the nation appear healthy and normal. That’s because the North Korean government members picked the photos out. Like people from any country, they want their homeland to look good to outsiders. They want people to think North Koreans love their government. But people who have escaped will tell you: We are seeing just the shell of this hermit.
