CINA

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Welcome to Absurdistan(*)

[Sept. 8~13, 1969] REPORT

about the trip of a delegation of the Primorsky Kray(**) to the province of North Hamgyong for the celebration of the 21st anniversary of the proclamation of the DPRK

A delegation of the Primorsky Kray composed [of the following members] was sent to the province of North Hamgyong at the invitation of the provincial People’s Committee for the celebration of the 21st anniversary of the proclamation of the DPRK:

1. SHTODIN, I. I., First Deputy Chairman of the Kray Executive Committee;

2. MUROMTSEV, S. P., First Secretary of the Frunze Rayon CPSU Committee;

3. NECHUKHAYEV, A. V., a welder of Plant Nº 178.

The delegation crossed the Soviet border via the Druzhba Bridge in the region of Khasan Station at 1140 local time, 8 September 1969, an hour and 40 minutes later than the agreed time...(***)

[On Sept.11] the delegation went to the Tumangang Station and were at the Khasan Station at 1530 our time; in the process it was supplied with an abundance of brochures of Kim Il Sung and about himself...

In the opinion of the delegation there are the following positive features in the lives of the Korean workers:

1. Patriotism, the labor effort, and high discipline was felt everywhere.

2. Work to raise young people was organized well and they have a great desire to study.

3. Many schools and clubs are being built. Visual propaganda is well designed.

The following ought to be classed among the negative phenomena:

1. The delegation was received insincerely and was kept in isolation from the population all the time. Personal articles were examined in the delegation’s absence, and discussions were obviously overheard. Wherever the delegation was, it was constantly accompanied by guards, who blocked everything. When the delegation once went out the doors of the residence to about 250 meters a vehicle drove up and the driver suggested sitting in it, after which he delivered the delegation to the residence.

2. The cult of Kim Il Sung has reached incredible dimensions.

3. Manual labor is everywhere. There is very little transportation. There are draft animals in agriculture, bulls and cows. The roads are very bad.

4. The underscored negation of the role of the Soviet Army in the liberation of Korea and the aid of the Soviet government in building socialism. What could explain this when hieroglyphs (SIC) were welded on the hoods of our ZIL-150 and ZIL-130 instead of the inscription ZIL. On the Belarus’ and T-28 tractors they say that they were made in Korea. (Translator’s note: there is a largely illegible handwritten note in the left margin, “This is…tractor”)

5. The unjustified conceit which of course brings nothing but harm. 6. The poverty, exceptionally poor housing in the villages, and almost nothing new is being built. The unsanitary conditions...

Well, this report depicts the experience of a Soviet, communist party and workers' delegation to N. Korea, almost 50 years ago... Today, a half century later, we are able to compare the USSR delegation's trip to N.K. with the experiences of vistors(since 3 decades mainly tourists + a very few journalists from capitalist countries). Thanx (for example) to YouTube we can watch (more or less!!)objective videos/docus such as N. KOREA | YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S LIKE... And finally we're able to find out, that - except the "refurbished furnishing" - almost is the same!!

* Absurdistan is a term sometimes used to satirically describe a country in which absurdity is the norm...(source: wikipedia) 

** At that time a part of the Soviet Union(more info you'll get here)

*** The full text of the report you can read here.