• fly to Pyongyang two hours later aboard a North Korean commercial air-
plane. Unfortunately, when our administrative officer arrived at the embassy,
there was no one available to issue our visas. It seemed that we had arrived
at the same time they were closed for ideological training and study of the
Juche idea, the North Korean doctrine or “self-reliance” developed by Pres.
Kim Il Sung. After about two hours they had apparently had enough train-
ing for the day, and our visas were subsequently issued. We left for the Beijing
airport soon thereafter.
Our flight to Pyongyang was aboard a “Chosun Minhang” Russian-built
aircraft, which could be configured for either passenger or cargo transport
and was reasonably comfortable. We flew a somewhat circuitous route, from
Beijing over northeastern China and Manchuria and then on a line roughly
from Sinuiju to Pyongyang.
The weather was clear and sunny, and I was able to get an excellent view
of the North Korean countryside. As I looked down, I could not help but be
reminded of my first arrival in the ROK almost thirty years previously. The
road networks were mostly dirt, with very limited traffic, and only an occa-
sional dark green military truck was visible as we flew over. I was struck by
how underdeveloped the countryside appeared to be and by the lack of any
traffic or commercial activity. The difference between this sight and the
hustle and bustle of the road networks in the South was like night and day.
Even though we were well aware of the vast economic difference between
North and South Korea, it was still a shock to actually see this almost total
absence of activity.
Landing at Pyongyang, we were met with a large picture of the “Great
Leader” (Kim Il Sung) and by our North Korean hosts for the week. The se-
nior man was Song Ho Gyong, president of the DPRK’s Institute for Disar-
mament and Peace. Others with whom we would spend the next few days
included Maj. Gen. Kim Yong Chol of the Korean People’s Army; Kim Byong
Hong, vice president of the Institute for Disarmament and Peace; and Li
Hyong Chol, director of the same institute. This was the same group that had
participated in some of the North-South discussions both preceding and fol-
lowing our trip. As we grew more familiar with these individuals, it became
clear that General Kim was a person of some special authority.
City of PyongyangI found Pyongyang to be an interesting place. It had wide boulevards, large
and impressive government buildings, and many monuments (usually