Do you think visiting North Korea is unethical?
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Interesting question. I suspect that it's similar (but different) to asking, should you watch a movie made by someone who later was found to be a criminal at the time that movie was made.
I suspect that the answer depends on your personal moral compass, the norms, values and standards you shape your life by.
There's a famous speech by Australian Lieutenant General David Lindsay Morrison AO, who said:
"The standard you walk past, is the standard you accept."
Source: https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Morrison
In other words, I think it's up to each individual to decide how they feel about it and act accordingly.
But you asked how I feel about it.
In short, I think that we live in a civil society where the regime in that country is not representative of a world I want to be part of. As such, travelling there under the current regime is not something I'd contemplate.
I'd also point out that I feel the same way about visiting the United States of America under its current regime.
Finally, I suppose there's an aspect of risk associated with visiting either country. I have no way to evaluate how that might compare with other extreme sports, but I suppose there's a thrill that draws in some individuals, overriding any moral considerations.
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I checked, since time fly.
I have been there in 2009.
Here are the photos i took:
... wrong link wait ...feel free to ask. We got in/out by train from China, flying in is less interesting, since you don't get much opportunity to see the countryside.
Wow, you weren't kidding, that's a lot of photos!
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Most things you can do with your money are unethical, i.e. support a bad system that unnecessarily hurts people.
As far as that goes though, imo visiting the DPRK is a relatively bad one. I don't see the benefit for yourself, you get to see a tour of exactly what they want you to see, nothing real will ever be experienced. You put yourself in massive danger, tourists there have been detained and killed. All the money you spend goes directly to support the authorian government, which only seems to care about giving themselves a life of luxury and their people barely enough so they can maintain their luxury.
You do get a view of an authoritarian regime working firsthand, which is a positive, but I just feel like it's alread good/bad enough to know about it than having experienced it yourself.
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I mean, some people see the whole country as a national concentration camp. Citizens can’t leave and their entire lives are controlled/dictated by the state. I’m actually visiting next month.
comparing the whole country to a concentration camp massively downplays the conditions in concentration camps. I'm sure being a citizen there isn't fun but it's still different.
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More unethical to visit the USA right now tbh.
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Because every cent you spend there goes more or less directly into Kim Jong Un’s pocket?
Unless you’re a journalist or investigator or something like that (and North Korea, for some train, doesn’t seems to love those types). But if you’re just going as a looky-loo: don’t.
Because every cent you spend there goes more or less directly into Kim Jong Un’s pocket?
Where did you read this ?
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Visiting? No.
Saluting a NK General while you are there? Probably.
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Go, absolutely. I understand there might be ethical implications, but i can strongly recomend you go, it's a lifetime experience that will change your view on the world.
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No, I want to visit there!
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Because every cent you spend there goes more or less directly into Kim Jong Un’s pocket?
Where did you read this ?
Ok, sure, let’s discuss. Tell me where you think any money you would spend in North Korea would ultimately go.
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No, I want to visit there!
Honestly I just really want to try Pyongyang nengmyeun, which is more "clean" and minimally seasoned than South Korean styles of nengmyeun, yet is still seen as one of the best styles of nengmyeun in South Korea as well.
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No. If it is, is visiting the US more unethical?
I would say, it's more dangerous to visit US than NK.
In the US you can be in trouble for many reasons.I have to say, it's easier to be in trouble while traveling in the US than in NK.
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Yes. I’ve seen someone say that visiting present-day North Korea is akin to visiting Auschwitz during WW2.
You think one man has made the entire country a death camp?
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Ok, sure, let’s discuss. Tell me where you think any money you would spend in North Korea would ultimately go.
I'm not an expert on that subject.
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I would say, it's more dangerous to visit US than NK.
In the US you can be in trouble for many reasons.I have to say, it's easier to be in trouble while traveling in the US than in NK.
Didn't NK kill a guy for taking a picture down in a hotel?
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If you feel that's accurate, then you should support ending the Trade Embargo and sanctions on the DPRK, as that's the quickest and surest path to improving quality of life for the people there.
Shhh stop making sense
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You think one man has made the entire country a death camp?
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Shhh stop making sense
It's like they think the effects of the trade embargo and sanctions will finally do a 180 and collapse the government, with no actual indication that that will happen despite decades of sanctions and far worse periods of time.
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It's like they think the effects of the trade embargo and sanctions will finally do a 180 and collapse the government, with no actual indication that that will happen despite decades of sanctions and far worse periods of time.
Well they’re propagandised sociopaths who think starving a whole nation is justified so long as the nation doesn’t share their politics.
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Honestly I just really want to try Pyongyang nengmyeun, which is more "clean" and minimally seasoned than South Korean styles of nengmyeun, yet is still seen as one of the best styles of nengmyeun in South Korea as well.
Oh that sounds like it would be good with just vegetable broth! I do struggle traveling trying to find vegan options, or explaining that I don't want meat/eggs. Personally I would want to see what the hiking trails are like there!
