RIYADH: To tour capitals of the world as a tourist is perfectly normal, but to go willingly to North Korea, tour it and take your photograph in its streets is pure madness.
However, the love of adventure is greater than life itself, which is what motivated a Saudi national, Ibrahim Al-Sarhan, to visit North Korea after his friend encouraged him to do so after he visited its neighbor South Korea.
Al-Sarhan is used to travel and exploration, and he considers it as part of the tourism culture. He said that trying to get a visa to North Korea took him two years, after it was rejected because he lives in the Middle East which then was infected with coronavirus.
One day before going to North Korea, he was asked to go to a residential apartment in Beijing for an introduction to the laws of North Korea, and sign a number of documents that included a disclaimer.
As soon as he reached the airport, he was faced with strict procedures; according to the law all things he brought with him had to be on his person when he leaves, or he would face a five-year prison sentence, which is what happened to another person, but a book with the picture of Stalin on the cover saved the day.
A permanent companion was appointed from the state to stay with him at all times until he left the country.
There were no phones or Internet or newspapers. Ibrahim said he lived in a hotel allocated for foreigners, and they were not allowed to stay anywhere else. It is located on an isolated island, away from the capital. It was an old and decrepit hotel with no one living on the fifth floor, in addition to warnings against getting off at the third and 15th floors.
Ibrahim said journalists are banned from visiting North Korea, and he was questioned many times whether he was a journalist or not.
He was afraid that he might be reported to the authorities on pure suspicions, and face an unknown destiny.
However, the love of adventure is greater than life itself, which is what motivated a Saudi national, Ibrahim Al-Sarhan, to visit North Korea after his friend encouraged him to do so after he visited its neighbor South Korea.
Al-Sarhan is used to travel and exploration, and he considers it as part of the tourism culture. He said that trying to get a visa to North Korea took him two years, after it was rejected because he lives in the Middle East which then was infected with coronavirus.
One day before going to North Korea, he was asked to go to a residential apartment in Beijing for an introduction to the laws of North Korea, and sign a number of documents that included a disclaimer.
As soon as he reached the airport, he was faced with strict procedures; according to the law all things he brought with him had to be on his person when he leaves, or he would face a five-year prison sentence, which is what happened to another person, but a book with the picture of Stalin on the cover saved the day.
A permanent companion was appointed from the state to stay with him at all times until he left the country.
There were no phones or Internet or newspapers. Ibrahim said he lived in a hotel allocated for foreigners, and they were not allowed to stay anywhere else. It is located on an isolated island, away from the capital. It was an old and decrepit hotel with no one living on the fifth floor, in addition to warnings against getting off at the third and 15th floors.
Ibrahim said journalists are banned from visiting North Korea, and he was questioned many times whether he was a journalist or not.
He was afraid that he might be reported to the authorities on pure suspicions, and face an unknown destiny.
