https://twitter.com/CoolstuffKorea/status/619427261452787712
It is amazing how many people enjoy supporting the Kim regime with their money. I wonder how many of these same people would support apartheid South Africa with their money like they are the Kim regime:
Josh Thomas, a 28-year old American graphic designer, visited Pyongyang in 2013 on a beer tour. Thomas visited the Taedonggang Beer Brewery and Paradise Department Store and enjoyed the beer served at the Yanggakdo International Hotel. He said it is actually better than the beer made in South Korea.
“Going on a beer tour to North Korea, it was a longtime dream come true,” said Thomas.
The tour was organized by Young Pioneer Tours, a company founded by a group of expatriates in China that organizes tours to North Korea.North Korea is usually in the headlines for its nuclear weapons program, missile launches, attacks on South Korea and miserable human rights record. Much less attention is paid to the growing number of foreign companies like Young Pioneer Tours with business in North Korea.
According to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 351 foreign companies launched joint ventures with North Korean companies from 2004 through 2011. Of these, 75 percent were Chinese. From the 88 companies whose investment sizes could be determined, the total invested amount was estimated at $2.32 billion. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read more about the companies doing business in North Korea at the link.
This is going to be a growing phenomenon as the Chinese middle class expands and can afford to travel outside the country. Considering how many in China treat their own country just imagine how the herds of tourists would treat other countries?:
Japanese were traditionally the largest contingent, followed by Taiwanese and Korean visitors. But the majority of the new wave of Chinese tourists seem more interested — for now at least — in lounging on the beach.
“We are not seeing a growth rate to match the number of visitors,” said Singeo. “Tourists are up 34 percent so technically we should see economic benefits at the rate of 30 percent or more, but that’s not the case.”
On the streets of Koror, some accused Chinese people of being noisy and disrespectful towards the environment.
“They wreck corals and throw their rubbish in the sea,” chided Norman, a taxi driver.
In another recent example, a Chinese tour operator named “Yellow Skin Tour” caused outrage in Palau with leaflets including photos of grinning Chinese tourists holding up turtles they had removed from the water -– in one case by its flippers.
Residents have also accused Chinese tourists of being responsible for the deaths of some jellyfish at the natural wonder “Jellyfish Lake”.
Visitors are encouraged to marvel at the harmless creatures by floating on the surface, but some locals complain that many Chinese lack swimming skills and thrash around, disturbing the wildlife.
The Palau government is exploring ways to try to stem the tide of Chinese tourists to the western Pacific Ocean archipelago and this week said the number of charter flights from China would be halved next month.
President Tommy Remengesau said the move was not intended to discriminate against any nationality but was to prevent tourism from becoming too reliant on one market. [AFP]
You can read more at the link.
If it seems like that there is many more Chinese visiting South Korea it is because there are:
South Korea was ranked the most popular overseas destination for Chinese people during their weeklong national holiday that started this week, a Chinese government survey showed Wednesday.
About 5.19 million Chinese are expected to travel abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday season, up 10 percent from the same period last year, and 15.6 percent of them are predicted to visit South Korea, according to the survey by China’s National Tourism Administration.
Also in the top five were Thailand (13.9 percent), Japan (8.7 percent), Australia (4.4 percent) and Singapore (3.6 percent).
“This year, the number of tourists continues to grow, due to an easier visa application process for Chinese passport holders, and the depreciation of foreign currency against the yuan,” it said.
Fueled by a growing popularity of Korean pop music and TV dramas and a gradual appreciation of the Chinese currency, the number of Chinese visitors to South Korea soared 46 percent from a year ago to 6.33 million people in 2014, according to South Korean government data. [Yonhap]
Here is a horrible story of a honeymoon gone wrong for a Korean couple who traveled to Guam:
Meanwhile PNC spoke to one of the witnesses of the Ritidian drownings. Ben “Guelo” Rosario says the victims were Korean tourists, a husband and wife who were on Guam celebrating their honeymoon. Rosario is a member of the nonprofit organization called Tasa and he said one of the rescuers who pulled the victims from the waters was one of the younger members of the organization Jerome Laguana. “He’s sixteen years old and he actually helped the two couples. The lady he said was too close to the reef and the wave came and pulled her out and the husband came and tried to help her and the husband got pounded by the second wave,” said Rosario.
Rosario says Laguana and his cousin battled rough currents to pull the couple in to shore. “After they brought them up some of the Koreans ran up there and started [doing] CPR and it tires you so you know I asked them to have me do it.” So Rosario jumped in and began to help administer CPR while they waited for Guam Fire Department crews to arrive. “How long until rescue units arrived?” asked PNC. Rosario replied saying, “After we started probably about another twenty minutes. Yeah it’s a far place you know.” Also, the road to Ritidian is riddled with potholes which no doubt made it more difficult for GFD units to get there. “Anybody that goes up to Ritidian please take care. The water is not cooperating up there all the time so be careful when you’re up there,” said Rosario. [Pacific News Center]
The KFA's dubious "friendship tours" of North Korea: http://t.co/E45rTdO9Bz
— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) January 15, 2015
Growth of NK tourism continues: New air routes delivering Chinese tourists to Pyongyang confirmed http://t.co/mWelrhFCeG
— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) October 1, 2014
