Even though I understand it's not like the rest of the country, I must say it's a lot more advanced, open, and clean than I would have expected. I mean, did anyone think they would have a skate park in North Korea? Not me.

*quality

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by luxury_pie.

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The duration of this video has been updated from unknown to 3:13 - length declared by oritteropo.

Sadly yes, that's where all the favourables live. If you win the genetic lottery in NK, you get to eat and be comfortable. The fact that it's so developed is the reason why the rest of the country is left to rot; it's the only part that gets any attention, the only part anyone would let you see.

Even so, I was surprised to see it look this good, even in the only decent part of the entire country. I expected it to be more stark and Cuba-like, with the rest of the country being completely undeveloped or worse.

I wonder how many government handlers had to accompany him for his photo shoots.

Like this?

*timeshift

Adding video to channels (Timeshift) - requested by xxovercastxx.

I also found it interesting they highlighted the Ryugyong Hotel (the huge pyramid building). It's been under construction for 25 years, largely halted since the Soviet Union collapsed and the slush fund train ended. While the exterior is done according to wikipedia, the interior is not and it's always be unoccupied.

China's metropolises feed a similar misconception. They are similarly impressive that it's easy to forget that the country as a whole is still very poor. China's GDP per capita is half of Brazil, a quarter of South Korea and a tenth that of the US.

While China is obviously not as repressive as NK, the hukou dual citizenship system has a similar effect of segregation rural and urban dwellers. While rural workers may be able to move to work in the cities, they will enjoy none of the social benefits and protections that local citizens do. This has a lot to do with China's disparity of income and accretion of wealth to the large cities.

Wiki disagrees
China's GDP is apparently 4 times higher than Brazil's and more than half that of the US's.

Woops, GDP per capita.

The city is still "hardly known". The only thing I haven't seen in past NK documentaries was the wee rollerblade bowl. FWIW, those kids looked about as unregimented as I've ever seen any person in North Korea. Good?