This is remarkable. It’s only on a site like this where one can hear the thoughts of a diplomat from North Korea without frothing and concocting ridiculous conspiracies.
this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2025
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That’s awesome and kinda unfortunate ,tbh I feel very unlucky Because I did this at the worst possible time ,I’m only ok cause at least we get all the time to ask the questions
Thank you for this opportunity! Not a question but please convey to your friend all the best in his struggle for the prosperity of his great nation and its people, may the day come when the DPRK is free from imperialist aggression. Long live the DPRK.
I Will
o7
Is the DPRK looking to liberalize their economy or will they keep their socialist economy?
I honestly don’t know and I’m not sure if he knows either ,hopefully he answers this one
But I can tell you this ,their economy is fully centrally planned just like the Soviet Union’s was
I'd like to learn more about how they do their planning
I’d like to too
My friend Kye (not the diplomat) said that they had their own network which I honestly don’t understand
I was asking him (Kye) what propaganda was true and this is part of what he said “The second is that the economy looks poor compared to other big countries, but in fact, it is better than more than half of the countries, and it also has its own network.”
What is the single most important foreign policy concern of the DPRK other than national defence. Specifically. Like is there a specific supply or material they are banned from importing they really need? Something we can put pressure on our governments to allow in?
Great question ,I have to ask them this
If I have hypothetical PHD Research that I'd like to conduct in the DPRK, what would be the best way to do so and what are some first steps?
While this is a good question out of every question asked ,I think this is the one least likely to get answered sadly
I hope it’s answered though
I met a comrade last year at a protest, who sadly died a few months later, but he had mentioned he had studied in the DPRK at Kim Il Sung University. He explained the process, though I don't remember too much. I do remember he said that, since there is no DPRK embassy in France, should I want to do the same I would have to contact the DPRK's representative to the UNESCO in Paris, from whom I could potentially get a scholarship to study in the DPRK. If your country has a DPRK embassy, I guess you could contact the embassy directly; if not, you might be able to contact a representative to a different institution (such as the UNESCO in my case) whose HQ is in your country; if you're American, I'm afraid that the DPRK iirc doesn't allow US citizens to enter the country (because the US is the one that forbids its citizens from going to the DPRK, and Korea merely acts accordingly).
Dang it, I had a friend who could have answered this for you, but she died last year
Peace be upon her.
This is his first response
“Hello Comrade.
For the past week, and proceeding into this week I have been busier with work than typical. This means I have less time than typical for discussions.
In the upcoming days, work will clear and with it an increase in time for discussions.
However, thank you for creating a questionnaire in the site Hexbear. This will certainly help with our outreach activities and I will gladly answer as soon as time permits.”
this feels so surreal, incredible
Although I am sad its taking time ,I’m glad he’s willing to answer
He has answered the questions regarding food
When I asked him if he could answer the other questions he responded by saying
“Not currently, every question requires an answer with depth. An answer I cannot adequately provide under my current work circumstances.
It will need to sit for later in the week but I will be able to answer in the upcoming days.”
What is the typical breakdown of household energy consumption, by fuel/power source? I know of historical Korean innovations like the ondol; does the revolutionary government have an emphasis on energy availability and energy efficiency in villages and neighborhoods?
What would an average person's plate look like, if it contained the daily 2300 kcal or so? I'm thinking about the CIA reports in the 1970s of caloric intake in the USSR compared to the US, noting that it was slightly higher overall but that large proportions of grain and potatoes (and to a lesser extent, dairy) boosted it to that point. Are there any food items or agricultural products that are a strong part of the DPRK's economy such that they are familiar to everyone? Are there any foods that need to be rationed or simply produced less?
How does the broader culture in the DPRK approach nature and ecology? (I know this is a broad question; answer it however you feel is meaningful.)
I have seen outlines of history textbooks from the DPRK and I was impressed. Do students in secondary school (or even primary school) have part of the curriculum dedicated to informatics/programming/computer science? How common is it for young people in the DPRK to be preparing for careers in programming, networking, cybersecurity, and electronics?
Is there a broad awareness in the country of learning disabilities and "mild" psychological disorders? How are mentally ill or mentally disabled people treated?
I hope you all have the patience
Only 1 question has been answered so far but I’m glad it was
I'm not in a hurry, and I'm used to operating on a "we'll hear from that corner of the world at their next availability" sort of protraction.
It's really great that you've pulled this off!
Ah thank you ,I wish I had better luck ,3 days ago he talked with me a lot
He even told me that Palestine is part of their curriculum ,but he doesn’t know how it’s been taught in recent years
How are women treated in the DPRK? What about healthcare for women? Is abortion legal? And on healthcare in general, is it free? Are there limitations on the jobs that women do, possibly because of cultural norms? How about representation in the legislatures?
Does the dprk focus on science, and are they making innovations that perhaps the west does not know of? What about math, are there mathematicians in the DPRK and what do they research.
What about technology? Do they still use redstar os or is there a new one, or do they use western systems? Also do they have something like TikTok?
And others have asked this but what about music? A lot of music I can find from the dprk is genuinely really good but do they make music that isn't about their country?
Does the dprk focus on science, and are they making innovations that perhaps the west does not know of?
I would like to know more about North Korean art, both traditional and contemporary. What music do young people listen to? Where can I access to their cinema, music, painting, theater (with subtitles)?
How much interest does north Korea have in exposing foreigners to their culture? What is the government's policy on that matter?
Edit: I forgot about books. Anything Korean translated to other languages? Fiction, essays, etc.
I would like to ask if they have any good jokes that no one outside of the DPRK would get.
- Do people also feed wild animals like birds and squirrels for entertainment over there? Is it common, or is it looked down upon? 🍚🐦
- How open and friendly are strangers in the DPRK? Are people generally loose or are they more reserved in public? 😐🎭🤡
- Is COVID still taken seriously? Like Zero COVID? (Mask requirements, sick leave from work, quarantines) 🦠😷
- What is the best snack, chocolate bar or candybar in DPRK? 🍫🍬🍭
- What are their thoughts on BRICS and the move towards multipolarity? Do they believe it can successfully challenge American dominance? Do they believe it can have a positive impact on the world?
- Has the desire for Korean reunification been completely abandoned or is the recent shift in policy more a recognition of reunification being a far and distant goal rather than something that can be realised on a shorter scale?
- In the best of all possible worlds, what relations would Korea like to have to the west, both political and economic relations but also personal relations between Korean and western individuals.
- What does Koreans think of the way Korea is depicted in the west? Does it make them sad or angry or do they laugh at it?
- What jokes do Koreans tell about the west?
How is the consumer electronics proliferation in Democratic Korea? Meaning what % of the people have access to mobile phones, laptops and desktop computers? How about home appliances like fridges, vacuums, etc. Is there a rural-urban gap?
How integrated is marxism-leninism in school education? Is everyone required to understand the fundamentals of marxism/dialectical materialism?
Will the DPRK consider investments in the rebuilding of Gaza and is Pyongyang considering a concrete military alliance with Hamas akin to their relationship with Moscow?
I Will ask but this is something they’ve told me before
“While the DPRK is publicly supportive of the Palestinian cause, and is vehemently against the genocidal actions of Israel the DPRK does not have a public stance on Hamas. , The DPRK holds firm that a requisite of an independent Palestine is a firm Palestine that has sovereignty over all its territory. That is what I can say.“
How many hours do people work each week, and do factory workers work the same hours as office workers?
Is there anything an American can (legally) do to support the DPRK?
What are elections like in the DPRK? What was the last election [DPRK diplomat] participated in?
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Is there such thing as choco pie black market? Apparently, from what I've heard, during inter Korean economic relations, some South Korean companies paid them North Korean workers that, because of DPRK regulations on wages, and the workers apparently sold it on the black market for money?
Note: lib source https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1157427/choco-pie-4
What's up with these bears? I found this photo on DPRK's KCNA news website. The article doesn't actually explain the photo and there's no explanation on western media.
http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/6de293cb62be1ed062acc2e46e69b6d8.kcmsf
My korean is not great but i think they're talking about cairns
Are we asking the diplomat to weigh in on the stacked rocks struggle session
Looks like your average run of the mill bear v bear boxing match to me
are they hiring replacements for the american defectors who used to perform in their movies?
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