Comrades and Strangers
Encyclopedia
Comrades and Strangers is the memoir of Michael Harrold, one of the first Britons
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 to reside in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. The book was written to demystify North Korean society.

History

Harrold, who sought a year or two of adventure after graduating from university, flew to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, in the spring of 1987 after accepting employment in the country’s Foreign Languages Publishing House, where he assisted in the translation of President Kim Il Sung’s words into English. In the book, Harrold intertwines his personal experiences living and working in the country with the recent history of Korea.

In the early days, Harrold enjoyed his important status and the accompanying trappings of his work in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. In addition to revising the words of President Kim Il Sung, he was given a prominent position at ceremonial events. Moreover, he was relatively well-paid. This relatively high salary allowed for a social life that was closed to all but the other foreigners in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

 and a small North Korean elite. Although his interaction with North Koreans was severely restricted, he did become acquainted with some of Pyongyang’s better off.

Harrold spent nearly seven years in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, during which time he had many unusual experiences that make fascinating reading. He also developed a relatively unique understanding of North Korean society.

Eventually, circumstances led to Harrold's being forced to leave the country. As a result, he was left with a deep sense of resentment toward North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. Looking back on his experiences, Harrold admits his earlier naïveté, when he believed that “international problems could best be resolved by ordinary people over a pint or two of beer (403).” In the end, he was critical of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

; nevertheless, he refused to blame the North Korean leadership for all the problems facing the country today, arguing that international actors, namely the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, share the responsibility.
  • Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea John Wiley and Sons, 2004, ISBN 9780470869765
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK