Learn How to Speak North Korean

On our recent trip to Pyongyang, we picked up this incredible guide to speaking Korean — clearly with a northern bent.  While the first half is filled with standard small-talk favorites (“How do you do!”, “I’m awfully sorry,” “It really is heroic,” and “It is Juche-oriented”), about halfway through, it gives up any sense of restraint, and becomes all about the wonders of North Korea. It’s especially interesting to note the areas that the government the publishers were clearly especially eager for visitors to notice (the coziness, the modern city, the lack of beggars on the street).

Below — in recognition of the Dear Leader’s 69th birthday today (Feb 16) — are a couple of pages of the 1995 guide…  Hope you get to use them today!