Exploring uncharted territory with Koryo tours
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CRI, July 27, 2011
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The Juche Tower in Pyongyang is one of the most iconic sites in North Korea.[Photo/CRIENGLISH.com] |
![The Juche Tower in Pyongyang is one of the most iconic sites in North Korea.[Photo/CRIENGLISH.com]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110727/000cf1a48f870f9a032547.jpg "The Juche Tower in Pyongyang is one of the most iconic sites in North Korea.[Photo/CRIENGLISH.com]")
Obstacles to doing business come from both sides of the border. Over the years, Bonner has carefully cultivated a bond with his North Korean counterparts.
"It's about trust and not going back on your word," he said. "That's the biggest thing with North Korea. If you say you'll do something, you should do it. They've got to make a lot of groundwork themselves."
On the western side, the sensitivities revolve around politics and reputation.
"It doesn't really suit anyone to engage in North Korea, and people tend to stay off it," Bonner said of both travelers and corporate sponsors for cultural projects. "It's a very dangerous subject for anyone to be involved in."
To foster cross-border communication, Koryo arranges a number of cultural programs. One program run by the company involves international schools in the Chinese mainland and visiting Hong Kong schools in North Korea. During the trip the students, generally 16-18 years old, visit North Korea's tourist sites and schools to participate in English conversation classes and put on cultural performances from their home countries. One school from Hong Kong has participated in the program for five years.
Koryo also arranges sports exchanges with North Korea in line with the country's athletic population. Last year, Koryo teamed up with the British embassy to bring the Middlesbrough women's football team to North Korea for two friendship matches, marking the 10th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and North Korea. About 6,000 spectators crowded the stadium for each match, and the games were broadcast on national television the following days. Despite the Middlesbrough team losing both matches, it was well-received.
"At the end of each match, the girls ran around the pitch shaking hands, and the crowds were clamoring for them like celebrities for something," said Hanna Barraclough of Koryo Group.
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