Boat tours offer fleeting inter-Korean interaction

In the Chinese city of Dandong, which sits just across the Amrok (Yalu) River from Sinuiju, North Korea, boat tours offer a chance to glimpse inside North Korea without actually stepping foot inside the country and, on rare occasions, exchange a few words
with the border guards patrolling the area. 

The three border countries–Uiju, Sakchu,
and Yomju–of North Pyongan Province are under the jurisdiction of the 31st
Border Guard Division. Historically, only soldiers with favorable songbun (family background and political loyalty) were
selected to serve in this region; however, upon a recent trip to the area, Daily NK found that this seems to no longer apply. 


Guard post with the 31st Border Guard Division overseeing Uiju, Sakchu, and Yomju Counties.

Nowadays, North Korean border guards are very familiar, and at times very friendly, with
tourists. Indeed, one young guard in his 20s leisurely approached the boat ferrying an [undercover] Daily NK reporter and flashed a broad smile at the visitors on board.

One member of the group shouted in Korean, “Hello! We’re Korean
[too]!” Despite the unexpected admission in his native language, the guard
appeared unfazed and slowed his pace even more to follow alongside the boat. The captain informed us that
this was his way of asking for money. 


A young guard calmly saunters towards the tour boat.

One of the tourists folded 100 yuan and threw it onto the
riverbank. A female North Korean guard stuck her head out of the post to have a look at the commotion below. She looked down in envy as the young guard scooped up the money then gave the tour group a nod and smile of appreciation.


A guard pockets 100 RMB tossed onto the riverbank by a tourist.

*The previous articles in this series were brought to you thanks to support from the Korea Press Foundation. This final piece was funded by Daily NK alone.