Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 21 augusT 2018

Tourists go off beaten path on North Korea’s sacred volcano

By ERIC TALMADGE don his nuclear weapons
Associated Press program. Shepherd’s trek-
MOUNT PAEKTU, North Ko- king group was made up of
rea (AP) — Foreign tour- two Australian women and
ists looking to go off the two Norwegian men. Tour-
beaten path in North Korea ists from the United States
can now camp out on the are blocked from coming
country’s biggest volcano. to North Korea by a travel
Hoping to open up a side of ban imposed by President
North Korea rarely seen by Donald Trump in response
outsiders, a New Zealander to the death of Ameri-
who has extensive experi- can college student Otto
ence climbing the moun- Warmbier, who died shortly
tains of North and South after his release from North
Korea is leading the first Korean custody for alleg-
group of foreign tourists al- edly trying to steal a propa-
lowed to trek off road and ganda banner.
camp out under the stars By the time Warmbier was
on Mount Paektu, a huge released, he was in a veg-
volcano that straddles the etative state. What hap-
border that separates Chi- pened to Warmbier while
na and North Korea. he was in custody remains
In 946 AD, Paektu was the unclear.
site of one of the largest In this Saturday, Aug. 18,2018, photo, Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway who is hiking with Roger Incidents involving tour-
eruptions in history. It is con- Shepherd of Hike Korea stands near a view of the caldera and Lake Chon on Mount Paektu in ists are rare, however, and
sidered one of the most North Korea. Shepherd said his intention
beautiful natural sites in Associated Press is to get beyond politics
North Korea and is still ac- er of Hike Korea, which is awaits foreign tourists here. It is currently carrying out during the hike.
tive, though there haven’t based in the South, man- On Saturday, the group massive infrastructure proj- He said that after the first
been any big eruptions in aged to convince North climbed the mountain from ects in several locations, day, the trekkers had al-
recent years. Korean government of- near its base, walked to the including at Samjiyon, the ready begun to forge
It’s revered in the North ficials to let him take his lake from the rim and then largest city near Mount bonds with their North Ko-
for its links to the ruling Kim guests off the beaten path hiked out across a volcanic Paektu, and in the east- rean guides.
family and is considered for the first time. plateau to pitch their tents ern port city of Wonsan “I hope that it’s because
the spiritual home of the The area around the moun- for the first of five nights and the adjacent Mount mountains and nature does
Korean revolution. Trips to tain features several recon- they were to spend on the Kumgang area, which was that,” he said. “Out here
the mountain are popular structed “secret campsites” hike. open to South Korean tour- it’s very apolitical. There’s
with North Koreans who said to have been used by Under leader Kim Jong Un, ists until around 2008, when no need for the nonsense
visit with their schools, work national founder Kim Il Sung North Korea has placed a a South Korean housewife out here. We’re all trying
units or other social groups and his guerrillas in the fight high priority on develop- was shot for wandering into to do the same thing. Work
on excursions that are part against the Japanese co- ing its tourism industry as a a restricted area. together as a team, pitch
indoctrination and part lonial rulers before 1945 — source of much-needed Any big expansion in the tents, eat together walk to-
recreation. It’s also popular a possible reason why the foreign currency and as numbers of foreign tour- gether. In my experience,
with Chinese tourists and idea of allowing a foreign an industry that can be ists will require an easing of that’s a good way for these
smaller foreign tour groups camping excursion clicked fairly closely controlled and international sanctions in guys to see the real people
who can stay in nearby ho- with the local authorities. monitored. place to push Kim to aban- of this country.”q
tels and drive right up to its But Shepherd’s group has
crater to see the blue wa- for the most part managed
ters of Lake Chon in Paek- to avoid the typical mini-
tu’s caldera. bus and propaganda lec-
But Roger Shepherd, found- ture experience that often

In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, photo, Sinead of Australia, chats
with Paula of Australia and Tarjei Naess Skrede of Norway during In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, photo, a group of foreign hikers lead by Roger Shepherd of Hike
a on Mount Paektu in North Korea. Korea, visits a monument near Mount Paektu in North Korea.
Associated Press Associated Press