Three years in North Korea as a foreigner (2021) (mydiplomaticlife.com)

Article summary

The article discusses the author's experience living in North Korea as a foreigner for three years, where they were isolated from the rest of the world with no internet or social media. The author was part of a diplomatic compound and had limited contact with locals. The article is set in the early 2000s, a time when North Korea was even more cut off from the world than it is today. The author's experience was marked by a significant lack of access to information and communication with the outside world.

Main themes

• Life in North Korea
• Isolation and censorship
• Diplomatic life
• Limited access to technology
• Cultural differences

What commenters say

• The experience of living in North Korea as a foreigner is marked by extreme isolation and limited access to information and communication with the outside world.
• Some people believe that pursuing a career in foreign service can be a rewarding and exciting experience, while others have found it difficult to get into and have instead found success in other fields like information security.
• There is disagreement over the value of certain certifications, such as the CISSP, in the field of cybersecurity, with some believing they are essential and others seeing them as unnecessary or even detrimental.
• North Korea has a unique and tightly controlled internet system, with limited access to the global internet and a walled garden intranet known as Kwangmyong, which has been in place since the 1990s.
• Some commenters have expressed skepticism about the idea that North Korea is completely cut off from the rest of the world, citing the presence of smartphones and limited internet access in the country.
• The experience of living without modern technology, such as smartphones and the internet, is not necessarily a hindrance to a fulfilling life, and some people have lived happily without these technologies for many years.
• The lack of access to information and communication with the outside world can be a significant challenge for foreigners living in North Korea, particularly those who are used to a more open and connected way of life.