My trip to North Korea’s ‘Benidorm’ – flanked by guards and full of rules
A recent visit to North Korea’s newest tourist destination, known as the country’s version of the popular Spanish resort town of Benidorm, provided a unique insight into the tightly-controlled environment of the hermit kingdom. Located in the eastern coastal city of Wonsan, the seaside resort boasts high-rise hotels, a water park, and a luxury marina.
During the visit, foreign tourists were accompanied by government minders at all times, ensuring strict adherence to the regime’s rules and regulations. The tourists were prohibited from interacting with locals, taking photographs without permission, or venturing outside designated areas. Despite the leisurely atmosphere promoted by the resort, the omnipresence of security personnel served as a constant reminder of the authoritarian nature of the regime.
North Korean officials hailed the development of the Wonsan resort as a sign of the country’s progress and openness to foreign investment. They emphasized the potential for tourism to boost the nation’s economy and improve its international image. However, critics argue that such ventures are merely a facade to present a sanitized version of North Korea to the outside world, shielding visitors from the harsh realities faced by ordinary citizens.
The juxtaposition of opulent amenities and strict controls at the ‘Benidorm’ of North Korea raises questions about the true motives behind the regime’s push for tourism development. While the resort may offer a glimpse of modernity and leisure, it also serves as a stark reminder of the underlying authoritarianism and propaganda pervasive in the country.
Overall, the visit to North Korea’s ‘Benidorm’ highlighted the complexities of tourism in a closed society, where the line between relaxation and surveillance is distinctly blurred.
Sources Analysis:
– Government officials in North Korea: The regime has a long history of controlling information and presenting a tailored narrative to the outside world, highlighting the need to approach their statements with caution.
– Critics of North Korea: Individuals and organizations critical of the regime may have their own agendas, potentially skewing their perspectives on the country’s tourism initiatives.
Fact Check:
– Regulations requiring tourists to be accompanied by government minders are verified through multiple firsthand testimonies.
– Assertions about the true motives behind North Korea’s tourism development are unconfirmed claims, as they are based on speculation and analysis rather than concrete evidence.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “My trip to North Korea’s ‘Benidorm’ – flanked by guards and full of rules”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.