Commentary

North Korea puts on a show for the world

Assistant News Editor
Fireworks explode over participants carrying torches during a torchlight procession during the celebration marking the 70th anniversary of North Korea's foundation in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 10, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS
  • Published
    Sep 30, 2018, 5:00 am SGT
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Some people, smartly dressed in Mao suits or in office wear, whizzed past us on their electric bicycles. From our mini-van, we could see others standing in line as they waited patiently for public trolleybuses on the streets of Pyongyang.

The buildings - point blocks and long, slab blocks - could have been taken right out of 1980s Singapore. The people were neither fat nor malnourished.

Please or to continue reading the full article.

Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month

  • Latest headlines and exclusive stories
  • In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content
  • Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months*
Subscribe now

*Terms and conditions apply.

Join ST's Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on September 30, 2018, with the headline 'N. Korea puts on a show for the world'. Subscribe
Topics: