Students Forced to Pose as Tourists in Scorching Heat
Suffered Exhaustion and Vomiting During Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area Opening
"Most of the Actors Disguised as Tourists Were University Students"
It has been reported that North Korean university students, who were mobilized as fake tourists for the opening ceremony of a tourist site attended by State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun, suffered from serious aftereffects such as exhaustion and vomiting after being exposed to intense heat.
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un attending the opening ceremony of Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area. Photo by Korean Central News Agency
Recently, the diplomatic and security magazine Sand Times reported that "numerous university students were mobilized for the opening ceremony of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, which Chairman Kim attended in June, as well as for a subsequent event inviting Russian tourists."
According to the outlet, inside the hotel, young men and women dressed in formal attire stood by the billiard tables all day, pretending to be tourists holding cue sticks. The beach was crowded with people riding bicycles or drinking beer on the bar terrace, but all of them were university students wearing Kim Il Sung badges and speaking fluent Russian.
A Russian journalist covering Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to North Korea pointed out at the scene, "Most of the actors disguised as tourists were university students," adding, "While their acting was not the worst, it was clear that they were mobilized to create the appearance of a bustling tourist site." In fact, it is known that students from the Russian Department at Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies played major roles in the event.
This is not the first time North Korea has mobilized students to make events appear successful. At the opening of the Pyongyang Munsu Water Park in 2013, during the early days of Chairman Kim's rule, hundreds of university students participated. At the time, it was October, late autumn, which was not suitable for water activities. Nevertheless, students had to stay in the water for extended periods wearing swimsuits, and it was reported that many of them caught colds immediately after the event.
Similar situations have reportedly occurred at past amusement park opening events. A source told Sand Times, "Originally, students were supposed to ride the carousel only three times, but while Chairman Kim toured the site and spoke with officials, they had to keep riding without getting off." The source continued, "It was only after twelve rounds that most students were able to get off, and the majority vomited, with some collapsing on the spot." The source added, "University students are routinely mobilized as actors for major events, and all that remains for the youth are pain and aftereffects."
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