Want to know how to connect with north korean kids in a meaningful way – even if you don’t speak the language?

How about a way to — in a very small way — diffuse some of the tension between North Korea and the west? A simple way to show them we’re not really as bad as they’ve been taught?

North Korea doesn’t have western style advertising – in its place North Korean kids are fed massive amounts of propaganda about how terrible the West is (and not just the USA). The kids are bombarded with hundreds of thousands of anti-western messages by they time they grow up into adults -this is something which has been going on since 1953. As I found out on my trip to North Korea, by the time they are adults they are taught to literally hate you and wish you were dead.

On my trip I found a simple thing was very interesting. As an obvious westerner in North Korea, I started handing out bags of chocolate to North Korean kids. It wasn’t easy, and about 50% of them were scared of me and wouldn’t accept it, while the others only tentatively did. But the later reaction of the kids who accepted the chocolate made it absolutely clear this was the right thing to do — they had HUGE smiles, and were waving and very friendly. The change only took a few minutes and was dramatic.

I went from being a scary western white guy to a provider of SUGAR!!

No, chocolate isn’t the most healthy thing to be giving out, but the kids love it, and will remember it for a long time. Starvation is a real issue inside North Korea (in the late 90′s about 2,000,000 people starved to death), so some extra calories certainly won’t hurt even though the kids you’ll meet in Pyongyang are the best fed in the country. Luxuries like chocolate aren’t a common treat in a country where people have disposable income US$5 – US$10/month and luxuries like these are not available to the general population.

“Breaking The Ice”

By doing this, something incredibly powerful is happening — you’re showing the kids that westerners aren’t scary people. By having a personal, different experience it may help a little towards undercutting the propaganda messaging of the current regime — while the kids continue getting negative messages from their government, they are receiving chocolate they love from westerners. This will force them to think through the contradiction for themselves. Its a small thing, but small things can lead to big things.

Even if much of the anti-western sentiment in North Korea is towards the USA, and you’re not American – they still think YOU are american, as they consider anyone who is not Korean to be from the USA. Obviously if you are from the US, this will be even more impactful.

Big doors swing on small hinges

Suggestions for handing out chocolate:
- Give big bags of individually wrapped chocolate/sweets/candy so one child won’t eat it all by themselves. This way they’ll be more likely to share it with their friends and talk about what happened, this is a form of viral marketing!
- Don’t ask for anything in return (eg photos). Just give them the chocolate, smile, then walk away. It must be an unconditional gift.
- If the child bows after receiving the bag, make a big smile and a friendly wave back without bowing in return. I believe its better to reinforce that we are not Korean and not part of their culture, yet are still their friends and respect them and their ways.
- Approach the child with a smile and look friendly. Remember they are surrounded by almost 60 years of propaganda causing them to be scared of you.
- Chocolate is very cheap, about US$1.50 for a huge bag in most local stores. You can buy lots of big bags everywhere. Hand out an entire bag to each kid.
- Get some shopping bags to carry around with you during the day as you go sightseeing. Try to keep lots with you at all times — sometimes kids will turn up when you least expect it.
- You may want to consider bringing higher quality western chocolate with you, however it may not be so easy to carry in and won’t be brands they are comfortable with. Chocolate is very easy to buy at hard currency stores inside the country.
- Give the chocolate to kids who aren’t somehow connected with the tourism industry as this will make the biggest impact. You’ll have plenty of opportunities as you walk around parks and go to shows.

Keep The North Korean Guides On Your Side

When you’re travelling inside North Korea, you will see things that are absolutely insane by western standards. Don’t criticize them in front of the guides — you need the guides to be on your side and to help you out. If you are unsuccessful in handing the chocolate out yourself, ask the guide to do it. I was successful 50% of the time in handing out the chocolate – the guide was successful 100% of the time. She simply went to the child, asked in Korean for their name and asked them if they liked chocolate. If the guide asks why you’re doing it, tell them you want to help the kids and show them we are their friends.

The North Korean tour guides who will accompany you on your trip will be full of vague, unclear information. When I asked them why the kids often didn’t want to accept the chocolate, they told me kids were taught not to talk to strangers. Having visited Cuba and talking with people there about the socialist system and how people take care of each other, I’m not convinced by this explanation. My general impression in socialist countries is that there is an environment of people trying to take care of each other. Thus handing out chocolate shouldn’t be a scary thing.

I believe its because they are fed lots of negative messages about westerners. Also remember you may be the first westerner they’ve ever met — North Korea is one of the most homgenous countries in the world.

I gave away $30 of chocolate on my trip to 15-20 kids, had I been properly prepared I would have given away at least $150 worth — it would definitely have been possible. Thus I’ve put up this page so future tourists to North Korea can consider the idea.

And by doing this, you’re helping show in a small way that people from the west aren’t all bad. You may even connect with a child who will end up as a future leader of the country and help shape their thinking.

And even if none of that works, at a minimum you’re helping a little with the very real problem of starvation.