Queen of Vultures
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Vultures
20th October 2020, 04:16 PM
This edition of Useless Knowledge is about two propaganda towns that lie withing the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Separating North Korea and South Korea is the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Demilitarized Zone is 4 kilometers wide and 250 kilometers long. No civilian towns are permitted lay within the DMZ, with the exception of two, one on each side. Both towns were created for propaganda to tempt the other side. Though one side's is more propaganda than town.
View of Kijong-dong (North Korea) from Daeseong-Dong (South Korea).
On South Korea's side is the town of Daeseong-dong or "Freedom Village". The only people allowed to live in Daeseong-dong are people who used to live in the area before or during the Korean War. Currently 226 people reside there, they are heavily guarded and monitored as sometimes North Koreans will attempt to kidnap residents so they can bring them back to North Korea to claim that they defected to North Korea. Every night at 11 PM, there is a head count of all the residents to make sure there are no unwanted guests. The town does receive special funding from the South Korean government, particularly the school which has a lot of special equipment and facilities.
Each resident of Daeseong-dong was given large tracts of land to farm and earn some of the highest incomes in the South Korea. The town also has a large flagpole that stands 98 meters tall.
On the North Korean side is Kijong-dong or "Peace Village". This village looks modern and has many multi-story buildings. At night, the lights in the buildings all turn on, showing that they have electricity. North Korea claims that Kijong-dong is a farming village that has over 200 families living in it, as well as some pretty fine schools for their alleged children and a hospital. Kijong-dong's flagpole is also pretty impressive, it stands 160 meters tall and is the fourth tallest flagpole in the world.
From afar, Kijong-dong looks all well and great. But there is one problem. The buildings are all just shells with no actual interiors. The lights that come on at night are on a timer. The only people in sight are maintenance people who sweep the streets to make it look like there is some activity going on. Making it a true propaganda village.
Kijong-dong and its flagpole.
Sources can be found here and here.
Separating North Korea and South Korea is the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The Demilitarized Zone is 4 kilometers wide and 250 kilometers long. No civilian towns are permitted lay within the DMZ, with the exception of two, one on each side. Both towns were created for propaganda to tempt the other side. Though one side's is more propaganda than town.
View of Kijong-dong (North Korea) from Daeseong-Dong (South Korea).
On South Korea's side is the town of Daeseong-dong or "Freedom Village". The only people allowed to live in Daeseong-dong are people who used to live in the area before or during the Korean War. Currently 226 people reside there, they are heavily guarded and monitored as sometimes North Koreans will attempt to kidnap residents so they can bring them back to North Korea to claim that they defected to North Korea. Every night at 11 PM, there is a head count of all the residents to make sure there are no unwanted guests. The town does receive special funding from the South Korean government, particularly the school which has a lot of special equipment and facilities.
Each resident of Daeseong-dong was given large tracts of land to farm and earn some of the highest incomes in the South Korea. The town also has a large flagpole that stands 98 meters tall.
On the North Korean side is Kijong-dong or "Peace Village". This village looks modern and has many multi-story buildings. At night, the lights in the buildings all turn on, showing that they have electricity. North Korea claims that Kijong-dong is a farming village that has over 200 families living in it, as well as some pretty fine schools for their alleged children and a hospital. Kijong-dong's flagpole is also pretty impressive, it stands 160 meters tall and is the fourth tallest flagpole in the world.
From afar, Kijong-dong looks all well and great. But there is one problem. The buildings are all just shells with no actual interiors. The lights that come on at night are on a timer. The only people in sight are maintenance people who sweep the streets to make it look like there is some activity going on. Making it a true propaganda village.
Kijong-dong and its flagpole.
Sources can be found here and here.
Forrester