YouTuber’s visit to North Korea becomes viral after 5 years since tourism stops in the country

The British passenger recently became viral after documenting his unique experience as one of the first Western tourists to visit North Korea in more than half a decade.

Mike O’Kennedy has more than half a million followers on his YouTube channel, Mike OK. His traveler about his trip to his trip to North Korea, “Within North Korea after 5 years of isolation,” he has collected more than 3 million views in the first week since it was published on February 28.

O’Kennedy, who said he likes to “do things that are unheard of,” he spoke with Fox News Digital about his experience of visiting an isolated country. He arrived in the city of Rason on February 20th.

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“My main type of taking was that this was incredible in the development of a country that, you know, is at least 50 years behind anyone else,” O’Kennedy said. “There the cinema was … in the middle[dle] last century. “

“I’m not qualified to talk politically,” he continued. “But what I can say is that it is an incredibly proud country.”

O’Kennedy’s sincere video video showed some strange situations; As they flew over North Korea, he and his fellow aircraft passengers were to hold closed windows to prevent the land from seeing the country from the air.

North Korea partially continued international tourism last year after almost half a decade, according to tourist operators.

“Kingdom of the Hermit” closed its boundaries at the beginning Covid-19 pandemies, The ban on almost all outsiders to enter the country for business, travel or non-vital diplomatic relations.

The country partially reopened its borders in 2023, Fox News Digital reported.

However, reports now say that from Thursday, excursions have been canceled to North Korea.

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“They just received news from our Korean partners that Rason was closed to everyone. We will inform you,” he said on Facebook on Wednesday, on Facebook, as the BBC based in China, CTG Tours, specializing in the North Korean tour.

From a visit to O’Kennedy, North Korea Once again, he closed his borders, suspending foreign tourism just weeks after welcomed his first Western visitors.

At one point of his documentary, O’Kennedy tries to open a window in his hotel room Before you realize that it is sealed closed.

“There was a time when you could reduce the tension with a knife. You could feel the weight of this moment.”

Said Fox News Digital that there is “pressure to the whole situation.”

“This is the first time all foreign tourists have entered the country for five years,” he said.

“So there was a time when you could cut the tension with a knife. You could feel the weight of this moment.”

Although O’Kennedy was not approved by freedoms that he would usually enjoy during his travels – such as interaction with the locals, using a bathroom without approval and movement of solo walks – he was still aware of the special treatment he and his fellow tourists received.

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“Instead of being,” We are not allowed to see it because it’s a secret, “… they just wanted to show you the best he offered,” he said. “I didn’t have this irresistible feeling that this is a bad place.”

“There were a lot of pleasant moments … They were just overwhelmed by the constant kind of subtle buzz, paranoia and anxiety. “

O’Kennedy said he witnessed dozens of enthusiastic children from Rason performed a song and a dance dedicated to the leader Kim Jong Un. The show included futuristic space costumes, a light show and visual rockets.

“Almost every song that comes out of the DPRK is, as expected, a tool for worshiping the present or former leaders of the country,” he tells him in the video. “Repeating topic during this trip was the ultimate commitment that people had according to Kim Jong un… for them is God. “

“One night we made karaoke … drinking North Korean soybean [and] By the way, the North Korean beer, which is delicious. “

But the expert also said that he enjoyed simple pleasing pleasures, like the North Korean beer – food left something to wish.

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“One night we made karaoke … drinking North Korean soybean [and] North Korean beer, which is delicious, by the way, “said O’Kennedy.” Smoking North Korean cigarettes with all guides and singing karaoke with them. And that was pretty cool. That was a pretty fun thing. “

“Food was for me there was nothing to write home. It didn’t feel like I really had in Asia. Maybe toward a more wonderful side, like, like, Chinese cuisine S, like … sea snails and shells. And at one point we had a flame snail. “

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O’Kennedy also said he had never met an area of ​​North Korea before before. Uyghur Autonomous Region Xinjiang in northwest cinema It was the only place that approached.

“I did a lot of authors and things [in Xinjiang]And the police would just jump out of nowhere now … they really don’t get strangers, really, “he said.

“So there was a level of type of control and curiosity but not on the same level as [North Korea] was. This was very limited to a point where he sometimes felt a bit claustrophobic. “

O’Kennedy said he expects tourism in North Korea to return to its limited levels before pandemic. He also hopes More tourists Get the opportunity to communicate with the North Koreans.

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“The more people go to North Korea, the more North Koreans we meet. And I personally think it’s a step forward for the world.”

O’Kennedy’s documentary movie may be Viewed on YouTube.

Fox News Digital, Bradford Betz, contributed to this report.