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From 'caring teachers' to female attention: Aussie student reveals why he preferred studying in North Korea

An Australian student who witnessed a missile launch parade while taking a world-first language learning course in North Korea said teachers are “more caring” in the secretive state than the West.

While Adelaide student Jack Carneiro had some bizarre experiences during his three-week trip he deemed North Korea’s education system superior to Australia’s and praised “emotionally supportive” teachers who gave him time off to cope with a hangover.

And it wasn’t just the warm welcome he received from teaching staff and students that had 21-year-old Jack shocked but also the amount of attention he got from the ladies despite being “geeky”.

Jack’s A$3,000 course – an optional part of his International Studies degree – granted the student rare access to an education system often criticised for peddling communist ideology.

Jack with a military guide  outside the War Atrocities Museum, Pyongyang. Source: Caters
Jack with a military guide outside the War Atrocities Museum, Pyongyang. Source: Caters

And thanks to some risky photography by Jack, the trip in June has pried open a window into lesser-known sides of living in the hermit kingdom as tensions in the region hit an all-time high.

North Korea’s foreign minister on Monday accused US President Donald Trump of declaring war on North Korea and threatened to shoot down US bombers in retaliation.

During his stay Jack watched a parade of scientists celebrate a successful missile launch, saw a public propaganda mural of DPRK soldiers executing Americans and visited the preserved bodies of the state’s former leaders.

“The teachers were more caring than in Australia,” Jack said.

“They were emotionally supportive and more dedicated to their jobs.

“One morning I had a hangover and the teacher let me head out and recover. Other students who were tired were told to go home and have a rest. That would never happen back home.”

The 21-year-old said the teacher’s behaviour “goes hand in hand with their political ideology” and North Koreans were “all playing for the same team”.

“Korean people are blessed with intuition, they know if you’re bad. But if you show you’re open to them, they open up,” he said.

“The local students gave me a very warm welcoming. I speak a little Korean, so they told me their stories. They wanted to hear about life in the West and to hear my stories.”

Jack said women opened up to him even though by Western standards he “might be considered geeky”.

“But my friend who is fluent in Korean said women were talking about me wherever we went and I was approached a few times,” he said.

“I figured it was because I dressed in their style of clothing or spoke some of their language in a diplomatic gesture. Or maybe it is because I have more striking features for them.”

Jack at the Flower Exhibition outside of Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Source: Caters
Jack at the Flower Exhibition outside of Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Source: Caters

Jack, who is doing his degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing, was one of 12 students who took part in the language course at Pyongyang's Kim Il-Sung University.

North Korea is one of the world’s most insular nations and tourism visits are tightly regulated.

During his time in the repressive state Jack visited highly controlled sites, including a grocery store and Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which is home to Kim Il-sung's and Kim Jong-il’s embalmed bodies.

He photographed the sites before realising it was forbidden – a crime against the state he believes could have been punishable by imprisonment.

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“They were very touchy about taking photographs,” he said.

“Some of the products have political slogans, which they’re sensitive about. The word of the leaders is like the word of god.

“There was also some public propaganda like murals showing American soldiers being beaten or killed by North Korean soldiers.

“I was caught snapping inside the store and the security quickly gave us a warning. If I had done the same thing in the Palace of the Sun I think I would have been tackled to the ground and arrested.

“The palace was like walking into a funeral. There was a strong sense of mourning inside and the bodies were in perfect condition. It was like they had just passed away.”

Two schoolchildren bow outside the Palace of the Sun. Source: AAP
Two schoolchildren bow outside the Palace of the Sun. Source: AAP

Tensions were running high in North Korea at the time of Jack’s stay due to a standoff over missile launches.

But despite relations between the USA and North Korea spiralling further out of control since his return, Jack would encourage other Westerners to follow in his footsteps and see the hermit kingdom for
themselves.

“I was catching a bus one day after a missile launch and I saw this big group of scientists jumping up and down and letting off fireworks,” Jack said.

“I asked the bus driver what was going on and he said they were celebrating. When we got back to the hotel people were gathering around a TV and cheering to a speech from Kim.

“I encourage Westerners to go to North Korea. I think there is human rights abuse in both the North and the South, and both sides must be understood to achieve unification.

“Just don’t be too casual. Be wary of voicing your political opinions too casually and just be wary of what of what you say.”