YouTuber enters North Korea through a marathon, describes what he saw
Recently North Korea held its first Pyongyang International Marathon in six years, in which more than 500 participants took part. While runners from across the world took part in the race one of them was a 27-year-old British Youtuber. According to a report by the New York Post, Harry Jaggard took the race as a chance to get inside Korea, which was on his list of less visited countries. 'I am not a runner, but they told me you have to be there in a month, and I made all the preparations and made it happen,' Harry Jaggard told The Post.
Harry, who finished the marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes, was given 5 days in North Korea, allowing him to film for his vlog style youtube channel. Talking about the experience he told the Post ' I was not expecting to be able to vlog at all. I though that would be very minimal, maybe a few clips.'
Jaggard along with other athletes were given a curated tour of the nation's capital including tours of subway system, war museums and monuments to the workers Party and former leader Kim Jong-il. 'It was like going on a tour to see america but only see Las Vegas- all shiny parts' he said about the curated tour.
In the Youtube vlog, Jaggard says that as soon as he left the airport there was propaganda everywhere, but what shocked him about the Pyongyang was how clean the city was, how friendly the people are also the city seemed surprisingly peaceful.
Talking about the people of North Korea he said that the people were indoctrinated and a few of them knows the outside world is more developed. Overall there were three places he was not allowed to film, a view tower, a supermarket and a war museum where he saw a statue of a giant cow eating a dead American soldier in Korean War, reported the New York Post.
He explains that for half a decade North Korea's borders were completely sealed off and though they reopened for 2 week, they were closed again without warning. But he got in through this rare opportunity to take part in marathon.
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