Journey to N. Korea the trip of a lifetime
For one Okanagan man, the opportunity to travel to North Korea was too good to pass up. James Leigh, a former military man, is scheduled to arrive in North Korea today. He is travelling alone and will be in Pyongyang for Military Foundation Day, a national holiday in North Korea.
“I’ve climbed Everest four times, I’ve been to 88 countries, I’ve gone to war; there’s not a whole lot else to do, and the idea that I could go into North Korea is enticing,” he said on Thursday before leaving.
It took more than a month for Leigh’s trip to be approved by the North Korean government.
“I had to submit photographs, my passport, driver’s licence, fill out a complete application, including a statement (saying) very clearly that I am not a journalist.”
Leigh said he is most looking forward to making it back home.
“Having gone there and come back is a great thing,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to the idea that after such a trip, I will have an understanding and a vision of a place that nobody else does. I join a club of people that have been there and done it.”
Despite the risks of travelling to North Korea, Leigh said he would always regret it if he didn’t go.
“I’m not afraid of what they can do or what happens, because I don’t believe in the length of life or the quantity, I believe in the quality of life,” he said. “I’m not afraid of death, I’m afraid of not living.”
Once there, Leigh said he hopes to be able to connect with the people, because he speaks fluent Korean.
“I’m a foreigner who can actually speak to them, and that presents an interesting opportunity,” he said.
“I can talk to people and really get a grasp if they’re suffering, if they’re content, whether they’re scared.”
However, Leigh is aware he will not be given much free rein while over there.
“They’re not going to let me near anything they don’t want me to see,” he said. “I can’t have a telephoto lens, I can’t have binoculars, I can’t have a GPS device. They said to expect a minimum hour search at the airport.”
If given the chance, Leigh said he would love to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“He fascinates me,” he said.