These videos are supposed to show normal life in North Korea – that’s what’s behind it These videos are supposed to show normal life in North Korea – that’s what’s behind it

Videos have been circulating on TikTok since mid-February that show the daily lives of citizens in North Korea. A video from the channel @northkoreanlife showing a morning walk through the nearly empty streets of North Korea has been viewed more than 32 million times. You see wide, car-free streets lined with trees and log cabins that are used for walking and cycling.

Since the country is known for its totalitarian regime, other TikTok users aren’t sure what’s going on — or whether the videos are genuine. But the brief glimpses of daily life in North Korea are real – this is confirmed by 38 North journalist Martyn Williams, who specializes in North Korea, to Watson. The 38 North Institute publishes independent assessments of the situation in North Korea.

The videos are so successful “because people are curious about North Korea and want to see more than the missiles and weapons that dominate most news about the country,” Williams says.

But who posts these videos? Because although more North Koreans now have a smartphone, access to the internet and apps is still very limited. Citizens only have access to the national internet. All social media apps, including TikTok, will be blocked.

“It’s almost certainly a collection of tourist videos, they’re not from North Korea,” says Williams. Because the films show places that ordinary people do not have access to or for which they need a permit.

These videos show “normal” life in North Korea:

Williams also ruled out that this was state propaganda: “While the state media occasionally attacks reporting from abroad, the wording against ‘Western media’ is not common and is more likely to be used by supporters of the country from abroad. »

A morning walk video shows a street in Kaesong and appears to have been taken for a restaurant popular with Chinese tourists. “Just because this channel has videos from Chinese tourists doesn’t mean it’s Chinese-owned,” says Williams.

YouTube videos of young women as a propaganda tool

It’s not the first time videos have surfaced claiming to show normal life in North Korea. For the past six months, a North Korean woman who calls herself YuMi has been posting YouTube videos about her life in North Korea on a regular basis.

Another channel that has attracted attention in recent months is that of 11-year-old Song A. “There are theme parks everywhere you go, like Munsu Water Park, Central Zoo and roller skating parks,” she says. In her videos, she reads Harry Potter, goes swimming and cooks.

YuMi and similar creators are likely linked to high-ranking officials and “are part of a propaganda campaign aimed at polishing the country’s international image as a more congenial – even tourist-friendly – place,” CNN writes. The videos look like a “well-planned play” written by the North Korean government.