North Korean state-run media outlets have recently produced various promotional videos, featuring young female reporters. The intent seems to be to portray a positive image and boost tourism.
Korean Central Television recently broadcasts a five-minute golf lesson video every Sunday afternoon. Over the past three weeks, the series “Golf Hole 1, Golf Holes 2-6, and Golf Holes 7-9,” have been broadcast consecutively.
Kang Il Sim, a reporter from the Korean Central Broadcasting Committee, appears in the videos, playing golf and emphasizing the benefits and enjoyment of the sport. She emphasizes, “Golf is a beneficial physical exercise that enhances health by improving strength, flexibility, concentration, and sensory skills.”
The Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, recently released a video titled “Visiting the Unique Volunteer Base, Hwasung Daedonggang Beer House” on its website, running approximately 4 minutes.
The reporter holds a microphone and visits the newly opened Daedonggang Beer House on Rimhung Street in Pyongyang. The reporter introduces the interior design, operating hours, and beers available, presented in a format similar to South Korean lifestyle information programs.
The reporter ordered a beer, took a sip, and promoted it by saying, “They serve various kinds of beers here, and the No.1 beer is popular among people,” adding, “It has a smooth taste, with just the right bitterness, and a refreshing flavor that suits our taste well.”
The Rimhung Street Beer House and the Pyongyang Golf Course are tourist attractions that North Korea has been actively promoting as of late. It seems that North Korea is producing various videos targeting domestic and international tourists to promote tourism activity.
A distinctive feature of these videos is the vlog style, featuring young female reporters visiting the locations, tasting, and experiencing things firsthand. This approach is interpreted as intending to foster a positive image of North Korea and engage with tourists in a more friendly manner, catering to their perspectives.
Promotion of products, not just tourist attractions, is also being carried out in the same way. YouTube channel elufatv, which mainly posts North Korean videos, recently uploaded a video titled “Exploring Wonsan City in Kangwon Province” by reporter Choe Su Rim.
The reporter visited the Songdowon General Food Factory, tasting the snacks produced there and interviewing the staff while promoting the facility. This is analyzed as an effort by North Korea to actively promote export products that it has been intensively promoting since before COVID-19 rather than focusing on tourism.
