DPR Korea and China visit with Dr. Kimm

Here is a report we sent to our local paper, followed by some pictures of both China and North Korea.

Two Norfolk martial arts instructors have just returned after a cultural and training trip to North Korea.

"Nikki Banham, chief instructor at Chilsong Martial Arts, Norwich and Adrian Fields, senior instructor at Cromer Hanmudo, were accompanying Dr. He-Young Kimm (founder of the Hanmudo system) to Beijing, Shaolin and then to Pyongyang, capital of North Korea.

They were privileged to train at the Shaolin Temple and they also got to visit the Forbidden City and The Great Wall of China. Then off to Pyongyang where they gave a Hanmudo demonstration and were shown as much of the city as foreigners are ever allowed to see. Nikki said 'North Korea was a bit like a Stalinist theme park. Sort of a cross between George Orwell's '1984' and Disney World! We were chaperoned at all times and only allowed to see certain, selected things and it was very obvious that some situations had been 'stage-managed' for our benefit'.

Despite this, both Nikki and Adrian have said they would like to return to North Korea. 'It is a beautiful country and the people deserve to know what the rest of the world is like.', said Nikki."
 

First impressions of China

More photos - North Korea

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