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Second Place
Tomas van Houtryve Newsweek
"Secret North Korea"
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North Korea remains the most closed society in the
world. Information entering or leaving the country is strictly controlled by
the state including a total ban on mobile phones and the internet. Ubiquitous
propaganda urges citizens to hate their enemies and revere the Great Leader.
Since 1997, Kim Jung-Il has successfully implemented his "Army
First" ideology which calls for "giving priority to military issues
over everything." After test detonating a nuclear bomb in late 2006,
North Korea entered into high stakes negotiations with the United States in
2007. Agreements were reached to shut down nuclear facilities in return for
massive foreign aid, but by the end of the year Pyongyang had missed the
agreed deadlines and issued a statement threatening to "continue to
harden its war deterrent."
The Pyongyang skyline, dominated by the abandonned
Ryugyong Hotel (center)is seen in the evening in Pyongyang, North Korea
(DPRK) on 22 August 2007.
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