Just in case I am giving some of you the wrong idea
1)I do not envy the DPRK system neither do I want SG to be anywhere near that system. If anything I am opposed to many of the unrealistic things that is keeping the country back. It's so ironic that opposition supporters are mocking me when the things U demand from the Govt, free healthcare, free education, free childcare, etc are ALL implemented in DPRK, heck they even have free housing
2)Old saying no smoke without fire. Although I do not believe 100% the tales of the defectors from DPRK about the horrible stories in that country, I do not dismiss them either. I believe some of them have to be true. However my visit to the country also allow me to really see how it is like and like I've been repeating so many times in this thread, it simply isn't as bad as I have seen. I've been around much of the world. I've been to many places U guys probably never even heard of, North Korea is no where near the worst place I've been to
3)Yes the tour was a controlled tour and we pretty much are stuck with the tour group than again, how different is it when U go with a tour group to other countries? Most of the time U will be stuck in the group anyway not like U can wonder around that much. Also I came in from Dandong, China which is in the north of the country and I visited the border in the south as well. Between the 2 borders I pretty much came across many towns and villages. Yes I did not have much chance to explore them but I did get to see them from some distance. We passed by half constructed buildings some of which looks abandoned. The highway is in terrible shape with potholes all around. Just about every village I saw had no proper roads, only m&d roads. Cars virtually doesn't exist, they all use bicycles. Yes I've seen them. There is no way they can hide the entire country from us. The condition of the country isn't good however I'm going to repeat myself again, it isn't as bad as we thought it to be
4)They did not actively kept the locals at a distance from us. Places like the MRT ride, we were in close proximity with the locals. At the Arirang Show and the Student performance at the Student Palace, I was sitting right next to locals. U won't get to interact with them much simply because they don't speak our language and not due to any restriction they imposed on the locals.
Would I recommend visiting the place?
Not really, the food isn't fantastic, sightseeing isn't top notch. However it is very educational and it is an eye opener to see how a system so foreign to us actually works. I went there because I was curious, because I had the perfect opportunity and because it wasn't expensive to get there. I am glad I did because it made me realize what we've known all along is not 100% true
In the 70s n 80s singapore was considered more.democratic than South Korea, Taiwan n HK. The latter having more social freedoms. Now with reforms Taiwan n South Korea is more democratic but in terms of economic problems. We all face the same shit but spores way of dealing with it is different as compared to the rest of them. Therefore i do agree tat if the 60% still dont wake up. North korea may overtake us.
U either haven't been to the rest of the Asian Tigers or don't know too much about them economically.
True all 3 are more "democratic" than us. The problem with them however is economically SG is way better off than all of them. Hong Kong has been stagnant for the last half decade. Taiwan is worse, moving backwards. Only Korea have been moving forward on the back of their Chaebol but still lag SG. We have our own problems but the economy isn't one of them. Ironically at a time when we have never been more open in our entire history is also the time when jokers start comparing us with a dictatorship.
North Korea won't overtake us economically or democratically anytime soon. We are as different a system as U can get from North Korea. North Korea has a system that is totally dependent on the state. SG has a system where the state actively encourage self sustenance and have policy geared towards that best example is our CPF system. Our system is hardly the "least democractic" and nowhere near what the North Korean has. The country have been opening up even more since LHL took over. Even during GE2011, Internet campaign was already allowed, FYI even a country like Japan doesn't allow political parties to campaign online.