Unexpected meeting at Mount Paektu
New Zealand tourist Paul Sisson poses on top of the North Korean side of Mount Paektu with his guide Sept. 27, 2018. / Courtesy of Paul Sisson.
By Paul Sisson
During the Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in summit in Pyongyang last year, another private summit meeting was occurring. Almost 700 kilometers away I was having my own unexpected meeting at the summit of Mount Paektu.
While in the North researching their culture and society, I was privileged to travel to Mount Paektu, a spiritual home for the peoples of both the Koreas and China. There I found I was mostly rubbing shoulders with Chinese tourists who wanted to top Mount Paektu from the Korean side after summiting from the Chinese side.
The craggy mountain top, with its glassy crater lake, is not only mystical but also staggeringly beautiful. As a New Zealander who has traveled widely in my own country, as well as the greater Asia-Pacific region, I rarely give such acclaim to scenic locations. This is a worthy contender without doubt though. I can see why visitors make the tiring one-hour trek over the rocky path from the carpark to the summit.
Yet there was no way I was going to do that climb myself. I'm not lazy, not secular, not indifferent, not penny-pinching. I am partially disabled. I alternate using crutches or a wheelchair to get about, so the summit was eluding me. My charming guide, however, was determined to help me enjoy my trip as fully as possible.
She was negotiating with the gate attendants to allow me through in a vehicle. They advised that none of the vehicles were nimble enough to successfully traverse the track. As she was dejectedly returning to tell me, a four-wheel-drive jeep came zooming past. Sprinting over to the jeep she successfully pleaded my case for a lift to the top.
Ushered into the front passenger seat, I swiveled to see my guide, squashed in the back with two soldiers and a middle-aged man wearing semi-military garb. The previously impossible barrier now became a bouncy 10-minute drive to the peak.
Following a gondola ride down to see the crater lake, I climbed back into the jeep and got a better look at the backseat passengers. The man who had given up his front seat for me appeared distinguished.
Then I noticed one of the soldiers held a senior rank. It hit me then. I had casually displaced a VIP from his comfortable seat and view up front ― squeezing him into the rear with his attendants. Back at the carpark I thanked them profusely. My guide whispered that the “distinguished man” was actually the deputy leader for that region.
Even though the people of my native New Zealand are friendly and informal, I was pondering how likely a VIP at home would pick me up like that. It is certainly less likely to happen in the other countries I have toured.
But I shouldn't have been astonished.
New Zealand tourist Paul Sisson poses at Mount Paektu with a North Korean official, left, identified as the deputy leader of the region. / Courtesy of Paul Sisson
Throughout my North Korean visit the folks I encountered were among some of the most charming, polite and modest people I have ever met. One of our guides, Mr. Kim, resolutely pushed my wheelchair for miles across the country on most days without a sign of bother.
And others went the extra mile to help me with my disability. They opened doors and slid chairs around for me. They treated me like a VIP. They brought drinks, carried my bags and anything else I needed to hold. They virtually carried me up and down stairs. They shadowed me, ready to catch me if I fell. They opened facilities so I did not have far to walk or they found the shortest route for me to travel even if it was through restricted places.
And they found the best seats for me ― at the mass games I was seated at the presidential podium!
Of course most of the citizens we encountered were trained hospitality staff. But we did have casual encounters with others as we moved about. Even though we lacked a common language, the mannerisms they displayed always made me feel comfortable and ready to accept their help. Nothing was too much trouble.
Disabilities can provoke derision in even some of the most polite societies. I was never treated rudely.
I am not singing their praises mindlessly. There were a lot of people who didn't interact with us, but potentially could have. They even avoided eye contact. Some youngsters even fled in apparent alarm when we appeared unexpectedly, especially if we wanted to photograph them.
I could only speculate on the reasons for this behavior. However, I wasn't annoyed by their attitude, merely saddened that an opportunity for mutual understanding was lost.
I am not here to advocate, criticize or even offer a political opinion on the North Korean government. There are people better qualified to do that. Politics are not my field of expertise or interest.
The community is my interest. I do recognize I was touring in a kind of bubble, meeting mostly personnel who are trained and supervised to give the best impression. Regardless, those staffers had unguarded moments and we also had unforeseen contact with random people. It was always satisfying.
All summits have a point. This is mine: When the Koreas unite…and I believe it is “when”… the residents of South Korea should not be anxious about who will be joining your community. Your brothers and sisters in the North will make very pleasant neighbors.
Paul Sisson is a New Zealand ethicist and community worker. He loves being in the Asia-Pacific region, experiencing languages and cultures and making real contact with genuine people.