- The Russian children are scheduled to attend a summer camp in North Korea in late July.
- The camp visit was made in accordance with the Strategic Partnership Agreement between North Korea and Russia.
- Songdowon International Children's Camp regularly welcomes international children.
A group of Russian elementary school students are set to attend a summer camp in North Korea at the end of July.
While Shotoen International Children's Camp has hosted children from overseas in the past, its latest move to host a group of Russian children comes amid growing ties between North Korea and Russia. A strategic partnership agreement was signed last month Between President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.
A peek into the vast campsite offers a rare glimpse into life in the hermit kingdom.
The Wonsan summer camp has a maximum capacity of about 1,200 people.
A 2014 renovation led by North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, increased Wonsan Camp's capacity to about 1,200 children, according to Young Pioneer Tours, which organizes tours to the camp.
Most of the children are from North Korea, but some are from Russia, China and other countries.
Rowan Beard, tour manager for Young Pioneer Tours, told Business Insider that the camp has previously hosted elementary school students from countries like Russia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia and Mexico.
Former campers told BI that North Korean children are largely isolated from visitors from abroad.
Yuri Frolov, a Russian who attended the camp in 2015 and 2016, told BI that North Korean children were largely “isolated” from other international campers.
He said they only met briefly on the last day of summer camp.
Former campers said some kids attended because it seemed like a cheap beach vacation.
Frolov, who visited Shotoin to see North Korea for himself, told BI that many of his peers were there for a different reason: a chance to have a beach vacation for very little money.
The summer camp is heavily subsidized by North Korea, costing participants only about $300 to $400 for their trip, he said.
There is also a private beach area.
Although the dorms are monitored, kids still get into trouble, one former camper said.
Former camper Frolov said it was easy for children to buy alcohol and cigarettes in North Korea.
Although the dorms were monitored, he said that didn't stop his classmates, most of whom were around 12 years old, from getting drunk on the first few nights of camp.
It contains personal belongings of North Korea's former leader.
The camp was opened in 1960. Relics such as the tent where Kim Jong-il stayed are on display.
The camp was established to foster relationships with foreign countries by hosting foreign children.
Former campers say children sing propaganda songs about the country's former top leader.
International campers are still expected to take part in patriotic ceremonies.
Former camper Frolov said he had to sing a song about the former North Korean leader in Korean using lyrics sheets in Russian.
The concert will be held in a large concert hall called the International Friendship Children's Hall, he said.
He also added that it was necessary to polish the statue of North Korea's founder.
Another unusual ritual, Frolov said, was polishing a statue of Kim Il-sung.
Professional cleaning was done weekly, but residents were also expected to wipe down the dust as a sign of respect for the Founding Father.
The large campground has a wide range of facilities.
The sprawling campground features a variety of amenities, including amusement park rides, arcade games, a rock climbing wall, and an aquarium.
The Sinduk Aquarium is home to turtles and sharks.
According to aquarium company Marinescape, Shindok Aquarium is the first aquarium built in North Korea.
Marinescape says that by international standards, this is small.
According to Aquamarine, who helped with the construction, there are also sharks and turtles.
There is also a birdhouse.
Songdowon also has an aviary, where the birds, including lovebirds, live in “very small enclosures,” as one visitor blogged.
As you can see in the picture, birds of prey are also depicted.
There is also a stuffed animal showroom.
According to the US-Korea Friendship Association, Songdowon is home to an educational showroom for stuffed animals.
The group said the exhibits also included a stuffed goshawk, North Korea's national bird.
The campsite has an athletics track and other sports facilities.
Songdowon has an athletics track and field, as well as a basketball court and an archery range to keep campers active.
One camper said swimming races were frequent.
According to North Korean state media, Kim Jong Un visited the summer camp in 2013 and ordered the construction of a new indoor pool.
Frolov, a former summer camp attendee, said campers often participated in competitive swimming events.
There is also a full-scale water park, likely at the request of Kim Jong Un.
According to North Korea Leadership Watch, which analyzes North Korea news, Kim Jong Un instructed camp officials in 2014 on how to improve the facilities.
There was also a request to have a yacht installed so that campers could enjoy water sports.
Songdowon has a full-scale water park with waterslides and a boat lake.
Cooking classes are also available.
Campers will learn how to prepare traditional Korean dishes.
But the food isn't great, former campers said.
Former camper Frolov told BI he struggled to find anything to eat, surviving mainly on rice, bread and potato wedges.
He said seafood is served about once a week, but the rest of the time it's bland or just plain boring.
This summer, Russian children will be able to experience Songdowon again.
A group of Russian children will be staying at Songdowon from the end of July to early August.
This will be the first trip in a long time, as summer camp trips were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grigory Gurov, chairman of the First Movement, said: This was reported by Russian state media RIA Novosti. Conditions there will be “great.”
