According to the law in force in North Korea, access to cultural content from South Korea and Western countries is completely prohibited. Not only listening to western music, watching foreign films, but also wearing sunglasses is prohibited. Of course, strict restrictions do not apply to a dictator who has benefited from Western civilization from an early age.
Kim Jong Un visited Disneyland in Tokyo
When Kim Jong Un invited former NBA star Dennis Rodman, the whole world was talking about it. The dictator’s preference is said to be foreign films and music. The events of 1991, when I was a kid enjoying western entertainment to the fullest, are forgotten. He would certainly not want this moment from his life to reach the consciousness of his comrades.
Going to Disneyland is every kid’s dream. As it turns out, the place also attracted dictators. Economically, politically and culturally, North Korea is isolated. Citizens of this country cannot travel to other countries, and North Korean children do not have the opportunity to meet superheroes – Superman, Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse. Kim Jong Un loved Disney cartoons and was eager to visit the famous amusement park.
The most famous Disneyland is in Florida, USA, and the slightly less popular one is in California and near Paris. Going to America can be very dangerous. For Kim Jong-il, setting foot on hated land and experiencing the attractions he himself fought against was unacceptable. However, he had an alternative. He sent his son Kim Jong Un to Tokyo. It is the third park opened by Disney and the first outside of Europe.
The Brazilian passport issued at the Brazilian Embassy in Prague was specially prepared for Kim Jong Un. On it was the name “Joseph Bwack”. On May 12, 1991, Kim Jong Un and another boy, believed to be his older brother Kim Jong-chul, entered Japan using false Brazilian passports. They reportedly stayed in the country for over a week and visited Tokyo Disney several times during the trip.
“The future president was eight years old when he traveled from this rogue state to a Walt Disney-inspired resort in Tokyo. A series of covert tactics, illegal activities and measures were taken to ensure Kim’s safety“- Daily Express reported. “Kim Jong Un and another boy, believed to be his older brother Kim Jong-chul, visited the attraction several times in 1991, according to reports. The siblings were scheduled to enter Japan on May 12, 1991. , leave the country for more than a week using a Brazilian passport.”
It is not known whether the brothers were with Kim Jong Il. However, it is known that the children were in the company of North Korean officials as young as 10. According to Reuters, in the late 1990s, the then-teenage Kim Jong Un was about to re-enter Japan, this time with his father. Brazilian passports were reintroduced, this time issued in 1996. Sao Paulo was listed as the birthplace of both.
Kim Jong Nam was not that lucky. Deportation instead of Disneyland
In 2001, the world media reported that Kim Jong Nam (Kim Jong Un’s half-brother) also visited Japan and tried to visit Disneyland. He used a fake Dominican passport. His wife, son and nanny traveled with him. The group arrested at the airport were deported to Beijing when it turned out to be Kim Jong-Il’s family.
“A man detained by immigration officials at Narita Airport on suspicion of trying to enter Japan illegally has admitted he is the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il,” the Japan Times reported. “He said he wanted to visit Tokyo Disneyland, officials said, citing a person who confirmed he was Kim Jong Nam.. South Korean sources in Japan said the detained person could be Kim, who had previously entered Japan on a false passport.
The case was considered an international humiliation for the dictator. Embarrassed, Kim Jong Il canceled his trip to China. He did not forgive his son’s mistake. Kim Jong-nam, the heir to the throne, was expelled from North Korea. In September 2010, Kim Jong Un was named heir to the throne. It was he who ordered the murder of his elder brother. Kim Jong Nam was killed in Malaysia on February 13, 2017 using the VX nerve agent.
During his stay in Tokyo, Kim Jong Un had the opportunity to experience childhood happiness at Disneyland, which has been called the “happiest place on earth.” Once he became president, it seemed for a while that he would relax the restrictions in his country. In 2012, Disney characters appeared on stage in Pyongyang for the first time in history, including: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and others. It is a temporary reflection of the dictator. With North Korea still isolated, there is little sign that the situation will change in the near future.
. “Hardcore internet junkie. Award-winning bacon ninja. Social media trailblazer. Subtly charming pop culture advocate. Falls down a lot.”