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During pandemic, some look to trash for clues on reclusive North's economy
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptNorth Korea Trash TV
HEADLINE: Garbage Studies: Deciphering North Korea by Scouring Its Trash
TEASER: During pandemic, some look to trash for clues on reclusive North's economy
PUBLISHED AT: Monday, 01/24/2022 at 06:58 EST
BYLINE: William Gallo
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Yeonpyeong Island, South Korea
VIDEOGRAPHER: William Gallo
PRODUCER: Rod James
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, pcd
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA
PLATFORMS: WEB _x_ TV _X_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 2:34
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTE #1: This TV package can also be used as a radio piece.
EDITOR NOTE #2: There will be a corresponding web story published with this piece. It should be finished by late Monday EST HOLD OFF posting video on web until text story is out))
((INTRO))
[[With its borders closed and virtually all foreigners gone, North Korea is more inaccessible than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. So to learn about the reclusive country’s economy, some North Korea watchers are picking up whatever scraps they can. In some cases, that means literally examining North Korean trash, as VOA’s Bill Gallo reports from the inter-Korean border.]]
((VIDEO: Wide then medium shot of Kang walking along the shore ))
((NARRATOR))
It’s a cold January afternoon, and Professor Kang Dong-won is scouring the beach for trash.
((VIDEO: Kang scouring through trash under ledge ))
Specifically, North Korean trash that has washed ashore here on Yeonpyeong Island.
((VIDEO: Kang walking on rocky beach/digging through a pile of trash ))
It’s a remote South Korean island near the disputed sea border with North Korea.
((VIDEO: Kang finding ice cream wrapper ))
((VIDEO: Closeups of Kang holding/pointing at ice cream wrapper ))
((NARRATOR))
Kang is excited. This is the 35th different type of Eskimo-brand ice cream he's found.
((VIDEO: Kang walking the beach/showing off more trash ))
In total, he's collected over 1,400 pieces of North Korean trash over the past year.
((Kang Dong-won, Professor at Dong-A University)) ((in Korean - male voice ))
“The waste is so diverse — food, beverages, snacks, medicines, cosmetics. It’s like a little [North Korean] market here at the beach.”
((VIDEO: Two-shots of Gallo and Kang walking on beach. ))
((NARRATOR))
Kang has visited North Korea. He used to make research trips to Chinese cities near the North Korean border. But during the pandemic, this is as close as he can get.
((VIDEO: Beauty shots of beach, with North Korea in the distance ))
And North Korea is incredibly close. Just 4 kilometers away. Easily visible with the naked eye, even in poor weather.
((VIDEO: Gallo standup -or two-shots of Gallo/Kang))
((Bill Gallo, VOA News)) ((or NARRATOR))
“Turns out it’s not actually that hard to find North Korean trash on South Korean beaches like this, if you know what you’re looking for.”
((VIDEO: Closeup(s) of North Korean propaganda leaflet ))
((NARRATOR))
This propaganda leaflet slams conservative South Korean politicians.
((VIDEO: shot of Kang holding old piece of rubber ))
This piece of rubber was part of a trash bin at a thermal power plant.
((VIDEO: Instant noodles wrapper closeup and Kang showing it to Gallo))
And like many products, this instant noodle wrapper specifies the exact factory where it was made.
Important clues about what North Korea can import and produce, and how it markets products in perhaps the least capitalist country in the world.
((Kang Dong-won, Professor at Dong-A University)) ((in Korean - male voice_))
“During the Kim Jong Un era, North Korea has put more effort into package design… not even North Korea can ignore the tastes and desires of its people.”
((VIDEO: Yeonpyeong village and street scenes ))
((NARRATOR))
In the quiet village nearby, residents say they barely notice the North Korean trash.
((VIDEO: Medium shot of Oh Gui-im interview ))
Oh Gui-im says she’s seen more than just garbage wash ashore.
((Oh Gui-im, Yeonpyeong Resident )) ((in Korean, female voice))
“Landmines also float around… you have no idea how much stuff comes from the North. So many products — even human corpses.”
((VIDEO: Kang walking alone on the beach ))
((NARRATOR))
Kang, though, remains fascinated by just the trash. He's even written a book on his findings.
((Kang Dong-won, Professor at Dong-A University)) ((in Korean - male voice))
“With this trash, I can see the lives of North Koreans. It helps me understand North Korea.”
((VIDEO: Kang on beach))
((NARRATOR))
With North Korea closed indefinitely, scraps may be all that he has for a while.
((Bill Gallo, VOA News, Yeonpyeong Island, South Korea))
NewsML Media TopicsPolitics, Environment
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 24, 2022 15:29 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
