Rare Photos from Inside North Korea's 'Hotel of Doom' (2023)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Questioning the “rare photos” framing

  • Several commenters note these interior photos have circulated since at least 2012; the story is seen as a rehash.
  • The headline is criticized as clickbait: “inside” is used despite only a few interior shots.
  • Some argue “rare” is a useless term on the internet, overused by journalists to inflate value.

Sanctions, famine, and responsibility

  • One camp argues sanctions mainly starve ordinary North Koreans while leaving the regime intact or even strengthening its domestic support by framing outsiders as enemies.
  • Others counter that:
    • Sanctions aim to limit funds for the military and nuclear program, not topple the regime.
    • Starvation is primarily due to the regime’s misallocation of resources and repressive policies, not simply lack of total resources.
    • It’s unreasonable to claim “we” (the West) are directly responsible for North Korean suffering when the government can choose otherwise.
  • Debate arises over life expectancy charts:
    • One side claims North Korea largely tracks South Korea except for a 1990s famine.
    • Others highlight a persistent large gap and question the reliability of North Korean data.
  • Mechanics of sanctions are discussed:
    • US/UN measures also target third parties, limiting North Korea’s access to hard currency.
    • China and Russia mostly trade via barter, constrained by UN sanctions.

Comparisons with South Korea and other regimes

  • South Korea’s ultra-low fertility rate raises concerns about long‑term demographic and economic viability.
  • Commenters discuss South Korea’s history of coups and impeachments, noting it’s more turbulent than often assumed but still fundamentally constitutional.
  • Some draw parallels to Cuba and Russia, arguing sanctions there also failed to change regimes while causing hardship.

Architecture, symbolism, and media

  • The hotel is seen as emblematic of “monumental effort for minimal functionality.”
  • Technical claims about concrete supertalls are challenged with the example of the Petronas Towers and high‑strength concrete.
  • The LED facade light show is described as retro‑futuristic; readers note the article didn’t actually show this effect.
  • There is discussion of Western media and propaganda around North Korea and China, and of how tightly controlled, Potemkin‑style tours shape what outsiders see.