Democratic People's Republic Of Korea Uniforms In Wear.

[CtahhR]

I recently received a large lot of DPRK items and many them were absolutely caked with blood. Now I think it would be very presumptive of me to say outright that it was Human blood and more so I think that the blood on the awards may actually be a clue to how the items can be smuggled out of DPRK. If meat products are being transported out of the country and in to China it is quite a convenient place to hide the awards. I don't see otherwise how the awards would be caked with Human blood (apart from getting caught on the pin, I once got one stuck in the BONE in my thumb), there have not been any "purges" which would cause blood to be splattered everywhere and there hasn't been large scale open warfare since 1953 which would not explain why an award from the 80's is bloody. So until I can find out the true reason for blood on the awards I would speculate that they would receive it "In Transit" on the way out of the DPRK. I won't be posting pictures of any blood soaked awards though as that doesn't seem an appropriate action (and I've also washed nearly all). I am sure though that anyone else out there that has handled DPRK awards in numbers or possibly not so many will have come across blood.

[Christophe]

Hi CtahhR,

Very interesting discussion and I am more than impatient to see piocs of your awards (the large lot). I am waiting for comments from others, as I did not think DPRK was able to export meat or meat products, even in small quantities... :confused:
Interesting, by the way...

Cheers.

Ch.

Originally Posted by CtahhR

I recently received a large lot of DPRK items and many them were absolutely caked with blood. Now I think it would be very presumptive of me to say outright that it was Human blood and more so I think that the blood on the awards may actually be a clue to how the items can be smuggled out of DPRK. If meat products are being transported out of the country and in to China it is quite a convenient place to hide the awards. I don't see otherwise how the awards would be caked with Human blood (apart from getting caught on the pin, I once got one stuck in the BONE in my thumb), there have not been any "purges" which would cause blood to be splattered everywhere and there hasn't been large scale open warfare since 1953 which would not explain why an award from the 80's is bloody. So until I can find out the true reason for blood on the awards I would speculate that they would receive it "In Transit" on the way out of the DPRK. I won't be posting pictures of any blood soaked awards though as that doesn't seem an appropriate action (and I've also washed nearly all). I am sure though that anyone else out there that has handled DPRK awards in numbers or possibly not so many will have come across blood.

[CtahhR]

There are now three times more than the last picture I posted here and "laid out" covers over three square metres (Will need to make some space on the wall alright!). As for the blood I suppose if you have a Ship military or civilian (most likely civilian) travelling from the DPRK to China the crew would need supplies for themselves and putting the awards inside a carcass before the "seen" loading of the vessel would be a very covert way of transporting the awards. It's not really the sort of question you can submit to the DPRK Embassy "Why are many of your awards covered in blood?". To date I have not enjoyed a vast quantity of enlightenment from their Embassy in London even to the most basic and innocent of enquiries. Maybe I am just asking the wrong questions but that one isn't going to be one of them!

[Esteban_cool]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

To date I have not enjoyed a vast quantity of enlightenment from their Embassy in London even to the most basic and innocent of enquiries.

You sure got a lot of nerve; north koreans aren´t the fondest people of others asking questions.

I think the meat issue could be the key. I think that meat is purchased in China, transported to NK in some kind of box or container, once it arrives to its destination the chinese smuggle the goods inside the same place they transported the meat. Since as Lapa pointed, there is very little chance that the DPRK could export meat (as a matter of fact, most of the food products consumed there come from China), that´s the only way I can think of having awards stained with blood.

[Will]

There are food products of various types that the DPRK exports. It made a decision that the export of certain food products, and the hard currency that it receives for it, is more important than getting those same products to its own people.

As for values or prices, I did not mean to suggest that no DPRK award, other than Soviet-made examples, should not be valued at over $100. My point was simply that there really is no appropriate gauge for values at this point in time other than, as always, what someone is willing to pay. It seems to me to be difficult to ascribe great value to a current Order of Freedom and Independence, first class, when they have been repeatedly appearing on Ebay and the prices realized have been steadily dropping.

On the other hand, there are still a number of more recent DPRK awards that have yet to appear for sale (anywhere that I have looked) and which I would certainly value at in excess of $100. These would include the Order of Friendship, the Orders of Freedom and Independence or National Flag in their versions as a neck decoration with collar; as well as the Order of Kim Il Sung (first or second version) the Order of the Anniversary of the Chosun Soren Foundation, and a number of others.

But the bottom line with the DPRK awards is the same as with any type of collectible of any kind:
They are worth only what someone is willing to pay for them, nothing more.

If you have a Soviet Hero Star that you paid $5,000 for, and you take it to a car dealer and offer it to him for a $5,000 credit on a new car, will you get it?
The only real, tangible benefit to collecting anything is the pleasure that it gives. If at some point we can sell something from out collection for more than we paid, all the better.

[CtahhR]

Here is a female "Sangwi" or Captain. On her right is a badge I can't identify (Could be the "Banner Of 3 Great Revolutions" 1st Class) and on her left under her Kim Badge is a ribbon bar for Order Of Soldier's Honour 2nd Class, Medal For Military Merits and Medal For Military Service Honour, surprisingly she has not yet been awarded any commemoratives.

[CtahhR]

Here is an interesting picture of a happy DPRK Petty Officer. It is strange to see he has no footwear on. I don't know if he has forgotten to put them on or if he may not own any but rather strange never the less. The Korean People's Naval Force makes up only around 0.5% (1/200) of the Korean People's Army and only around 0.05% (1/2000) are Naval Infantry. I have not yet seen a picture of DPRK Naval Infantry but I do have a "Master Naval Infantry" award badge.

Secondly is a colonel-general with the dear marshal of the DPRK. He's showing off a Order Of Kim Il-Sung ribbon bar along with 21 other Orders and 6 Medals.

[CtahhR]

Here are a trio of pictures of Females on "parade" for the 65th anniversary of the KWP. The first is a march past of a female unit showing how common the Commemorative Medal "Military Review" is. The second picture is three officers having a lighter moment who have not been parading. Take note of the figure in the background wearing a Kim Il-Sung university graduation rhomb. The third picture I have no comment on other than they are officers.

[CtahhR]

Here are the sailors. Their hats read Korean People's Army Naval Force
(조선인민군 해군). The Medal For Military Service Honour seems now to be worn on the right side which would mean it is now treated as a commemorative medal. There is a Order Of The Banner Of The Three Great Revolutions on the second sailor in. The second picture shows a young Lieutenant standing out in the crowd with a Order Of The National Flag 3rd Class on his left as well as the ever present "Military Review" Commemorative Medal. Notice the older officers at the back coated in awards.

[CtahhR]

Here are some snaps from the official DPRK television broadcast of the parade commemorating the 65th anniversary of the KWP. The quality isn't brilliant but you can really get a grasp of the frequency of many DPRK awards.

The first two pictures show the generals in charge of the procession. They shout into a set of microphones at one another for some time and then drive around and shout at different units from the car. At no point do they sit down. The cars are Mercedes Benz so not DPRK produced.

The third picture illustrates just how many people were there. This is just a small selection of the total parade there were certainly well over 10,000 people there ALL having the "Military Review" Commemorative Medal nearly half of them repeatedly.