Day 6: A Nobel winner and a squatter's camp

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After dinner, we toured her house. It was simple but comfortable. Built on the side of a mountain, the home is on several levels and the rooms are small. But it is more than enough for her and her two grown daughters, she says.

Before leaving, we gave gifts to the family that more than compensated them for the meal and their time. Walking back to our subway station, a colleague remarked at how much at peace that he felt this family was, and how he envied that feeling.

“I struggle hard to make a living every day,” he said. “I wish that I had what they had…that peace and determination.”

We rode the Metro back to our hotel, and it was well past midnight when we arrived.

Editor's Note: For the next two weeks, Star editor Randy Smith will be traveling with a dozen U.S. journalists in both North and South Korea. The trip, set up through the Gatekeeper Editor's program with the International Reporting Project, provides journalists with a glimpse of countries often in the news but not well covered. Look for regular updates at KansasCity.com. Send questions or comments to him at rsmith@kcstar.com.

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