Ingrained Hatred | North Korea

With the departure of the South Korean ship the Patriot was once again alone in the North Korean port of Nampo, discharging grain as famine relief. A ship at sea running at full speed is able to produce its own water and can often keep up with its own fresh water consumption. When in port the vessel is normally in need of resupply from the shore, particularly during extended stays. The Patriot was not a new vessel and usually topped off its water tanks whenever it was in port. After a week or so in Nampo a resupply of fresh water was becoming necessary. Providing water to ship’s in port is as common throughout the maritime world as having bollards to tie the ship alongside a dock – routine in the extreme. When I placed my request before Tiger and Mr. Kim for delivery of a minimum of 50 tons of fresh water no later than three days hence that request was agreed to. Normally a hose is hooked up to a dock connection, however, I was advised that the water would be brought by a water barge. The water barge was tied up to the dock in front of the Patriot. A week later no movement on the barge and no water having been received we were running seriously low on fresh water. In no uncertain terms Kim and Tiger were told that if the water was not received in the next 24 hours the discharging operation would be halted – a serious loss of face for the North Koreans. Within 12 hours the barge was alongside and pumping water. I subsequently learned that the barge was unable to move or pump due to a lack of fuel in the port. In addition, there were no clean water connections in the port, or so they claimed later, and the water was drawn straight out of the bay. Was this an attempt to sicken the ‘imperialists’ or just another example of the failure of the North Korean system? Due to the lack of fuel in the country and in particular in Nampo, fishing vessels were tied up and rusting alongside the dock on the opposite side of the quay from the Patriot. A large warehouse running the length of quay separated the fishing section of the port from the commercial area. Shortly after sorting out the water issue – and giving it a strong dose of chlorine – I found the need to get away from the vessel and went for a brief walk. I headed toward the end of the quay and around the warehouse into the area where the fishing vessels were tied up. A dozen rusting hulks lay alongside, their main decks level with the dock a person could easily step aboard. Inactive, the fishing vessels sat unmanned. As I wandered down the quay close by the boats I tried to take myself to a happier place in my mind. My thoughts were interrupted by an insistent clicking noise close by. Coming out of my reverie I was startled to see a man on one of the fishing boats about 5 feet away pointing an AK47 at me and repeatedly pulling the trigger. For whatever reason; being startled and having an Irish temper I was extremely angry and walked up to the fishing boat gesticulating and making angry noises. The fisherman took his rifle and struck my left shoulder with the butt of the rifle. Fired with adrenalin I took the weapon away from the man and continued to walk down the dock a few paces. As the cloud cleared from my vision I realized that what just happened was not a good thing but I was still very angry. Grasping the barrel I swung and threw the weapon well down the dock where it bounced into the wall of the warehouse. The screaming North Korean ran to his weapon and I returned to the vessel, half expecting the fisherman to follow. For several hours I waited for the hammer to fall, considering various explanations: the truth, denial or some place in between. I received no visits from sentries or officials concerning the incident and can only surmise that the fisherman would have been in greater trouble reporting the incident than in not doing so. As for me my left shoulder was non-functioning for a few days and remains to this day a reminder of the unthinking hatred ingrained upon the people of North Korea.