Interviewee: Wang Shuqi
Interviewer: Karen Shi
This interview is with Wang Shuqi, a 59-year-old businessman who currently resides in Qingdao, China. He studied abroad in North Korea for a year in 1992. In this interview, we discuss his general impression of North Korea up to the time of his departure, and how his Chinese identity shaped his experience. Wang also provides insight into the North Korean structures and institutions, such as the planned economy and food stamps. He also shares his experiences interacting with a North Korean national actor, South Korean defector, and Russian currency exchanger. This interview covers topics such as diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, diplomatic relations between China and North Korea, North Korean education, food, and cultural impressions. The interview was conducted via Zoom because Mr.Wang is in China during the time of interview. The interview was conducted by Karen Shi, a second year History major at Colby College who is interested in gender in East Asia.
Wang Shuqi was born in Laizhou, Shandong Province, China in 1963. He majored in computer software in college. After graduation, he started working in 1985 as a university teacher in Beijing. He returned to Qingdao in 1987 and was employed in the foreign trade business under Shandong Provincial Light Industry Supply & Marketing General Corp, and facilitated cooperation with countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, Europe, and Africa. In 1992, he was invited to North Korea to study the Korean language. He plans to retire in 2023. His goal is to travel across China.