FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Written by Tom Anderson, WW5L
Vice-President and Information Director
Lone Star DX Association
WW5L at gte.net
http://www.dxer.org/lsdxa
Apparent internal miscommunications within the North Korean government's
Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Ministry
of Telecommunications and Posts over the approval of an operating permit
to Dr. David Borenstein, KA2HTV, led the government to halt his recent
P5 DXpedition before it could even begin, the New York physician said today.
However, the main purpose of his trip to North Korea was not amateur
radio, but the donation of several thousand dollars worth of medical
supplies from various Western countries to the Korean Medical
Association. "I went to make sure these medical supplies got where they
were supposed to," he said. Dr. Borenstein specializes in physical
medicine and rehabilitation.
Another situation that may have also played a part in the halting of Dr.
Borenstein's DXpedition operations was the death of his government
assigned guide, one of the leading such guides in the country. The guide
drowned at Wonsan, while he and other government assigned guides were
escorting KA2HTV and others along the North Korean coast.
Dr. Borenstein's DXpedition costs were underwritten by the Lone Star DX
Association (http://www.dxer.org/lsdxa) and equipment donated by many
companies and individuals. Before he left the United States, Dr.
Borenstein and the LSDXA were told his DXpedition operation should be
fully accredited by the ARRL once he returned and submitted passport,
visa, and photographic documentation showing he was in North Korea. This
is standard procedure for DXCC DXpedition accreditation.
" The Lone Star DX Association is committed to the support of DX. We
knew this would be a gamble, but thought the risk was worth it to try
getting P5 back on the air. Hopefully our efforts and those of Dr.
Borenstein has moved the ball forward in restoring amateur radio in
North Korea," said LSDXA President Mike Thomas, NA5U..
The miscommunications developed when a Democratic People's Republic of
Korea Cultural Relations official issued the operating permit, while the
government's Telecommunications and Posts officials, had not formally
processed KA2HTV's request for a permit to operate. Both agencies are
part of the North Korean government.
Dr. Borenstein was planning on beginning his full time P5 operations on
August 20, when DPRK officials suddenly called him into a meeting. "They
told me the person who gave the authority in the committee should not
have given it because of a mix up with the Ministry of
Telecommunications and Posts," he said. "Up until then I had no idea
that I would not be allowed to operate" as government officials had
given no hint that the operating authority issued previously was not
valid. "I was able to demonstrate amateur radio to these same government
officials and showed them how it would benefit the country."
"But the inability to operate was devastating," he said. "After meeting
with the government officials I just went back to my room for a while
and watched the BBC, the only English language television program we
could receive. I knew there were hundreds of stations around the world
waiting to make a P5 contact and I could not get on the air."
"The Lone Star DX Association and I had planned this DXpedition for many
months and many donors had given equipment and their time and effort to
make this operation occur," he said.
Both KA2HTV and the LSDXA would like to thank the following sponsors for
their donation of equipment: Tennadyne log periodic antennas, Yaesu and
Vertex Standard radios, ACOM International amplifiers, Texas Towers,
W4MPY?"The QSL Man", GigaParts, Buddipole, Hex Beam, High Sierra, Press
Jones?"The Wireman", Heil Sound, North Alabama DX Club, Southeastern DX
Club, LDG Electronics, DX Engineering, Ham Radio Outlet, and W4HT
Electronics. In addition, the following individual hams provided
logistical and other support: WW5L, WY5H, K4UEE, K9LA, KC2MWA, K7JA,
W4WB, W4RT, W5QM, W9GJ, W2RC, QSL manager KK5DO, and the many members of
the Lone Star DX Association.
Dr. Borenstein said these government officials confided to him they were
hopeful a license for him to operate could be obtained in the near
future, however no definite date was given. "They told me they would
welcome me back, despite the fact it is very difficult for Americans to
get a visa there." Also, he added, there is no prohibition by the U.S.
government against Americans visiting North Korea.
After the death of his guide, he said, many government leaders went into
official mourning. "I couldn't ask them about radio matters as these
people were in mourning, so that delayed everything another two or three
days."
When he arrived Aug. 9 all of the radio equipment was processed through
North Korean customs without problem and "it all went smoothly." Later
the Telecommunications and Posts ministry officials asked to inspect
some of his equipment, which included an Icom 735 and 706 MK2G, and a
Yaesu 857, plus an Acom amplifier. "They kept part of it for a week," he
said, before ministry officials told him he would not be allowed to operate.
When first planning the DXpedition, Dr. Borenstein said, negotiations
had centered on the donation of amateur radio equipment to the DPRK as
"a measure of friendship." When the DPRK government took the equipment
for inspection, they apparently thought this was the same equipment that
was to be "donated." The "donated" equipment taken for inspection
includes KA2HTV's own personal Icom 735 transciever, a Hexbeam antenna,
a High Sierra tripod, coax, a Yaesu rotator, and a dual voltage power
supply. "The equipment was not seized, they knew I had other equipment,
they could have taken everything, but they didn't," he said, adding,
"seventy percent of the equipment I took over there came back home."
A receipt thanking Dr. Borenstein for the "donated" equipment was issued
by the DPRK's Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.
KA2HTV does not consider this a failure, but rather a chance to open
doors to North Korea for possible future amateur radio operations.
"Although I didn't get a chance to operate from P5, I believe the
equipment donations and my visit planted the seeds for amateur radio
operations in the future," he said. "Some people may see this as a
failure, but if you don't try, you'll never fail."
KA2HTV received his first amateur license in 1980 and earned his extra
class license in 1984.
Dr. Borenstein has guest operated from the following club stations or as
an individual from: SP5PBE in Poland, 4X/KA2HTV in Israel, JY6ZZ in
Jordan, CO2KK in Cuba, and 9G5DR from Ghana.
This trip to North Korea was not his first. He was in the DPRK in July
2004 for similar medical related reasons.
--
73 - Paul K4UJ / FS, KP2, KP4, PJ6, PJ7,VP2E, ZF2UJ
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