The Girl in the Red Scarf

This young pioneer was our guide for the Mangyongdae Children's Palace. It's a pretty interesting place where talented children from around the country are sent to hone their skills in everything from gymnastics and taekwondo to calligraphy and music. Without question, the children here are super talented and perform to perfection. It's a somewhat surreal experience going from room to room seeing the children perform, culminating in a long auditorium performance.

Consider this photo a simple homage to The Girl in Red from Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List." The Young Pioneer Corps are the North Korean Pioneer Movement, which is basically a Communist Party movement for children. The red scarf signifies membership in the movement.

North Korean girl outside the Mangyongdae Children's Palace.