Here is a recent interview with Christine Ahn, a Korean American who recently visited DPRK.  Many of her views reflect other Korean Americans that have visited North Korea.

Although, I share the many of her views as well, the interview comes across, at times, as being a bit flowery with flattery mixed in.  It’s natural, though.  When visiting North Korea, one gets into a habit of trying to find something - anything - nice to say about the place to the guides and any locals you happen to meet.

And sometimes, this carries on even after returning from North Korea.  To be sure, that is exactly the outcome that the North Koreans would like to have on visiting overseas ethnic Koreans.  They would like nothing better than to have the Korean “diaspora”, who are living in the west, to cast DPRK in favorable light.  Their expectations are that these overseas Koreans should help the motherland - whatever “help” may mean…  In this regard, the Korean-Japanese (Chongryon) are astounding in their loyalty to the DPRK “motherland” - even though they are very much exposed to the modern world.

I’m of the opinion that if North Korea really was so concerned about being in positive light, that they would take solid steps to opening up and making fundamental changes in their country.  Reliance on the words, actions and pocketbooks of overseas Koreans are a poor substitute.