I stayed at a North Korean summer camp. We polished statues and played a game where we destroyed the White House.

Courtesy of Yuri Frolov

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Yuri Frolov, 25, who in 2015 and 2016 attended North Korea's Songdowon International Children's Camp, where some Russian children will be sent this summer. The following has been edited for length and clarity.