I wish I knew how much the North Korean people knew of their own situation. Do they know they are being treated like trash, or have they been brainwashed into thinking Dear Leader really is some kind of god. I’d like to think that if they had the opportunity the punk would end up hung at an Esso station like Mousalini.
It is no longer 24/7 non-stop Big Brother watching over them, but they are brainwashed and watched by state. Watchful eyes of state can be bribed, though. There is some symbiotic relationship with security officials and ordinary people. Security officials' palm is greased by people and they look the other way, up to a point.
They may feel that they know the outside world. News and videos filter into the country. But they really don't. It is like some in remote Afghanistan watch American movies and videos, and think they know America pretty well.
Even when they are abroad, they usually live as a group in a sealed environment. They do not realize the huge gap between them and the rest of the world.