Eric Bischoff Recalls Breaking U.S. Law To Hold WCW North Korea Event

WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW Senior Vice President Eric Bischoff spoke to "Busted Open" about the co-produced WCW/NJPW "Collision in Korea" 1995 pay-per-view that was held in Pyongyang, North Korea. "It was an event that wasn't supposed to be happening," Bischoff said. "Legally, we were not supposed to be in North Korea. Legally, the entire WCW roster that was there, including me, were violating U.S. law just by being there.

Described by Bischoff as a "wrestling event that was designed to showcase North Korea and the North Korean people," the two-night spectacle (April 28-29) headlined by Antonio Inoki versus Ric Flair did not receive much media attention. It was the only WCW pay-per-view of 1995 to not receive a VHS release in the United States and is still not available on the WWE Network (though an edited version aired on the defunct WWE 24/7 On Demand video service).

"It was kind of the tree that fell in the forest and nobody heard about it even while it was happening," Bischoff said. "Let's face it, it was North Korea. So there wasn't a lot of press, there wasn't a lot publicity. No one here in the United States covered it. CNN [correspondent] Mike Chinoy was there. I had lunch with Mike several times while we were there and Mike Chinoy didn't even really cover it."

Despite the lack of media coverage, Bischoff said the event itself "was magnificent." However, while North Korea was attempting to impress the world with its "peaceful imagery," there was another side that Bischoff saw first hand.

"I remember sitting in downtown Pyongyang and we are up in the booth with the military, watching the military parades," Bischoff recalled. "I'm sitting up there, watching missiles go by and nuclear warheads, and I'm thinking, 'This is the stuff you see on TV and you don't think it's real,' and here I am drinking an iced tea watching it all. The whole thing was just bizarre."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open" podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.