want to be friends with americans? >> why knowledgenot? >> reporter: years of isolation began during the previous kim regimes. young future scientists, doctors, and other students have little or no access to the internet. only a state-controlled intranet. i see a lot of students doing research in the library. they're using north korea's version of the ipad. they study surrounded by photos of their leaders. and models of north korean weapons. >> it means that our nation is very powerful. >> reporter: medical students like this sit beneath a replica of a rocket that launched a north korean satellite into orbit. >> this is all for peaceful purpose. wouldn't want war. >> reporter: outside experts accuse north korea's space program of being a front for ballistic missile development, missiles that could someday carry nuclear warheads across the region or even the world. will ripley, cnn, pyongyang,