I don't think people have an issue with North Koreans as people though. It's solely a government issue, and what you said is definitely true there is heavy information control used to intentionally keep people ignorant. So while the sanctions placed upon them are a barrier definitely, I wouldn't say it is a major barrier when the country can't even allow outside information which seems extremely dystopian to the western world.

And then you see how the Kim regime demands to be treated, it is hard not to view them as brutal in some capacity. So it isn't really "them" the people as much as "them" the government.