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Recent scenes from North Korea
Celebrating 60 years of existence this year, North Korea holds out as the last Stalinist state in the world. In such a restrictive society, it is difficult - if not impossible - for residents to get news of the outside world, and for the outside world to see in. What photography comes out of North Korea is either state-produced, state-approved, or at the very least state-managed (visitors are restricted in their movement). Still, if you look over the following images with those restrictions in mind, one can still get some idea of life in North Korea in 2008. These photos were all taken within the past six months - some taken from the borders, peering in, others provided by North Korea itself, and several generously shared by freelance photographer Eric Lafforgue, who recently spent some time inside the country. (32 photos total)
Young koreans hold up colored display cards to form a background image for a performance of North Korea's Mass Games on September 12, 2008. The Mass Games are designed to entertain or celebrate holidays, and place emphasis on group dynamics rather than individual prowess. This particular show's name is "Prosper the Motherland!", dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, celebrated on September 9th. (© Eric Lafforgue)
A North Korean man paddles his boat along the banks of the Yalu River in front of one of the the destroyed bridges that once linked China and North Korea, near the town of Qing Cheng, located around 50 kilometres north of the Chinese border city of Dandong September 12, 2008. (REUTERS/David Gray) #
A female soldier walks on a road in the countryside. Photographer Eric Lafforgue: "I do not know where they go, I do not know what they do, but when you're in the countryside, you see many soldiers walking... far from anything." (© Eric Lafforgue)#
A swimmer from the "Yalu River Swimming Association" swims wearing goggles in the Yalu River opposite the North Korean town of Sinuiju, in the Chinese border city of Dandong September 12, 2008. Each day, in warm months, hundreds of Chinese swimmers plunge into the narrow Yalu river which divides their country from North Korea, with dozens kicking the 500 metres to the opposite side for a rest and a glimpse of the neighboring, withdrawn communist state. (REUTERS/David Gray) #
A combination photo shows a North Korean soldier preparing his gun as a tourist boat approaches while he sits with fellow soldiers outside an army installation on the banks of the Yalu River near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong September 13, 2008. (REUTERS/David Gray) #
Eric Lafforgue: "The highways in North Korea are huge and carless. Planes could land there. You can even see kids playing in the middle of the road. Security is a major problem because children and old people are not used to seeing cars, so they cross over the roads at any time, without watching out for oncoming traffic. The only cars you can see sometimes on highways are military ones, and most of them are stopped by the side of road, broken down. Or you can also see brand new Mercedes cars belonging to the North Korean officials passing by at very high speeds." (© Eric Lafforgue) #
Three North Korean girls walk past their house along the banks of the Yalu River near the North Korean town of Qing Cheng, near Dandong, China on September 12, 2008. In August, the United Nations World Food Program urged donors to separate politics from humanitarian aid as it appealed for US$60 million to help North Korea avert the worst food crisis it has faced since the 1990s. (REUTERS/David Gray) #
Eric Lafforgue: "Pyongyang view, taken from Yanggakdo hotel. You can find a famous satellite picture on the net showing a map of the Korean peninsula by night, with a huge difference between the north and south. In North Korea, there is no public lighting, and people use very low wattage bulbs in their houses. The North Korean capital is as surreal by night as it is by day. Due to the fuel crisis there's hardly any traffic to be heard after dark, and nightlife is virtually non-existent. Only monuments are lit during local festivities. Every hour, on the hour, from 6 am to midnight, loudspeakers blast out a patriotic song. Tourists are totally forbidden from leaving their hotels to walk around town, even though Pyongyang is safe, that's the rule." (© Eric Lafforgue) #
A view of Pyongyang streets, with a glimpse of the Ryugyong Hotel, a 1,083-foot tall skyscraper that was abandoned in mid-construction in 1992. (center, pyramid-shaped building in the distance.) Eric Lafforgue: "On Sundays, cars are not allowed in Pyongyang. Only vehicles belonging to the army and government are allowed on the road. Officials claim that it's to prevent pollution." #
High-level North Korean officials take part in a mass meeting celebrating the country's 60th birthday in this picture distributed by North Korea's official news agency KCNA in Pyongyang September 8, 2008. The portrait in the huge North Korean national flag is the state founder and "Great Leader" Kim-Il Sung. The right side letters read, "Celebrate 60th birthday". North Korea's foundation day falls on September 9, 2008. (REUTERS/KCNA) #
Female soldiers and their antiaircraft artillery parade through Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. North Korea marked the 60th anniversary of its founding Tuesday amid news reports that the communist country's leader Kim Jong Il did not attend a closely watched parade amid recent speculation that he may be ill. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) #
A small gathering of North Korean soldiers in an informal moment. Eric Lafforgue: "Not an easy task to shoot a smiling soldier!" (© Eric Lafforgue) #
Hundreds of young women performing in the September 12, 2008 performance of North Korea's Mass Games. (© Eric Lafforgue) #
Eric Lafforgue: "A ray of light during 'Prosper Our Country' Mass Games in Pyongyang stadium... I think there was more people on the ground than in the audience! Amazing show to see." (© Eric Lafforgue) #
Not only does North Korea stage Mass Games, it also has Mass Dances. Here, a young woman participant is seen on April 15, 2008. Eric Lafforgue: "More than 100,000 dancers were standing on the giant square. The audience was invited to join them. The music was performed by a live band. The show lasted for one hour, then the lights were turned off, and less than 5 minutes the square was empty and everybody goes home in the dark streets of Pyongyang." (© Eric Lafforgue) #
A girl is seen performing a patriotic song during a show at Mangyongdae School children's palace on April 17th, 2008. (© Eric Lafforgue) #
A child is seen outside a residential building in Pyongyang on April 12th, 2008. Eric Lafforgue: "On this sunday afternoon, all the kids were rehearsing for a Mass Game, and the parents too. So the buildings and and the streets around were totally void...Strange mood." (© Eric Lafforgue) #
More links and information
Photographer Eric Lafforgue - Flickr page, which links to his personal site as well
North Korean Leader Had Surgery After Stroke, South Koreans Say - NYTimes.com 9/10
North Korea - NYimes.com Topics page
North Korea - Wikipedia entry
North Korea - The Official Webpage of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Ryugyong Hotel - Wikipedia entry
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
The ignorance displayed in these posts is simply ASTOUNDING.
http://freekorea.us/2007/02/18/holocaust-now-looking-down-into-hell-at-camp-22/
Please research before supplying Kim Jong-Il even more justification for his propaganda.
may ALLAH give u more strong thinks.
Great pics! So sad to read comments of pitiful people how think Stalin was a genious instead of a mass murderer. The U.S. is not perfect by any means but having travled the world I've yet to find a place I'd rather be!
Absolutely wonderful, thepictures , that is.
Joan VAnce
The higher ups is North Korea are class traitors!!!!!!
Why does the author of the captions feel it necessary to point out that certain soldiers are female? Does he think we can't tell? Why not point out that others are male?
@ Karoo
I grew up in South Korea with the threat of war constantly looming (at least in the eighties). I don't know if we can really say whether these folks are happy or not. I agree that what constitutes as happiness in 'developed' countries can be quite a fallacy, but to say that these people are safe from being killed or feel safe from being killed we do know is false. Secret police patrol throughout all parts of their society and misspeaking or falling out of place can be lethal for someone or their entire family.
Likewise, the massive food shortages that face this country is staggering. The shear irony that the government relies on their capitalist 'enemies' (South Korea and the US) to provide aid to them to feed their population is astonishing. The happiness felt by these people is the kind of happiness that comes from reducing one's necessities down to a survival lifestyle which could hardly be called a life at all. I understand that materialism has pervaded much of our lifestyle in the West, but this is the opposite extreme. A balance must be struck in both societies.
while there is great repression in North Korea, it is always wise to remind ourselves that people are people, and while the citizens of North Korea are indeed completely shielded from the outside world, and manipulated and propagandized within their country, the regular people also have regular lives and desires as all people do. They may not realize the extent to which they have been closed off, but to read comments about how people are amazed that they still have spirit in them is at best a bit naive. Anywhere in the world, people need to retain their spirit, otherwise they would not want to continue living, and certainly would not be able to hold a society together, no matter how much we may despise their political system.
Someone wrote a comment witch said that comunism is good that he/she had a good childhood in comunist Romania. Well comunist romania was the most free kind of comnist in the world Ceausescu drifted away from Russian rule...people were allowed long hair , and clothes that where in style at those times , and they could listen to rock music popular at the time , in the 1980s Ceausescu went crazy and paranoic , he crumbled the economy poverty took over ad the people grew restless. Ceausescu thought that he was threatend and had "Militia" undercover all over the place. Becouse of this the people began to hate him and it led to the revolution. Nord Coreea is a tolaly diffrent story .Comunist Romania compared to N.Koreea is like comapring America to Ieaq....N.Koreea is HEll on earth...people are tortured to death , death pnalty is as common as bread is to you...they have the worst kind of tortures, your whole family is heald responsible for your act, there are reeducation camps ad all kind of horrid things like every 2 ore something hours large speakers blast patriotic sound all over the cities . Ghet documented before comparing things you ignorant people
There are 12 photos of soldiers here. Seven just show men, and the men are labeled "soldiers," with no reference to gender. Four just show women, and the women are labeled "female soldiers." One is an aerial view that makes it hard to determine sex of the people marching, and they are simply labeled "soldiers." It's one thing to see this kind of language on the 1960s-set TV show "Mad Men," but this is the 21st Century. We have many men and women in the American armed forces, and many men and women clearly serve in North Korea's military. If you're going to single out the people you photograph by sex, at least by equal opportunity about it. I'm disappointed in you, Boston Globe.
nice0000000000000000000
LOOKING AT THOSE PICTURES REMINDS ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD
GROWING UP IN HITLERS GERMANY, ONE DAY WE HAVE TO TEACH
THOSE TIRANS A LESSON , I SEE NO DIFFERENCE BOTH DICTATORS
CALL THEM KIM OR ADOLF BOTH ARE CRIMINALS . THANK GOD WE
GOT ADOLF, HOPE KIM IS NEXT AND BEAUTIFUL NORTH AND SOUTH
KOREA CAN BE ONE COUNTY AGAIN BE ABLE TO LIVE FREE AND TRAVEL
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND TO THE REST OF THE WORLD
Having traveled the world (for which I am grateful), I am amazed at how many people have an image of America (and American people) that seemed shaped by the defensive and anti-American propaganda of their own cultures...or by the images that they get from American movies and media which in a free society is almost all critical or sensationalist.
It reminds me of a Russian family of immigrants that my church was helping. As the father loved coffee and was looking forward to having it always available, on my first day with them, I took him to a grocery store. He spent an hour and a half, looking at bean coffee, and fresh-ground blends, instant, freeze-dried, caf and decap, flavored, from Kenya to Jamaica to rain-forest free-trade, with percolator, drip and filter blends...and all in different sizes and at different prices. He finally left, without making a purchase, shaking his head and complaining of a headache from all the confusing choices. Later that day, I tried to explain searching for an apartment, obtaining homeowner's insurance, the concept of insurance, and shopping for furnishings. The next day we had sessions on job-hunting, benefits, employment policies, life insurance, health insurance, disability, workers comp and filling out employment applications. Long story-short: After 6 weeks they left America and went back "home where everything was simpler".
Ilyen lepukkant negyedeket nálunk, Salgótarjánban is lehet fényképezni.
That kind of ravaged quartier you can find where i live, in Salgótarján too.
Those who say that they would like to go, or even approve what NK is, are so ingenuous, so naive. Those people are suffering. I grew up in Cuba until my 26th, just 2 month ago, and you can't imagine how much your live is dictated there. And I am pretty sure that it is nothing compared to NK. The reality is that those of the government are not so communist, they are opportunists. And need to keep things going the same way so they can continue "enjoying the communism." Forget it, you will never understand. Just stop supporting the slavery.
IF THERE IS ANYBODY HERE DEFENDING THIS SISTEM OR RELATIVISING THE "POOR WAY OF LIFE" OF THEESE PEOPLE JUST WATCH TO THE BBC REPORT OF NORTH KOREAN DISPLAYED ON YOUTUBE. THEN COME BACK AND WRITE ANOTHER POST.
Where the cars? That is not a life.......
For a country so technologically impaired they have done we cannot, remove religion and god. Two thumbs up for them.
To 159: "Female" soldiers are mentioned probably because for the majority of the world it is not normal and unusual to see girls on AA guns.
The real brainwashing is to adopt into people's head that it is normal to send woman into gunfight. It is against Nature.
I CAN ALMOST SEE ADOLPH HITLER IN THE BACKGROUND IN MOST OF THESE PHOTOS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS COUNTRY IS READY FOR WAR AT ANY TIME. WAR IS WRONG & WE ALL KNOW THAT. PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE GUIDED OR FORCED TO THINK THIS IS A NATURAL WAY TO EXIST & LIVE. THERE SHOULDN'T BE A NEED TO BE SO PREPARED FOR WAR. PEACE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING & SHOULD BE PRACTICED EVERYWHERE HUMANS EXIST. HOWEVER, THE COLORFUL DISPLAYS SHOWN DURING THEIR CEREMONIES.SHOW THAT THEY DO RECOGNIZE SOME FORM OF BEAUTY. O HO
if they are unhappy why they are trying escape to South korea? On this pictures we can see most ppl from towns. Did you see these ppl in a villige? they look at least unhappy. N Korea is full of paradox. e.g they wanna finish hotel for 3000 toursits when they got 1.5 k tourist per year.
Great photos.
http://www.eikongraphia.com/wordpress/wp-content/Fishy%20McFish.jpg
As I viewed the photo's, I could'nt help but feel drawn into them, and experiencing a strong feeling of dispare! When of course realizing I was, were I am, that feeling became a sense of warmth realizing God's gift to all humanity should be what we enjoy here in North Americca "PEACE"!!! I am Canadian and have traveled much of the world, but have only come close to what your pictures portray on a few occasions. It's too bad we can't show them to ALL, of the citizens of the free would, thus "maybe" letting them know how lucky we truly are!
All of you Marxist are only seeing the "utopian" pictures. What you don't see is all the torture that is going on behind the scenes. Remember Pol Pot? Remember how many people Stalin tortured and killed (makes Hitler look like a puppy dog)?
If I could go back in time, I would have eliminated Marx, Ingels, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro, Chavez, Sung while they were young adults. Maybe only then, Communism would have never been created.
Those of you who believe in Marxist ideals and think everyone "wants" that, are FOOLS!
Beautiful pictures, but ... a lot of the comments by Eric are factually incorrect.
Having lived in North Korea, I can also say that there is plenty of smiling there, and plenty of unhappiness, too. Just like everywhere else I've lived. The photos by David Gray show the Korea I remember.
This country awesome
GOD! WHat is this?? Is it that humans be the prototype for PCs????
How could people be happy if they're not allowed to know what is happening in the World?
Very fine.Bravo
May I suggest that those who think these photos portray an idealic life, go to a library and look at the photos of life in Germany in the late 1930's, or the USSR in the 50's (see NY Time Moscow Bureau Cheif Kedrick's book The Russians for an unvarnished view). Everyone was content and enjoying life. Well, maybe not everyone, but those people didn't make it into the approved pictures. One difference between Adolph and Kim,is that Kim is more of an equal opportunity oppressor. I wonder, was the photographer allowed to go anywhere he wanted and photograph anything and anyone without a guide, and then take all his pictures out of the country without review by the autorities.
To all of you, who think, that people suffer in N.Korea - I agree. But think about, how much we suffer in our so much advertised "western way of life". I grew up in former socialist Yugoslavia, sure we did not have many things, but as a kid I did not have any wish for them, because I did not know them. Brainwashed? Maybe.
But so are the children in the west today - in the opposite direction. We must have this, we must have that, it has to be good for me, because it was shown on TV. Common, kapitalist western life is also a kind of repression, only with money, not guns. Think of the many people that live in traylors in the US. We as the former socialist country use them only for vacation by the seaside. Think of that, you free Americans. I think it is tragic, that people have to live in trailors. And it is all caused with the endless struggle for more money.... By selling nothing you must earn a lot. That is why the finance system colapsed....
Wonderful pictures.
And wonderfully naîve comments, most likely from Americans, that these people must be sad, poor, and miserable because they dont have freedom.
If you really think about it, you probably suffer a lot more than them.
They don't have to worry about their work, food, health, mortgage or being killed anytime they leave their house (or even when they dont).
Sure, they don't have the freedom, but they don't know it and probably don't miss it.
I really do not not propose that kind of government that they have, but who say your way is the right way?
same..
sad
Ńďŕńčáî!
@ post 180
"They don't have to worry about their work, food, health, mortgage or being killed anytime they leave their house (or even when they dont)."
You're kidding me, right? They've been having famines and you say they don't have to be worried about food? Get real.
It's impresive how the comunist ideology has frozen the country to avoid total caos. As I see it you put a little democracy into a country like that and total caos would ensure. They are living with bread crums and they still behave, not like in african countries where people have horrible wars or like in india where there is mass suicide. Frozen, it's like frozen in time but I wonder if it would be any better if that control was removed, maybe it's their organization that avoids a total collapse of their society by things like crime and riots. I do not think any other kind of governmente could work if no more resources are available and with this world in crisis I doubt they will have it. I see it as an imposible society frozen in time.
we really need 17th century
so AMAZING !!!
Excellent photos as always.
Shame about the country...
They need a revolution... and fast!
I doubt their rulers live in the same poverty.
This is what happens when an economy, any economy,
cannot give freedom to it's people. It has NEVER worked--macro-economically-
PLANNED and centralized SERFDOM.
Kim-Il-Sung and Kim-Jong-Il have succeeded in making
North Korea (DPRK) a super-Orwellian nightmare come true
and the People have NO IDEA about the outside world.
Fifty-eight years of "juche" centralized-planning has made
Communist North Korea a TOTAL macro-economic
"basket-case".
The Color pictures are excellent.. FREEDOM will come to North Korea.
Maybe onew
reminds me of comunist romania,this is where ceausescu got his inspiration
Arguably the most revealing photographs of North Korea I have ever seen. I can only marvel the way of life there and it is refreshing to see such a strong sense of unity amongst the population of a country in the wake of relentless foreign pressure. I feel we in comparatively developed countries have embraced capitalism all too easily without realising its potential flaws. May be its time we try and blend capitalism and communism to prevent individuals from getting any more selfish than we already are. I once heard someone say:
Capitalism is a phenomenon where the wickedest of men commit the wickedest of acts for the social good of all.
How true!!!
Once again! fantastic pictures and thank you
First of all, magnificant photos! Each and every one of the images are breath-taking and thought-provoking. My hats off to you Sir, who either had part in taking these wonderful photographs or publishing them.
Now, to all the individuals who posted comments that see beauty and admiration for an idealogy that has suppressed, manipulated and imprisoned each and every human being of North Korea for more than 60 years......at least I am free, free to creatively think and say what my mind desires, to travel where my heart desires and most importantly am free of persecution for who I am......an individual.
Mike
The photographs are fantabulous . It gives me a projection about North Korea . I love to visit their Country if i will get a chance in my life . Every thing it has prose and corns that we have to consider.They are also good and they want to remain isolated from other Country . Let them live like that and wish for them . That is called freedom.
I AM TRULY CONVINCED THAT ANYONE WHO HAS WRITTEN A COMMENT ON THIS PAGE THAT LEANS PRO NORTH KOREA AFTER SO MANY COUNTLESS SIGNS OF PATHETICISM IS EITHER GETTING PAID FOR THERE OPTIMISM BY THE GOVERNMENT OF NORTH KOREA OR IS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT THEMSELVES (LIKELY AS IT APPEARS MOST OF AGE HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSCRIPTED BY THE MILITARY). I TRULY CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THAT DICTATORSHIP FALL TO PIECES.
It looks like they are a huge mass of robots- not people- in the photos of military parades.
I am luck that I was not born in North Korea.
Thank Lord...
Great photographic coverage. Thank you so much for offering us this insight, BOSTON GLOBE!
nick stage von hayek. guess you never studied china while you were getting your phd in neoliberalism?
I grew up in an Eastern European country before and after communism fell and I am currently living in the US. I am fascinated with following communist countries and imagining what life would have been if...and seeing how long these regimes will last. The short story is that I am very happy I am not living in communism anymore.
It is true that communism brings a certain sense of stability( for lack of a better word) because of the degree of predictability. Because people can't focus on what they have too much( I can assure you some people have more than others even in NK), they focus on relationships and that adds to the sense of stability.
My first argument as a woman to those of you who say people must be happy is that most communists regimes mess with woman's bodies. My home country had banned abortions and there was no birth control available, resulting in illegal abortions and death. I see North Korea practices forced abortions and I'm ready to bet birth control is not available at all or very hard to get. That must be funny, right? If you check across the board for communist countries, you will note this is one of the first things they do: decide on reproduction. To those of you who are Republican, I very much wish you thought harder about what you want.
Dictatorships twist people's lives and the access to birth control and the right to decide when/if to have a pregnancy is only one of them. One that I care deeply of because I would have been directly affected if that system continued to exist. There is of course a list of freedoms that the state feels has the authority to decide upon in its great wisdom. And that makes for a very twisted world in its whole. Amazingly, politically I stand somewhere to the left as I don't care for individualism very much, but I truly wish nobody had to live in totalitarianism.
Someone said that probably those people don't know how bad their life is. I must say that is true. We all evaluate our lives by comparison. When the term of a comparison is lacking, there's not much to compare. I've seen 1984( the movie) at some point after communism has fallen and I remember thinking that that must suck, that it was much worse than the world I've lived in. Well, you know, the movie wasn't far from what I discovered was reality( in essence). So there is a certain bubble effect.
I wouldn't say the US is the best recipe( quality of life rating is 7th or 8th overall, 1st place Norway), but it does work better for now. I personally think it needs less of the island feel and less of the media control there is( I've seen it before and believe I can recognize when things are carefully selected across all political orientations).
To be on topic, the photos are extraordinary.
Every authoritarian society has "places" to show outsiders that have appeal and careful to steer them away from the "places" that don't where the suffering is taking place.
So, although these are some pretty pictures, how many more are there that weren't taken?
I cannot believ some of the comments here. Let's get a few facts straight. The North Koreans damn near worship their leader. They praise the great Kim Jong Il especially when "minders" are around.
Def- Minders are people who make sure North Koreans are doing what they are supposed to be doing.
On any given day, one can witness the people praising the great Kim Jong Il and when someon gets loud, another will get louder until they work themselves into a frenzy.. Why do t hey do this? Those who don't show extreme love for Kim Jong Il have a tendencey to vanish. This country might as well be on a different planet. The people are brainwashed from birth. For those of you who feel like it's such a great place-fine. I cha;;enge you to renounce your citizenship and go live there. Then, and only then, will you see what it is truly like. Excuse any typos but I cannot see what I'm typing at this momenet. Kim Jong Il WE PRAISE THEE!!!!
North Korea is a wonderful Utopia. It has no crime and everybody is equal. Well, most people. you see, communism does not get rid of class. It actually works like Feudalism for the industrialized world, that is, it creates a duel class society........a ruling class (The Communist Party) and a peasant class (Everybody else).
So much for a Utopia.
Hey Dipankar saha,
Don't you work for the North Korean government.......?????
I agree with CMD, I think anyone who posts any pro-North stance must be getting paid.
LOL@ "The great" Kim Jon Il........I heard he likes it where the sun doesn't shine
North Korea is wonderfull place. The goverment only spy on people who will be terrist. Good people live good life with no problem from goverment. United States love war with people and to kill people. If United States know how goo life is in North Korea then all Americans will want to leave United States to live in North Korea. One day all Korea will be one. United States dont stop it.
People who write on this board and talk bad about Kim Jon Il are be ashamed for what they say. Kim Jon Il is great man and leads North Korean people to peace.
These photographs are beautiful and haunting at the same time - pictures of a world that is probably the most closed-off in the entire globe.
Reading through all the comments, I see so many emotions from the posters - people who want to remind people of the harsh life for North Koreans, and others who see the country as a socialist paradise. There must be some truth in all the observations, since none of us (with the exception of people who've managed to leave North Korea) have lived there before. The world does know of the horror of starvation in that country, and that the media is highly restricted. We can also say with some certainty that there exists a strong iron-fisted government and military.
And, at the same time, it IS a country that has not been polluted with western cultural colonialism. Restrictions have made life in the country very simplistic. It is only a shame that this has been enforced on the people, and not done so by choice.
There are so many lessons to be learned here - I'm very appreciative for this look into North Korea, and the former soldiers that have posted on this board who were in the demilitarized zone during and after the war - thank you for speaking about your experience.
Eric Lafforgue.... grow some balls and take some pictures of the nasty side of korea. take some nasty pictures of the north korea that people embed as ugly, disturbing, and demoralizing. show the world that this country is in some serious wanting of self-esteem to be governed by such a lame and overvalued government and political party. show the world what the north korea is like when they overlook women trafficking and postitution. show the world the famine and tightly controlled jailed cells in the north korea. show the world how they are beating to death because of their non belief in military-first policy, or just simply not agreeing with the government of the the treatings of individual rights. this country disgusts me.
Fine pictures, I can see in this mirror our past life.Back to USSR!!
Greeting. I'm moving, but don't worry! [Someone once] told me we're all on the same planet, so I'll be okay!
I am from Guinea and now study English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "Synthroid package insert this ruling clears the way for illinois courts to determine whether the plain language of state and federal law protects the rights of."
Best regards :), Michele.
nice views I like the nature of this country even though they're very poor I think they have good heart just they need to be more opened to the rest of the world. Thanks for these pictures.
Very sad that there are so many countries in the world where the people suffer at the hands of dictators. Perhaps many of these dictators have psychological problems and don't really care about the people of their country. I'm still trying to figure out how to deal with a Narcissistic Dictator!
these pictures remind me of george orwell's 1984...big brother is watching always...t7/up!
Whoever is trying to justify a closed off society in whcih thousands attempt to escape annually is sick in the brain listen to the Vets, they know better.
starnge people !
These comments on pictures are a plain propaganda to fuel bias against north korea.Why do'nt your just put the pictures then people will come to their own conclusions.Right now your are influencing people's decision to be in your point of view.But the pictures are such a nice shot,thanks for that.
Only vehicles belonging to the army and government are allowed on the road. Officials claim that it's to prevent pollution." #
A glimpse of our Al Gore future.
North Korea sucks! however it is ignorant and arrogant to say USA is a paradise. it is a paradise compared to poor countries like N. Korea, Mexico, India etc. but I've lived in Denmark and Sweden and the standard of living there is MUCH better than USA. they have healthcare for their people. millions of Americans do not have access because of the costs. if you cancer here you can go bankrupt and lose everything. there are advantages and disadvantages in every country's culture. not one is perfect.
nice looking women, maybe it the underfed model look
La numéro 19 est purement incroyable !!!!
La derničre également !
Gorgeous photos. As terrible and complicated as their situation is, the people seem to lead a such simple and predictable life. Sometimes I'd like that for myself, in all honesty. I can see the draw of it. It's a shame a country like this can't exist without the lifestyle being forced upon its people because I'd totally live there...at least on and off.
oh atlast found some piks i longed for.feelin sad,u can make out their sorrow in their eyes,may be citizens,,,or may be soldiers,,,,,,too bad,,,,i condemn this condition.
An interesting observation here is that there are extremely few bald men among the north Korean. Why do men in western style societies shed their hair while the men in these societies, these environments and with these lifestyles do not? The only bald head I can see is on picture 25, and on closer examination, ah yes of course, that is not an Asian man.
5 months ago I had a dream,we were under attack by the North Koreans, the soldiers were all over,I was hiding with my two small children under a tree,so scared,I woke up from the nightmare.
This message is for Posted by P-Man above,who says " North Korea just wants peace and the Leader", the pictures posted shows WAR NOT PEACE!
It's a reminder of Hitler and his army! Their was a celebaration in North Korea, the very large poster showed an US Plane with 3 large hands pushing down on the US airplane and cracking the plane in half. The USA needs to take this alittle more serious and keep the public informed! They'll wipe out South Korea and then under attack to the US.
May Allah bring the peace in our world. I dislike dictators, they're all same. Kim Yong Il is a Psycho, look in his face, The next Shirō Ishii.
Those pictures r unreal..sureal...It does look like Germany under Hitler! That leader is sick..We need to change that country,,Somehow!
What a wonderful people with so much potential to be suppessed by a leader who is misguided by his ego. Let these people go North Korea and let them prosper.
Steven,
The reason there are no bald men shown in the photos is because in N. Korea once men reach a certain age (when they begin going bald), they are either not allowed out in public or they are sent to prison camps (or they "disappear" for good)! Seriously, I'm not sure that happens, but I wouldn't be surprised given that N. Korea, like all totalitarian societies, is intent on showing itself as a country of strong, beautiful, young people ready to defend the Fatherland at a moment's notice. The old, sick, and feeble have no place in such a society.
I am from Myanmar.
Like mazier from Iran, I feel so sad.
I hope all of us posses real freedom soon.
Obviously the only way to really get a feel for the real North Korea would be by actually living there for a period of time. Yes, people are people and will find happiness in small things wherever they are and however they live. The pictures are very good - they manage to shed some light on the country which otherwise is so secretive that I have no idea of how it looks.
Someone earlier mentioned about 'soldiers' when it's men and 'female soldiers' when it's women, and classing it as sexist. If this is what they have got from this article then they are totally missing the point and focusing on the wrong thing. In a country like North Korea where they have very little human rights, do you really think sexist terminology in a US newspaper really matters ?
Thanks for the insight.
As an American male, married to a Korean woman and knowing the beauty of the Korean culture; my heart truly breaks for the North Korean people. They have been sucked into a vaccum of control, lies, and fear. I wish that some day the two Koreas could once again be one. I dont think that it will ever happen though. It is a 21st century human tragedy.
Probably Korean people will become free after a time. The same happened in countries from eastern Europe. At that time they will be very happy because they will have the posibility to speak free. Problem is that they will discover that is one of the few advantages of a post comunism regim. All the apropiates of actual regim will become buissness mens over the night. They will dial with foreign companes just for their intrests (they already do this) and the rest of people will be free but with no economic support, they will be simply left alone with no autorities support. After a 15-20 years of stilling some north koreans "milionares" will apear and will rulethe country in "democratic laws (what a joke!). I hope that korean people will not have the same destiny like Romania and Bulgaria but is hard to belive that will not be the same path of changes.
Everything looks so neat that is hard to believe that people is suffering there! Is this country in a bad economic situation? how can they afford all those clothes for the celebrations, uniforms... much less building atomic devices? Can somebody tell me?
One of the mild reasons they are suffering is due to the shear monotony they face. Yhey don't just practice a week or two.. many practice what they are forced to do 16 hours a day for a year!
Look up this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ6E3cShcVU
It will give you an inside peek into this communist society...
The MUST CONFORM in order to be fed...
Those who actually volunteered for the military most likely went there because in fact many notrth koreans have resorted to eating bark and leaves for simple nutrients...
I spent over 7 years in the Republic of Korea. I am currently married to a Korean woman with a heart of gold. It is my wish as well as hers to see the Korean Pennisula become one nation again under a Democratic -elected government. I had the pleasure to see the evil side of North Korea through their weapon scopes pointed at my head. For all of you who blame the USA for everything that goes wrong in this world, I highly suggest that you pull your head out of your "A.." The true blame lies with European, Russian, Chinese, and lastly the Arabic idiots who want to see us fail. HA! Ha! keep dreaming you clueless idiots.
The comments of North Korea being a great country and all those other ignorant, foolish comments really sadden me. Speaking as someone with uncles and their families who live in North Korea, I believe these pictures do not show the harsher side of there. Most of these are related to the military or propaganda and not pictures of common civilians, starving. Life is terrible there, with little resources *one main one being food* and dictatorship. My cousins cant even get milk to drink, or enough rice that they have to make it into a thin, diluted porridge. One of my uncles and his sons have hepatitus from an infected blood transfusion, and we have to send them medicine because they cannot get enough there. Another tragedy is that my grandfather was tricked into movoing to North Korea when it was a brand new country. The government had falsely advertisedthat it was a great place to live with comforts etc but of course that turned out false. Once agreed to live there, you cannot take back your word and you are trapped there forever. . My grandfather complained to the government after learning the true conditions in North Korea shortly after arriving, and was thrown into a prison camp of forced labor and such. He'd already sufferedfrom a stroke due to his high blood pressure, so his right arm and leg were partially paralyzed.There are no details since talking bad about North Korea ishuge crime therebut from what I heard, my grandfather wasn't given medicine for his medical conditions,and diedbecause of that and other horrifying conditions. My family there that survivedstill sendsword through letters of the shortage of money and food,and requests for us to send various neccessities. However much I wish I can do, there is no way I can support two whole families in such a famished, poverty-stricken family and it truely grieves me. I hope this account has given everyone a more realistic,personal view of what it is really like in North Korea.
To poster 179 what the heck is wrong with trailers? Many Americans choose to live in trailers (I guess you mean mobile homes) they are well built to strict guidelines and offer a great value mostly in otherwise overpriced suburban neighborhoods. I enjoy my mobile home while I can sit back and make a good living flipping stick built homes to people who may criticize me. Please ensure you know what you are talking about before posting. I am sure anyone in NK would trade my upper middle class existence in a free country where I can dictate my own future in a 'trailer' for their controlled unfulfilling life in a communist hell anyday.
i love korea
You people are f**king morons. Tell you what, go travel to North Korea and I'll see you in about 12 years after you're arrested and sentenced to twelve years of hard labor just for setting foot on their land. It is a sorry state in the world when people think that this country is a nice place to be.
The bridge to no where was very interesting. The are a very 'colorful' country of brainwashed folks.
Just be glad to wake up every day.... and then be glad you can go anywhere as you please... and try not to think about how bad you have it because, you really don't when you think about these folks.
I just saw a DOCUMENTARY in Los Angeles about North Korea. It was very enlightening. Escapees were interviewed living in China and South Korea.
Information: "Kimjongilia", Director/Writier: NC Heikin, 73 minutes, France/U.S.A., Green garnet Prductions LLC
So, so...sad. :-( I'm from Romania, so I remember some similarities like 20 years ago...but it was never quite like that... I'm so glad that we, as a people(I was only 12 back then), made a move and turned things around... Things are far from perfect, but...seeing all this...makes me happy that I'm not there. :-S
Great Photos, How they united, its amazing!
I love North Korea.
Ganesh, Pudukkottai.
South India.
wow i can not imagine living there
We can learning from "The wonderwall" in Berlin Germany.
We can writing at the wall a hope for the future.
We in(EXYugoslavia) were social communist country and were not even close to that.We had(almost)anything,but some were to gready and wanted kapitalism.Now he have (almost)nothing.
QUE VIVA NRTH COREA!
LIVE NORTH COREA!
I LIKE IT AND NO THE OCCIDENTALISM......
NO EMPLOYED, no education, no health
#30.
Beautiful.
Great Great,, luring sceneries and people still military.