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| April 24, 2009 | (Use j/k keys to navigate)  Email to a friend  Permalink |
Peering into North Korea
News stories about North Korea have been quite frequent recently, with their test launch of a rocket over Japan, withdrawal from nuclear disarmament talks coupled with a threat to restart their nuclear program, reports that their nuclear attack capabilities may be larger than previously thought - and their recent arrest and indictment of two U.S. reporters on its border with China. Even with all this attention, photographs from North Korea are still restricted and hard to come by. One way around that has been for photographers to peer inside from across the border, a pastime that has also spurred a level of curious tourism in both neighboring South Korea and China. Collected here are a some recent photographs, looking into reclusive North Korea from the outside - and some of the reactions these observations induce. (previously: Recent scenes from North Korea) (37 photos total)
Dusk falls over the Yalu River on April 3, 2009, which seperates the North Korean town of Siniuju (opposite) from the Chinese city of Dandong, as lights are turned on along the Yalu River bridge, also known as the no-name bridge. The full-length bridge built right beside the no-name bridge remains busy during the day time as trucks, trains and other vehicles transport goods back and forth. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) #
More links and information
North Korea Says It Will Halt Talks and Restart Its Nuclear Program - NYTimes.com 04/14
North Korea Decides to Indict 2 U.S. Reporters - NYTimes.com 04/24
North Korea - NYTimes topics page
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Scaring...
#22 is so representative of sad...
This the success of modern socialism!
Looks like they use wood and coal for heating their homes. That definitely must make the air in the neighborhoods hard to breathe.
I was stationed in Osan, S. Korea and did a DMZ tour. I actually got to cross into N Korea inside the DMZ while in the special building that North and South meet in. NK soliders peered into the windows as we were given the tour. The NKs stood in this wierd, imposing stance on both of the corners on their side of the building while wearing mirrored sunglasses. The SKs told us this was the 'RoK Ready' position intended to intimidate us. Pic #44 really reminded me of this.
#25 is perfect !
I've come to look forward to these boston.com pictorals.
I'm an indian and part of the worlds largest democracy. We are an upcoming and vibrant economy with a stable economy. Still half of the time peopl end up taking a dig at the way the system works here.
Posted by The Traveller
The reason people dig at the way the system works is that millions are still living in dire poverty. Because some are not, does not mean the system is ideal; it can be improved.
Photos #7 and #27, taken together, are interesting.
Meanwhile, anyone want to get together and donate some paint to North Korea? Their cities seem endlessly gray and depressing. :(
Spectacular pictures to nourish our imagination and fascination with North Korea.
Thanks for the link to Eric Laffourge's Flickr album which adds a whole beautiful dimension.
probably the worst place on earth to live....
@77 Tyler:
You noted "Kind of like Stalin, a leader like that is GREAT for certain amounts of time"
You might want to take a look at some history books.
@74
You can get some information that will help your understanding at www.feedmil.com ... just type out north korea.
But just remember that the mentalities of the two halves of Korea are identical. Seoul is just Pyongyang in drag.
Number 16. "Separate" not "seperate."
I dont even live in Boston but I read every new big photo column on this page. I love stumble for finding this site for me, these really are some of the coolest pics on the net week after week! this one is a real eye opener about north korea
Great photos. Thanks.
@Rhino (Comment #118) - I think you're wrong. I think S. Korea is
N.Korea unfettered. Lots of hope, enthusiasm, optimism and courage there.
The North is like a vampire state, sucking the life out of good people.
I can draw no conclusion about North Korea from your photographs as they sample a tiny microcosm of little relevance to the people as a whole. As for scary, why don't you attempt to enter a protected US facility and watch the faces of our soldiers and their reactions. I doubt they would be much different. Finally, who is to say that the photographer did not provoke their reactions by his own actions.
A frightening country.... Good photo's!
well, from the pictures I really can't see all that oppression you all talk about. the only thing I see is that they pretty much dislike our curiosity. as if to say: leave us alone.
they look poor, but note: most people in the pics (not soldiers, but workers and kids) are smiling/ laughing - is that the propaganda?
i don't see anything scary here. i think a lot of people are applying what they believe to be true to these photos.
while they do appear to be without many modern conveniences like plumbing, i see kids playing, soliders spending idle time playing a guitar and basketball. and people going to work.
a lot of people need to check how they perceive things.
The photos remind me of the way South Korea looked in 1952 during the war. My last visit there was in 1987 and what a dramatic change. The kids look well-dressed and happy, but that's to be expected from a border area where they're on display to tourists along the river. I have a daughter-in-law from Inchon whose father came from North Korea. She feels nothing but pity for her unknown relatives across the border.
i' am south korean
this photo amazing....
amazing north korea...
Comment #74... "I simply don't understand what made such huge differences. N. Korea and S. Korea have just same DNA, language, and culture."
It's called communism. And to think some in the west still foolishly believe in it...
Thanks Boss-ton...
Only if the Americans accepted the fact that some people want to live the way they wish to live and "NOT" the American way.
Great pictures...Thanks for sharing.
Image number 25 is absolutely stunning. Beautiful capture.
at once, we don't have the tradirionals american comments :
amazzzzzzing, so lovelyyyy, so bioutifuuuuuul !!!!
To Tony @ 109:
Sounds as if you got a bit confused. It's the South Korean soldiers who wear sunglasses and stand in aggressive poses, which are supposed to intimidate the North Korean soldiers. The "ROK" in "ROK Ready" stands for "Republic of Korea", the official name of South Korea.
Four years ago, after a week in Pyongyang, I took the train to Shineuiju and crossed over the Yalu river to Dandong in China. The contrast is surreal. All the pictures are superb and describe exactly what life is there.
There are two great books to read for all of you DPRK watchers: The Aquariums of Pyongyang: "Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag by Chol-Wan Kang" and the masterpiece "Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader" by Bradley K. Martin.
Only if idiots like #130 would go live in countries like North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, or Afghanistan and live the way those people FORCE you to live.
22 is so hot !
3rd picture - directly from Orvell's 1984, directed by Michael Radford
@99 justin: the photographer is still alive because he (she?) is not in North Korea. As the text at the top of the page indicates, the photos were all taken from just over the border in either South Korea or China (depending on the picture). So the soldier could threaten, but could not act unless the photographer crossed the border.
#32 - I can't help but think of the childhood rhyme, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." Only in this case the sticks and stones won't hurt me.
http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-1/
http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-2/
http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-3/
http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-4/
http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-5/
More photos with comments in Russian.
@136. robert, if you liked that, you'll like this even more: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22931262@N07/sets/72157606593147742/detail/
CARO DUCK,
RETRANSMITO FOTOS DA FRONTEIRA DA KOREA DO NORTE, INCLUSIVE COM ALGUMAS IMAGENS DE NAVIOS QUE NÃO SEI SE SERVIRÃO PARA SEU ARQUIVO.
ABRAÇOS, SIMÕES.
Já pararam para pensar? A maioria desses paÃses que se dizem "fechados", se acham melhores que os outros! Prestem atenção a alguns detalhes!!!! Eles são TOTALMENTE DEPENDENTES DE NÓS! Alguém ai conseguiu ver alguma folha verde em alguma daquelas árvores secas? Ou no meio daquela fumaça toda?
Eles deveriam agradecer, ajudar paÃses como o Brasil que sustenta com nossa Amazônia pessoas assim. Iguais mas que se julgam diferentes.
País infeliz, com pessoas que não conhecem outra coisa que não aquilo que lhes é "mostrado". Perspectivas de quê?
These are great photos, and I didn't think everything looked "dreary" as most commenters here implied. Most of the photos, excluding guards, of the villagers and landscape look peaceful. The river looks clean (#26, #31), and the kids look healthy (#33 - btw, I really like that photo -- kind of reminds me of Cartier Bresson's photo.
Great pics, though sad, wintery, socialist-y or rather totalitarist-y grey and sad...
Make me shiver.
I can see the draw to communism, the idea that everyone contributes for the greater good of everyone. Sounds nice.
However, those pesky lazy cogs always end up in the system and tear the entire machine down. Although there may be an inspirational leader who actually is considerate of his people and strives to make society better, eventually his bastard brother/cousin/son gets into power and mucks everything up.
Also, it is a very naive thought to think the USA would be any better off if Regan/Clinton/Bush/Obama was given the same unchecked power Kim Jong-Il has.
Communism works for everyone except Humans.
Mostrado não, que so conhecem aquilo que lhes permitem ver. O Socialismo/Comunismo é escravidão em massa, cercada de miséria e sofrimento por todos os lados. A Koreia do Norte da America Latina chama-se CUBA.
@138: If you check the captions you'll see all these photos were taken from China. The only North Korean settlement visible from South Korea, as far as I know, is the propaganda village - Gijeongdong.
Loved #25... hauntingly beautiful
Thanks for the whole series though!
Image #25 is amazing. Looks like a scene from a SciFi movie. Great collection of photos.
To the photographer:
Are these shot with CANON or Nikon ?
What mode ? What lens did you use ?
Amazing Long range Telephoto lense you must have use.
Thanks.
GREAT PHOTOES
The North Koreans are very poor, but unlike many countries they have lived up to the Ideals of Karl Marx. Only Pol Pot of Cambodia had a better plan than the N. Korea plan. Take a good look America. This is what Obama has planned for you!
Is it your camera or is it really so gray and the hills look like shells hit everyone of them. There must be another side with more color and life then your camera is showing. There is always two sides of a camera view .Why showing only one side of it?
It seems that most of the commentators in this blog have forgotten that it was the US Congress and Senate that determined that the land would be turned into the two "Koreas". Bowing to the threat of the Chinese at the time was their way to end an embarassment. As to the brotherly feeling that was mentioned, having my Korean wife even hear about the North Koreans was enough to start a tirade about the "monsters of the North" ; a feeling that was prevailent with most South Koreans that grew up near the DMZ and remember the spies and tunnels.
"I simply don't understand what made such huge differences."
Jean, it's simple. After the country was liberated from the Japanese in WWII, the Soviets took over the northern part, and the US took over the southern part. Seems like too many folks took the wacky communist ideals waaaay too far, and for far too long.
...it seems the only people in the pictures are the soldiers... may be because they're the only ones who succeed in getting some food... all the other normal citizens must be longtime dead from starvation.
These photos are nice. But they are not the real circumstances that most of the population are suffering in this very closed country. I know, just like our former president did, I took the time to read a true testimony " aquariums of pyongyang"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aquariums_of_Pyongyang
Where, today, are the 2 American reporters that have been detained for photographing "border shots" like we see here? To get another glimpse of the photos that should be shown you can watch "the crossing"
http://www.yesasia.com/crossing-dvd-korea-verision/1014430558-0-0-0-en/info.html
Pic #20 the text says "Our great leader Kim Il Sung will stay with us forever."
It is folly to mistake poor for weak. If these pictures prove anything, it's that the government of North Korea cares very little for human life and even less for North Koreans.
Do you know why the hills look so grey and bleak? Because those 'living-up-to-marxist-ideals' ate the grass. Seriously.
In communist state there are no ideals. No bright sides. Leader says something, army enforces that. Any dissenters are dealt with incarceration in so-called 'work camps' or simply killed.
Most people living in Europe, America or almost everywhere else simply cannot understand this, because of belief in 'human rights', 'personal freedom' and 'right to seek happiness'. In totalitarian states, those privileges are not worth the paper they are printed on. Even ideology consists of 'doctrine' (set of ideals) and 'dialectics' (rules how to bend and twist the ideals). And yes, you would also praise 'beloved leader' if that means your kid gets some food. Maybe tomorrow, maybe some other day.
Only hope for North Korea is complete removal of government. And even that would be very, very risky for North Koreans - after all (I use it as an example) the transition from 'socialism with human face' to fairly modern economy took 20 years in Poland... and is still far from complete. Still corrupt officials (and even doctors) are the norm, and the law is not to abide, but to bypass it.
I would not say that N. Korea is a 'communist' state. Actually there has never been a 'communist' state. The closest example might be Cuba, and the bright side there can be seen in their human development indices:
http://hdrstats.undp.org/2008/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_CUB.html
they actually beat many so-called capitalist states! I'm not defending N. Korea or any other 20th century examples of so-called communism but it is wrong to defame the ideals of communist and socialist theory based on examples of nations which claim to be communist but aren't. it should also be mentioned that there has never been an actual 'capitalist' society either. every time a nation gets too close to absolute capitalism (as it was intended in theory) an 'economic crisis' hits and the gov't steps in to save corporations on taxpayers dollers
amazing, stunning, thoughtful photos ...
I like the captures of a good photo journaliam.
Amazing collection of photographs. Historical and interesting. Well done & thanks so much for sharing with the world!
I am from China ,those picture remind me my childhood time ,which is 30 years ago.....everything was soooo similar to North Korea nowadays......God ,may that never come back to us,and please bless the people who are surviving under the same hardship and darkness as we used to be.....
N. Korea looks like what I lived in China nearly 30 years ago.
kak v Sovetskom Soyuse .... bednost....nischeta......
Time travel is possible.
Looking into North Korea is like looking into the past. A dark side of the past, sadly.
You are looking at the beginning of the end for North Korea. Will it be a peaceful end or will we go to war? That is the question. And more importantly how will China react? WWIII?
1984
SORRY FOR CHILDREN, SORRY FOR PEOPLE.....
GOD DAMN COMMUNISM, GOD DAMN MATERIALISM, GOD DAMN ONLY WORLDLY LIFE... (EVEN THEY HAVE NOT GOOD WORLDLY LIFE!!!!)
They have better basketball courts and happier looking children than where I live in New Jersey, USA. Looks OK to me.
@161: You are absolutely right.
Plus, the real tragedies are surely not visible from the chinese border.
Let's not forget that whatever embargos, sanctions and actions maybe called against North Korea, that it will be these already imprisoned and starving people , who will suffer the most.
Unfortunately I can hardly imagine neither China or South Korea to get really warm with the idea that some day all these millions of deprived people may be free to choose their ways over their borders.
@174:( here, go have a nice read on the "sports section"
i AM AGREE WITH WHAT THEY SAY THAT THE FOTO SHOWS ONLY THE GREY SIDE.I AM SURE THERE ARE HAPPY PEOPLE THERE,JUST THEY DONT OTHER REALITY.
HAIL NORTH KOREA THE ONLY TRUE FREE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!!
FREE FROM STDS AND IMPERIALISM AND THE CLUTCHES OF CHEMICAL FOODS AND ENSLAVEMENT FROM BIG COMPANIES, FOOLISH METAL STATES.
HAIL KIM JONG IL PLEASE DESTROY THE AMERICAN DICK SUCKING SOUTH KOREANS BASTERDS!!!!!!!! SAVE OUR SOUTHERN BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
These photographs are spectacular. Just amazing. To be able to view them for free is a real privilege.
I'd point out to the person above who touted Cuba as a functional socialist state that the people there are forbidden from using the internet, or indeed from speaking out against the government, who aren't democratically elected.
However. to the people who say of North Korea, "This is where Communism/Socialism gets you", I'd say wise up.
You could as easily say, "This is where being North Korean gets you".
There's no cause and effect relationship here between socialism and the state of North Korea.
North Korea's main problems are:
1) It is a dictatorship
2) It's government practices isolationism
3) It is subject to trade embargoes
Pictures dont always tell the whole story, These people are products of their government and cultural lifestyles. This place is evil at the government level.
I like how several people here clearly explained how those pictures are biased but there are still people to notice that "North Koreans don't seem very happy".
Openness of mind and critical thinking are definitely rare gifts. Education, education, education...
Intresting... Really amazing photo. This is really one of my fav's sites!
dear mr. president, i just want to thank you for everything you do. some days on tv you look tired. please get some rest. do your best and get some rest.
THIS WHOLE THING HAS GOTTEN MY ATTENTION, I LUV HISTORY, IM ALSO FORMER ACTIVE DUTY IN THE NAVY AND MY RESERVE TIME WILL BE UP IN OCTOBER, IM HOPING NUTHIN HAPPENS THEN I WONT BE RECALLED. NORTH KOREANS LIFESTYLE IS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNIST LIFESTYLE
Great Pictures....thanks from the bottom of my heart and the top of my eyes !
Too bad there are no night pictures. If you look across at North Korea from China at night, all you see is darkness- there are only a few pinpricks of light, because there's no electricity. But if you turn around, and look back at Dandong, China, it's lit up like a carnival. What a difference!
These are stunning pictures, however but they don't show the "whole" of N. Korea.
For sake of appearance, border areas that receive a lot of tourists are generally better off than central areas that are isolated from foreign cameras.
I cannot bring myself to judge whether N. Koreans are "happy" simply because the concept of being 'happy" varies from culture to culture. Sure, N. Koreans may be famished, have poor utilities, etc. But, its important to remember that that life is all they know. You cannot miss what you haven't had. Most people who see these pictures might conclude that N. Koreans live in horrid conditions because they make these judgments based their own concept of what is "happy" or "wealthy" when in fact most N. Koreans have never experienced western happiness or wealth.
In conclusion, I would like to leave everyone with the idea that people of a certain place are the way they are because that's how they do things in that place, whether it be for economic, political, military, health, or cultural reasons.
It's like how grass is green. it just is. (unless you want to get technical)
looks a lot better than even the wealthier parts my country (Brazil, a capitalist liberal democracy)
I'm at present in Dandong. What these beautiful pics don't show is that the opposite Chinese city is a sort of Dysneyland for Cold war nostalgic and very pragmatic Chinese make good profit on it. New married couples are photographed with the North Korean "landscape" behind them, while you pay to walk on the old bridge and take a look on the other side through binoculars. That's "iron curtain tourism" in the age of globalization!
Those female soldiers are HOT!
Even the soldiers look poorly nourished.
Such a cruel live in NK.
An ox cart in 21 century?
A bad road?
Unstylished fashion?
Uninterested building?
In this 21 century????
They should open their mind and see their two
neighborhood, the China and South Korea.
Whoever said Seoul and Pyongyang share the same mentality has obviously never been to Seoul and seen a college guy with a purple mohawk dressed head to toe in Gucci, playfully teasing girls while eating a Big Mac, listening to Korean rap on an iPod derivative, and leaning on his dad's Maserati, but I'd agree that all Koreans hated George Bush. South Korea DEFINITELY has its own unique mentality.
I'm guessing the South Koreans are "American Brown-Nosers" because they don't want to live in the squalor, filth and poverty conditions enjoyed by their isolated, fanatical neighbors to the North.
All of you people who think that these photos are melodramatic and unfair representations of the county WAKE UP! Ignorance truly is the most dangerous thing on the planet. Why would anyone even want to defend a communist prison of a country that sends journalists to work camps and launches nuclear weapons? Do you think it's just a coincidence that they won't let anyone in or out of the country?
Wow, I think it will be great to use this in my homework! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is very impressive to see how a whole country still strives to survive amongst capistalism.
I am against any kind of dictatorship.
But we should think of what kind of freedom capitalism gives us.
And what I see is people worshiping shopping malls.
Disgusting.
Congratulations for the photos of this web site. We would like to propose you some photos and a video about North Corea and the XIII youth festival done during a trip of the journalist Orazio Mezzio in 1989. You can see everything visiting the website www.sorrisidiregime.it. Through your comments we would like to create a bridge of solidarity for all young people who fight for freedom.
Thank you.
The staff of "Sorrisi di Regime.it"
the nation is full of ordinary folks just trying to get by. I have been inside 3 times and they look and talk and act like we do. Sure the leaders are off planet earth but we have to remember that most folks are the same as us.
Thank God For The US of A!
Pray that God will save North Korea, as He has America - and pray that America will remember God once more...because we have forgotten Him...
Jesus Saves Anyone!
Considering that the photographers were hardly allowed to actually visit the village and were taking long distant photos - I thought they had a remarkable variety and were actually struggling to get across the humanity. Of course there are tons of soldiers, as they patrol the area and are going to be seen the most.
I was really touched by the photographer catching humanizing moments; the soldier playing with a shovel, another playing with a guitar, a woman on her bicycle, and kids playing with big grins on their faces like everywhere else in the world. I thought it was a very honest series.
Looking at these pictures make me feel like im looking at pictures of concentration camps.
"Look at #25 and tell me where the green movement should be working to improve the enviroment. I seems to me that an improvement in this kind of place will yield a much bigger return than a marginal inprovement in the developed countries that have already cleaned up most of thier pollution."
@Snowman
They are just trying to pass the winter cold. It is way better than you sitting on the traffic and polluting the air. Its always easier to trash talk. If you really care about the climate,...I suggest you take walk and leave the car home or stop using a computer. After all those are the garbage that your country ships to 3rd world countries to dispose!!!
IT BRING TEARS TO MY EYE THAT POEPLE LIVE LIKE THIS
AND YET NOW OF ANYTHING ELSE
The person who took these pictures is a godly photographer! (looks at smokestack picture)