Inside North Korea
Rarely do Americans get a look at notoriously secretive, and often hostile, North Korea. The regime, led by dictator Kim Jong Un, tightly controls what journalists and visitors can see. Here are some rare photos taken inside North Korea.
In this photo, people are seen at the Pyongyang Science Museum's 5-D theater (a 3-D movie with chairs that move plus rain and snow that falls on the audiences in conjunction with the images seen.)
Floating club
In 2018, waitresses put on a show at a restaurant that floats on the Taedong river.
Horse ride
A boy saddles up at the Myrim Riding Club in Pyongyang in 2019.
Cook-off
Chefs compete at a national cooking competition in 2019 in Pyongyang.
A trim at work
In 2019. a man receives a haircut at a salon for workers of the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex in the city of Hamhung.
Take that!
This is a picture of a martial-arts competition in Pyongyang In 2019.
On ice
An ice-skating rink draws a crowd in Pyongyang in 2019.
On the job
A worker performs a task at the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex in 2019.
Birthday dance
A mass dance is performed by students in Pyongyang in 2019; the event is part of celebrations marking the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who led the country from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994.
Planting day
Tree Planting Day is a public holiday marked in March in North Korea.
Skate park
A boy plays at a skate park in 2019 in Pyongyang.
Pyongyang
The famous 105-story Ryugyong Hotel "Pyramid Building" in Pyongyang, seen in Oct. 2016. Construction began in 1987. It's massive and has a shiny spaceship-like exterior, but it's also incomplete and uninhabited.
Traffic cop
A woman guides traffic in Pyongyang, Oct. 2016.
Customs form
The customs form that is filled out upon entry, including mention of a "killing device," has not changed in at least eight years.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A view of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.
Show of loyalty
This photo shows a lapel pin depicting Kim Il Sung. Most people in the capital, particularly all the government people, wear lapel pins of either Kim Il Sung, the first leader; his son Kim Jong Il, or both of their images on one pin.
Kim Il Sung was the supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more commonly called North Korea, from its creation in 1948 until his death in 1994. Kim Jong Il succeeded his father and was the supreme leader of the country from Oct. 8, 1997 to his death on Dec. 17, 2011. He was followed by his youngest son Kim Jong Un, who was hailed as the "Great Successor" by the Korean Central News Agency.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A soldier (right) welcomes foreign reporters and officials at the doors of the War Museum during a government-organized tour in Pyongyang, October 9, 2015.
Schoolchildren
Pyongyang school children are curious to meet Americans, Oct. 2016.
Okryu Children's Hospital
The Okryu Children's Hospital is a modern clean facility. The State pays for medical care.
Souvenir toys
These are some of the toys available in a souvenir shop for visiting foreigners, Oct. 2016.
Pizza restaurant
One of perhaps three pizza places in Pyongyang, Oct. 2016. The women make pizza and also sing karaoke to customers.
High school musicians
Band practice at a high school in Pyongyang, Oct. 2016.
Moranbong Band
Members of the Moranbong Band perform, Oct. 2016. The group is an all-female 20-member pop, rock, fusion music act whose members are supposedly selected by supreme leader Kim Jong Un.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Two railway workers chat in front of a flower mural inside a subway station during a government-organized tour in Pyongyang, Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
People read newspapers displayed inside a subway station visited by foreign reporters during a government-organized tour in Pyongyang, Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang Zoo
The entrance to the Pyongyang Zoo, which has recently been renovated, Oct. 2016.
Pyongyang Middle School for Orphans
Students in a boarding school for orphans, in October 2016. They consider Kim Jong Un to be their father since they do not have one.
Great Leaders
Portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are omnipresent.
High rise
A newly-built residential building is seen at sunrise in central Pyongyang, October 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
One of Pyongyang's very grand Soviet-style subway stations, deep underground, with a large portrait of the late Kim Jong Il overlooking his comrades.
Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korean fans watch their team's preliminary 2018 World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying soccer match against the Philippines at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2015.
Boy in uniform
A young North Korean boy in Pyongyang.
Pyongyang subway system
People travel up a very long escalator extending deep below ground level in Pyongyang's subway system.
Pyongyang commuters
Commuters make their way through a subway station in Pyongyang, Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Passengers travel on a train stopped at a subway station visited by foreign reporters during a government-organized tour in Pyongyang, Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
People exercise on the banks of Taedong River in Pyongyang, early on Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
People work in a field just outside Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Military personnel cross a bridge in central Pyongyang, Oct. 9, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A man fishes as North Korean military personnel paddle a small boat amid morning fog over Taedong River in Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A woman prepares to serve during a game of volleyball in downtown Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2015.
Rising wealth is evident despite a creaking state economy.
Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korean fans hold flags and sing the national anthem before their team's preliminary 2018 World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying soccer match against the Philippines at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Soldiers carry rocket launchers in front of a stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other officials during the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Oct. 10, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Missiles are carried on trucks past a reviewing stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Oct. 10, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A soldier salutes from atop a tank toward a stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang Oct. 10, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
People cheer in the direction of the reviewing stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they carry a large picture of his father and former leader Kim Jong Il during the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Oct. 10, 2015.
Kim Jong Un
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un holds the hand of senior Chinese Communist Party official Liu Yunshan as he waves to the crowd during the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang Oct. 10, 2015.
Pyongyang, North Korea
A North Korean soldiers stands before spectators during a mass military parade at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on Oct. 10, 2015.