You have probably heard something about the crippled nation of North Korea but there aren’t a lot of genuine photos that show the harsh conditions. Korea used to be one nation until the country was divided following World War II, with the North becoming a communist state while the South became a democracy. It is very rare for Western photographers to document the poverty-ridden society under the dictatorship of Kim Jong-un. It is a risky adventure since it is illegal to take photos of everyday life and show them outside the country. Here are some incredible photographs that were smuggled out of the country:
According to reporters who’ve visited the country, you can both consume and purchase pot pretty freely and not worry about being prosecuted anywhere in North Korea.
It is unknown wether there aren’t any rules against pot altogether, or there are rules that aren’t being enforced. It is also unknown if the same rules apply for both tourists and North Korean citizens.
This photo was taken at the Mansu Hill Grand Monument. The uniformed girls are sweeping one of the walkways as a form of public service. Not something you would see in the U.S. that’s for sure.
The state on the left-hand side is the Socialist Revolution monument.
According to an anonymous source from Pyongyang, who contacted South Korea newspaper, The Chosun Ilbo men in North Korea were ordered to cut their hair so it wasn’t longer than 2 centimeters. They were also told to model their hairstyles after Kim Jong Un, whose hair has been described as “ambitious.”
Women were also required to keep their hair at a bob length and model it after Kim’s wife.
It isn’t easy to leave North Korea and you will be punished if you are caught trying to escape. There is a way, though, to defect but it would cost you $8,000 to do so. That will only get you to China, though and very few North Koreans would actually be able to afford that.
So basically, it is almost impossible to leave the corrupt country.
You aren’t free to go wherever you want when exploring North Korea. When the photographer was able to get away from his two guides for a minute, he stumbled upon a local shopping area. He was soon removed by a cop as it was for locals only.
Photographer Michael Huniewicz had about 15 seconds to take this photo before he was told to leave.
