Rare photos reveal daily life in North Korea

To the outside world , North Korea remains a country shrouded in mystery!

North Korea is a unique country, almost completely closed to the world and also has very strict rules for tourists coming here. It is estimated that only 5,000 tourists from China travel to North Korea each year, and during the pandemic, the two countries even stopped all flights.

*Street scene in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province.*

Tariq Zaidi - a Chinese photographer was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit North Korea twice before the COVID period, and took rare photos depicting the daily life of the people there.

He said the tour was closely supervised by two guides, who only allowed him to visit certain spots and regularly checked the photos he took. Photos that the two guides deemed "unacceptable" were immediately deleted, so the images posted had also gone through their strict censorship process.

*People picnic at Ulim Falls. Ulim Falls is named after the Korean word for echo or vibration because its sound can be heard 4km away.*

The tour guide forbade Zaidi from taking pictures of the North Korean military, something that other countries often do to tourists. They also forbade him from taking pictures of individuals, only groups of people and landmarks that have been approved by the government.

View of the city from the Juche Idea Building in Pyongyang. A statue marking the founding of the Korean state can be seen in the upper right corner of the photo, depicting the hands of workers, farmers and intellectuals holding hammers, sickles and paintbrushes.

"They often looked at my photos and forced me to delete the unauthorized ones. When asked about deleting the non- military related photos, they just said they wanted me to take the best pictures of North Korea. This answer also made me smile!"

*Schoolgirls on their way to school in Pyongyang.*

When he first arrived in North Korea, Zaidi was thoroughly checked for his documents and imaging equipment before being allowed to enter. He then traveled across North Korea, going to the Dandong region near the Chinese border and the Demilitarized Zone in the south.

*North Koreans wash their cars with river water and collect rocks and soil, photographed on the road between Ulim Falls and Hamhung.*

He said the people here are very friendly and hospitable, but appear shy when he takes out his camera to shoot. "Children are usually fine with me taking pictures, but some older people seem hesitant when I raise my camera. Some people I have to persuade before they let me take pictures. When I take pictures in public places like train stations, people often look shy, I don't know if it's because of the culture or because this country doesn't have many photographers. But like taking pictures in other countries, I always respect people's privacy and only take pictures of those who have given permission."

*The military ensures security at the coast near Wonsan.*

Zaidi arrived in North Korea in 2017, intending to photograph a beer festival until the event was postponed indefinitely. But he stayed to take pictures of everyday people for a book he published, "North Korea: A People's Paradise."

"My goal is to give readers a comprehensive and rich experience of a country with many restrictions like North Korea," Zaidi added.