We get to see only that part of North Korea which the dictator Kim Jong-Un wants to show to the world; however, there is no denying the fact that North Korea as a nation that fails to provide its citizens with the basic amenities and proper living conditions and human rights violations is an open secret of the country.
Some reporters and photographers went on a visit to North Korea or we must say only the capital city of Pyongang (just keep in mind that Pyongang is the only developed city of the nation) and they were under the control of their guides to such an extent that even their sleeping and waking time was decided by the guide. What’s more, there was restriction on photographing also, depending on the situation.
However, one photographer from Poland, Michal Huniewicz actually managed to click photos for which he didn’t have the permission and brought them out of North Korea. In the words of Michal Huniewicz, “I visited North Korea and took these photos, most of them illegal, so you could get a more candid look into the most mysterious country on the planet. I was told I would be detained in case photos like these were found (‘You took many photos. Too many,’ – said my guide), but I managed to smuggle them out of the country, which was very stressful.”
Here are some of those photos:
1. Michal feels that these people were specially sent there as “Arrival in Pyongyang. I believe this was staged, as there were no other trains that day, so those elegant looking travelers had no reason to be there.”
2. This photo he clicked while travelling in train. In North Korea it is not permissible to click while in train.
3. Workers of North Korea
4. Tourists can’t talk to locals, have a look at the face of this waitress, she seems worried….
5. “Pyongyang – we were intercepted by our guides, who we could not leave during the entire stay, and who’d tell us when to sleep and when to wake up.”
6. No limit on buying the souvenirs
7. In Pyongang, military personnel can be seen in large numbers.
8. Citizens of Pyongang
9. The only place where you can click as much as you want – Kim Il-Sung’s Square
10. Soldiers on the round
11. See your left side and then right side – left side is North Korea and on the right is China.
12. “Those allowed to live in Pyongyang are privileged, and wear a badge that is impossible to buy (you can get a fake one in China).”
13. “I had 15 seconds to take this picture. This shop is for the locals only, and I was kicked out of it by my guide soon after taking this photo, but he didn’t see me taking it.”
14. An old building of Pyongang
15. The village area
16. Michal’s hotel didn’t have 5th floor, at least officially, it can be reached by stairs but “The door is almost always closed, but if you manage to get in, the place is full of propaganda posters, and people speculate it’s used for spying on the guests.”
17. Bus full of travelers; a mind-boggling fact is that permit is needed for even travelling within the country.
