DPRK Details: 50 Surprising Snapshots Of Life In North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, is an enigma. Since the end of the Second World War, the country has been ruled by a communist dictatorship, and unlike China and Russia, it remains strictly communist to this day. North Korea is thus one of the world’s most isolated societies, being closed off to much of global commerce and culture.

With so much coverage of North Korea devoted to strategic and ideological issues, we often forget that real people live there. It’s hard to gauge what life is like for a people so isolated, but thanks to social media and the efforts of intrepid journalists, photos of the country are slowly beginning to circulate. You’ll never guess what life is like in the last true bastion of communism:

Agricultural Attractions

Unlike the people of South Korea and other industrialized countries, a large percentage of North Koreans continue to work in agriculture. Farmers supply the central government with the raw materials it needs to run a planned economy.

Furnished On The Farm

North Korea doesn’t import much, and thus has to produce most of its food internally. The result is enormous farms to supply a single country.

Systematic Surveillance

The North Korean government keeps constant tabs on its citizens. The police can arrest anyone who makes seditious comments, condemning them and their descendants to labor camps.

Perceived Prosperity?

Urban areas often contain images of affluent people wearing designer clothes. Though the government cites this as evidence of a prosperous economy, it is more likely that these are actors in state-sponsored propaganda shots.