A photographer took depressing images from the lives of ordinary people in North Korea on his phone
While North Korea is constantly threatening to use nuclear weapons, let's take a look at this country from the inside.
The North Korean government, as you know, has already become synonymous with secrecy. All tourists entering the country are instructed in detail what they can photograph and what they can't. Customs officers carefully check phones and other digital gadgets — cameras, tablets and memory cards — for prohibited content.
It was these restrictions that prompted photographer Xiaolu Chu to travel by train across the country in August 2015, while documenting the daily lives of ordinary people on a regular phone. Xiaolu Chu did not dare to use a professional camera, as the locals could report him to the police.
The photographer had to delete many of the shots after clashes with the police.
The photographer went on a long trip to North Korea.
Most Chinese tourists enter the country by train through the city of Siniju or by plane through Pyongyang. Instead, photographer Xiaolu Chu went to Russia to get to North Korea from there via the northern port of Tumangan.
The train from Tumangan to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, runs for a day. But this time it was canceled due to disagreements between North and South Korea.
Xiaolu Chu: "So we could walk around the village all day and take pictures."
The photographer saw a lot of people who lived in extreme poverty. Many asked for alms.
"There are practically no overweight people in North Korea, everyone is very thin."
Many residential buildings were in poor condition and in need of repair.
Later, the photographer returned to the railway station and noticed portraits of former leaders of the country.
At night, pitch darkness descends on the settlement and only these portraits are illuminated.
The next day, the photographer finally boarded a train that went to the capital.
A customs officer checked whether the GPS on Xiaolu's tablet was turned off. The signals are jammed as security measures.
The customs officer also checked the laptop and the camera. The photographer noticed that he skillfully handled gadgets, with the exception of the MacBook.
View from the train window: a boy collects corn kernels on the tracks.
Many people travel by bicycle.
Children swim in the river.
There were sad signs of poverty at almost every station. In the photo: a boy begs at Hamhung station.
Soldiers of the Korean army are resting on the tracks.
Every time there was a chance, Xiaolu Chu took pictures on his phone. The photographer was afraid to get a professional camera, as the locals were vigilantly watching him.
Someone from the locals still reported him to the police. "A policeman and a soldier stopped us and checked our phones. I was able to hide most of the photos, but they deleted a few frames."
Travel agencies strongly encourage travelers to photograph student groups. In the photo, children rehearse a performance to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Photos of anti-American rallies are also welcome. In the photo: students oppose South Korea and the United States.
Finally, the photographer arrived by train in Pyongyang.
When asked if he was afraid that he would be caught and punished for publishing the photos, photographer Xiaolu Chu replied that he was not.
Keywords: Ban | North korea | Phone | Photographer