12 photos of North Korea that could not be published - now the photographer is banned from entering the country

Eric Laforgue is a photographer and traveler who takes pictures of people's real lives. During his visits to North Korea, he captured a lot of shots that tell a little more about the country than politicians would like to show. The authorities did not like this and banned Eric from ever returning to North Korea.

12 PHOTOS

1. The girl at the computer that does not work, Hamheung, 2011

2. Child labor, Pyongyang, 2010

People of all ages work in North Korea. The photo shows children who are going to start working on agricultural land. And the most interesting thing is that such work is the responsibility of schoolchildren, who are used as free labor.

3. A couple on a bench in Pyongyang, 2008

There are 2 catches in this harmless photo at once. Firstly, there are lovers on the bench, and a public demonstration of feelings is prohibited in the country. And secondly, in the photo the man is in military uniform and not on duty - for North Korea, this is already too much.

4. Women in military uniform, Pyongyang, 2012

Yes, women serve on an equal footing with men and not on a voluntary basis. The situation is complicated by the fact that the service life is 7 years, and the conditions leave much to be desired: cold barracks, meager food, and tripled workloads.

5. Subway station in Pyongyang, 2012

You can take pictures of the metro only with the permission of the guide because this is not a place for entertainment, but a strategic object. In addition, only 3 stations are open for tourists - what happens at the rest is known only to the indigenous people of the country.

6. Photo of leaders in profile, Pyongyang, 2012

And this is unforgivable since such monuments can only be photographed from the back. And in no case should you cut off the heads, legs, and arms. And you can’t get close and copy the poses. In general, people in North Korea do not joke with monuments.

7. Exhausted schoolchildren, Pyongyang, 2012

The authorities did not like this photo, because it can be used to judge the meager diet of students. Indeed, one child has no more than 200 grams of corn, some cabbage, and a bottle of water. Not thick, right? But in North Korea, they don’t think so, but they are in no hurry to demonstrate the truth either.

8. Broken truck, 2011

There is not enough fuel for all cars, and people outside the city use gas. No wonder the machines break down as a result. In addition, they are already not very high quality and modern.

9. Residential buildings, Kaesong 2011

Cracked foundations, leaky roofs, and windows without curtains - this is what the housing of the residents of Kaesong, located closer to the border of the country, looks like. Of course, the authorities asked to remove this photo from the Internet, but the photographer refused.

10. Tram, Pyongyang 2012

The state of public transport in North Korea leaves much to be desired. Rust, cracked paint, broken windows - this is the best that the inhabitants of the country can count on. Often people ride carts and do not think about something more.

11. Woman protesting photo, Hamheung 2011

People in the country do not like to be photographed: publicity is condemned, and children with mother's milk absorb the attitude "no matter what happens." Besides, these people look haggard.

12. Barbed wire on the coast of the Sea of Japan, 2008

The wire is under tension. The authorities explain this by the fact that the country needs to be protected from the invasion of uninvited guests. In fact, this fence is protection against escapes, which many residents of the country dream of.