Inside North Korea’s Isolation: A decade of images show rare views of life around Pyongyang

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their stories share generations of Korean and American experiences. https://mkeind.com/koreanstories

Documenting authentic conditions with photography from inside North Korea is fraught with numerous challenges, making such insightful images rare. But for a few years, the heavily monitored and controlled nation allowed visitors to enter with cameras.

Over the years, North Korea has allowed tourists to visit from various countries, although activities and interactions were limited. By the late 2000s it welcomed an increased flow of tourism with China, with organized tours officially starting in 2008.

The developments coincided with the shifting political environment, which had begun to relax. South Korea was a key player in brokering international humanitarian aid for delivery to the North. Years of famine and economic mismanagement had left it struggling.

The “Sunshine Policy” was an effort of reconciliation between North and South Korea to mend their differences, and improve relations through engagement and cooperation. The approach led to significant milestones, even if reunification was impossible.

While relations with North Korea remained tenuous at best, they soured significantly after the collapse of talks between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam. The failure of Trump’s diplomatic effort in February 2019 was emblematic of his ineptitude with foreign policy.

The fundamental disagreement involved the terms of denuclearization and sanctions relief. Trump demanded complete denuclearization before lifting sanctions, while Kim wanted significant sanctions relief upfront. The stalemate led to the abrupt end of the summit without any deal.

Tensions have only escalated since then, marked by North Korea’s rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal and frequent threats of nuclear conflict against both the U.S. and South Korea. Kim has also strengthened ties with Russia’s dictator for assistance in his brutal occupation of Ukraine.

By 2024, Kim completely abandoned the long-standing goal of reconciling with South Korea, and called for a revision of the North Korean constitution to eliminate the notion of peaceful unification with South Korea. Instead, the South was designated as an “invariable principal enemy.” As of 2024, Americans are generally prohibited from traveling to North Korea.

This collection of photos was taken between 2008 and 2018 by various foreign photographers and tourists who visited North Korea, primarily the capital of Pyongyang, crossing into the country from China. The images do not accurately depict authentic conditions today, but offer a rare and relatively recent look at landmarks around the city and nearby rural areas in North Korea.