KOREA OF THE NORTH ON THE LENSES OF AN INSTAGRAMMER

Traits of normality


Despite the image of a recluse, North Korea invites foreigners to discover its attractions. But traveling as a tourist does not mean traveling freely around the country, as special guides must accompany each visitor's step. The restrictions did not discourage the British instagrammer Pierre Depont, who visited the country seven times, capturing traces of normality in the daily lives of North Koreans.


Creeping capitalism


Depont visited North Korea for the first time in 2013, and since then he has studied transformations in the authoritarian country. In the last two or three years, he noted that "in Pyongyang, it has become acceptable to display wealth itself." With a growing middle class and building boom, the North Korean capital seems to be defying international economic sanctions.


Style in Pyongyang


Making contact with ordinary people is not easy in North Korea, according to Depont. "I've had some random conversations with strangers, always heard by one of the guides." According to the instagrammer's experiences, most North Koreans do not like being photographed. "North Korean women are definitely getting more stylish. you can see that in the cities. "



Urban X rural

This subway station in Pyongyang dazzles passengers with what appear to be marble walls and chandeliers. For Depont, North Korea is an ideal place for photography. "You do not find any publicity, no distraction," he says. But while the capital, where the elite live, seems to be thriving, other parts of the country remain poverty-stricken.



Hidden Difficulties

North Korea remains a highly militarized and predominantly agricultural society. Tourists, however, can not see much of the living conditions of the rural population. "Every bit of land is cultivated, every square meter is used," says Depont.



Abundance staged?

Tourists interested in living outside North Korean cities are taken on guided tours of agricultural cooperatives. When Depont visited a farm of the type, near Hamhung, the country's second largest city, it featured a small sale, with a variety of neatly displayed merchandise. Depont said he had the impression that it was a façade trade, only to be shown.



Elite schools

A stop at a model school is an important point of many tours in North Korea. The Songdowon international holiday colony was reopened in 2014 and hosted by current country leader Kim Jong-un. "There's something unreal about it," says Depont. "Children play in the arcade, using arcades and about 20 modern computers."



Militarism omnipresent

The military sector is fundamental to the identity of the country and to the sustenance of its society. About a quarter of the population works as a military officer. Pyongyang has one of the largest military budgets in the world in relation to its economy. From small, the North Koreans grow amidst a military imaginary. Depont came across this miniature tank in a playground near Hamhung.



Ritualized worship

In addition to militarism, the high level of political control and the personality cult of Kim Jong-un and his predecessors are ubiquitous. The daily worship of the supreme leader impressed Depont. "You see the amount of money and effort dedicated to sustaining the history of the great leaders and their great statues."

Authors: Helena Kaschel, Christine Bayer