In photos: Inside North Korea, the world’s most secretive country

AP’s chief Asian photographer David Guttenfelder spent a month being accompanied around North Korea. Here is his work.

IT IS ONE of the world’s most secretive countries – and the daily lives of its citizens are guarded with more secrecy than those of any other country on Earth.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – more commonly known as North Korea – is something of an enigma, viciously guarding its secrecy and only allowing tourists into the country on officially sanctioned biannual tours.

But earlier this year, the government of Kim Jong-il allowed the Associated Press’ chief Asian photographer, David Guttenfelder, and an accompanying journalist the rare permission to take photographs of areas not ordinarily seen by outsiders.

Though the pair were accompanied on their nationwide visits by government ministers – and although many of the images could well be depicting heavily choreographed scenes – the photographs still provide a rare insight into life in the world’s most intensively inward-looking country.

In photos: Inside North Korea, the world’s most secretive country

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North Korea

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Gavan Reilly

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