2016 Photo Contest, Long-Term Projects, 3rd prize

North Korea: Life in the Cult of Kim

Photographer

David Guttenfelder

The New York Times

23 May, 2015

North Korean and South Korean soldiers face each other over the demarcation line that separates the two halves of the peninsula, in the demilitarized zone at Panmunjom.

North Korea emerged in the upheaval following the end of World War II and the Korean War, and for six decades has been one of the most isolated and secretive nations on earth. Its history is dominated by the founding president, Kim Il-sung, known as the Great Leader. He shaped political affairs for almost half a century, establishing a totalitarian state which shut itself off from the outside world. A leadership cult has grown around the Kim dynasty, passing from Kim Il-sung to his son Kim Jong-il (the Dear Leader) and grandson, the current supreme leader Kim Jong-un.

The country is run along rigidly state-controlled lines. Local media are strictly regulated, and the foreign press largely excluded. The photographer was granted rare access, visiting North Korea on some 40 occasions between 2008 and 2015. He photographed not only large state-orchestrated events, but also everyday rural life.

About the photographer

David Guttenfelder

David Guttenfelder is a photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer focusing on geopolitical conflict, conservation, and culture. Guttenfelder has spent more than 25 year...

Technical information

Shutter Speed
1/3200
Focal length
65.0 mm
F-Stop
3.2
ISO
2000
Camera
Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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