Kako izgleda Sjeverna Koreja iz ugla američkog turiste

Američki turist Taylor Pemberton proveo je samo četiri dana u Sjevernoj Koreji, no to mu je bilo dovoljno da snimi fotografije koje daju barem mali uvid u tu zatvorenu zemlju.

Njegov posjet bio je strogo kontroliran, što ne čudi jer ne dolazi svakog dana Amerikanac u Sjevernu Koreju.

I'll be sharing a few pieces from mass dance, a celebration in North Korea that takes place during Liberation Day. It's a strictly choreographed and bizzare orchestration which celebrates Korea's separation and independence 70 years ago. This all takes place in Kim Il-Sung square which is surrounded by massive buildings and prominent signage as you see here. This night was when we felt the best energy in Pyongyang. People seemed a bit more cheerful than normal and truly happy to share their excitement through both peers and foreigners. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 24, 2015 at 7:16am PDT

Raspored događanja i obilazaka bio je unaprijed određen, a iz hotela nije smio izaći bez službenika koji ga je pratio u svakom trenutku. No kad službenik nije gledao, 26-godišnji Pemberton iz Minneapolisa je uspio snimiti nekoliko fotografija koje je objavio na Instagramu. Nakon objavljivanja njegove su fotografije izazvale veliku pozornost, a o njemu piše velik broj svjetskih medija. Opisao je da ulazak u Sjevernu Koreju nije bio nikakav problem, u Pekingu je dobio turističku vizu i to je bilo to.

Down the alleyway (outside of Pyongyang proper) leaving a smaller city we ate lunch at. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 23, 2015 at 11:27am PDT

Veći problem imao je sam sa sobom, jer nije bio siguran koliko je moralno ispravno ostavljati novac zemlji koja se nalazi pod diktaturom koju on ne podržava.

Osim toga, nije mu bilo svejedno kad mu je službenik koji ga je pratio odredio u koje će vrijeme ići u krevet, ali nije mu bilo lako ni objasniti lokalnom stanovništvu šta je to internet. Mnogi od njih tek su tada prvi put čuli tu riječ.

Typical scenes in North Korea happen just like everywhere else in the world. People tease each other, they trip up the stairs, they try to fix their hair in the reflection. I'm inspired by all this because it brings a sense of relation to a society that is alienated for obvious reasons. We were crossing underneath the main road when I saw this. I chose to take this photo (and now post) because it makes me know those things are real, even if it's just for a moment. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 23, 2015 at 7:26am PDT

Naglasio je da je zabranjeno snimati vojsku, a on je u jednom trenutku želio snimiti ogromni spomenik Kim Il-Sunga i Kim Jong- ila te nije primijetio da se ispred njega nalaze vojnici. Fotografiju je objavio na Instagramu, pojašnjavajući da je to zabranjeno, no da je želio dati uvid u život u Sjevernoj Koreji.

Pyongyang train station. I arrived at the airport and was instantly escorted to meet up with my group that had arrived from Dandong, China. Since I'm American, I had to fly into North Korea, a reason I'm still not 100% sure of. This building is pretty spectacular, inside and out, and is the central railway hub for connecting Pyongyang other towns that lie on the outskirts. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 22, 2015 at 5:10pm PDT

One of the first rules you're told is that you should not, under any circumstance, photograph military personnel. When I took this photo I was moving in a fast bus and didn't even see the mass of soldiers at ease. Truthfully, you can push these limits if you dare, but the consequences could be disastrous. I did see a few other travelers with robust telephoto lenses which makes me wonder what they captured. I tried to be as respectful as possible through my journey and hope that some of the riskier bits will shine light on some important aspects of North Korean life. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 21, 2015 at 8:45pm PDT

Hospitality is taken very seriously in North Korea. The Yanggakdo hotel is perfectly staffed with a wide array of workers to always suit your needs. Food is plentiful, rooms are tidy, the entire presentation feels very grandeur. Since you can't leave the hotel, you have several amenities that exist throughout the building: various shops, a casino, several restaurants, a bowling alley, a billiards room, a karaoke room, ping pong, and more. This shot was taken at the rooftop restaurant, which is a 360 degree panorama room that slowly rotates during open hours. This was a popular hangout spot where we'd drink beer and enjoy each others company, particularly favorable since everything felt so eccentric and retro. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 21, 2015 at 7:22pm PDT

Pyongyang metro, 100 meters deep under the earth. This was a fascinating place to visit, not only because the opulent imagery, but because you had the opportunity to be in a contained space with the Pyongyang locals – North Korea's ultra-privileged. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 20, 2015 at 6:11pm PDT

As I mentioned before, you're only supposed to see what North Korea allows. ? #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 20, 2015 at 5:19pm PDT

Volleyball in Kim Il-Sung square. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 20, 2015 at 6:34am PDT

On the flight over to North Korea, you're able to already sense the extreme devotion and dedication to the late Kim Il-Sung. Even though Il-Sung hasn't been alive since the 90s, the DPRK inhabitants consider him their president and outright great leader. When traveling through various cities, his presence and lineage is on constant display, with many residents proudly displaying pins on their clothing and with various monuments at popular transit points. It's difficult to find a representation of Il-Sung or his family that hasn't been artificially fabricated, and most of the history we discussed contained precomposed images to support various historical references. It was clear that no matter what, you pay respect to the great leader and to his rich family history that exists in North Korea today. #contrateur

A photo posted by Taylor Pemberton (@pemberton) on Aug 18, 2015 at 9:17pm PDT