Haeju

As part of a repeat visitors' tour to North Korea to explore more off-the-beaten-path areas, we journeyed to Haeju along the country's southwestern coast to parts of the country rarely seen by outsiders. The trip proved to be interesting, but not for the reasons intended. Normally everything in North Korea is planned ahead of time so that nothing can go unexpectedly wrong in front of tourists, but this trip proved to be one oddity after another. At first we were slated to spend a night in the city, but suddenly the authorities decided that Americans weren't welcome overnight so that plan was scratched. In the end we were still allowed to go during daylight hours, but the newly-renovated city center that was supposed to be a highlight of the trip was literally under construction when we approached. Most roads were blocked. Demolition was underway. Thick dust filled the air, and some sections of the inner city looked to be completely evacuated as massive construction crews leveled buildings and went about their business building their socialist paradise. We saw multi-story buildings with no rebar being brought down, hopefully in favor of more stable replacements. Of course we were ordered to put our cameras away immediately, so virtually all of the "good stuff" remained unphotographed. The pictures below are a small sample of what I was able to photograph around the city's periphery.

---------------------------------------

Most propaganda signs in the city extol the ruling Kim dynasty or their great achievements. But this one doesn't, and as such it remains one of my favorite sign photographs. The bold statement proclaims, "If Korea determines to do something, it does it!"

---------------------------------------

Hauling wood by tractor in the city.

---------------------------------------

Peppers drying in the sun.

---------------------------------------

One of the more common cement block themes seen throughout North Korea, Kim Il Sung and his wife in the mountains during the guerilla campaign against the Japanese.

---------------------------------------

A less common mural, this one from a famous fable in which Kim Il Sung stops his motorcade to give an old lady a ride.

---------------------------------------

Visiting Sokdam Ravine, a place composed of nine valleys considered one of the most scenic places in the country.

---------------------------------------

Roads are narrow in this part of the country and we felt guilty having to block the entire road to get out of our bus.

---------------------------------------

The North Korean version of a school bus!

---------------------------------------

Some traditional temples and rest houses in the Sokdam Ravine area.

---------------------------------------

Frequent and typical sites in this part of the country: propaganda signs, rice fields, schoolgirl walking home along dirt path.

"Long Live the Great Juche (Self Reliance) Idea!"

---------------------------------------

Stopping for a visit to Gyenam Stock Farm. There is no doubt that this is a "model" farming village and looks nothing like the run-down agricultural villages seen everywhere else in the country. It's clean. Everything seems to work. But even here in this showpiece collective, we were left unimpressed. Only one of the many buildings seemed to house any livestock at all. Our minders seemed upset when my camera strayed to some of the other buildings looking for signs of life. The few pigs we did see appeared to be very young and undersized. They ran towards us as soon as they heard our approach, hoping we had something to feed them.

---------------------------------------

One of the things that makes North Korea so fun to photograph is how easy it is to capture contradictions in a single shot, like propaganda murals extolling the strength of the country or leaders juxtaposed with backwards technology like ox carts.

"Let us decisively increase agricultural production as the fundamental basis of constructing a powerful country!"

---------------------------------------

Haeju city limits and some of the massive road construction we saw before we were told to put our cameras away.

---------------------------------------

"Happiness of the Supreme Leader, Happiness of the 'Sun', Happiness of the General!"

---------------------------------------

"Long Live General Kim Jong Un, the Sun of Songun (Military First) Korea"

---------------------------------------

Statue of soldier carrying a gun at a Haeju intersection.

---------------------------------------

Local guide at the Buyong Pavilion Park in Haeju.

---------------------------------------

Buyong Pavilion, the largest such pavilion in North Korea.

---------------------------------------

Target practice with air rifles next to Buyong Pavilion.