North Korea, as seen through an iPhone and Instagram in real-time
This is interesting. It’s like going back in time looking at these pictures.
North Korea’s had a busy month. After conducting a third nuclear test and angering just about everyone, North Korea is finally letting foreigners access the Internet on their cellphones through Koryolink, the country’s only mobile provider.
With the new relaxed mobile policy, foreigners will be able to present the real unaltered North Korea, as it happens. The Associated Press’ chief photographer for Asia, David Guttenfelder, is one of the first people to post photos taken with his iPhone directly to Instagram.
As a photographer, Guttenfelder says he feels that it’s his duty to present North Korea in its true state:
“I feel I can help open a window into a place that would otherwise rarely be seen by outsiders. As one of the few international photographers who has ever had regular access to the country, I feel a huge responsibility to share what I see and to show it as accurately as I can.”
Interestingly enough, while foreigners will have access to the full uncensored mobile Internet, North Korean citizens will not be getting mobile Internet access on their cellphones. We’re expecting plenty of photos from North Korea to start popping up on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook over the next few weeks, but for now, Guttenfelder’s ‘grams below provide the purest look into the bizarre nation.
Here are a couple pictures by AP photographer David Guttenfelder. Go to the link to see the rest of them.