DISPATCHES FROM THE HERMIT KINGDOM: Photographer’s Rare Images Reveal Everyday Life in North Korea.

Upon arriving in North Korea, [Tariq] Zaidi had his equipment examined and documented before entering the hermit country. Afterward, he traveled all across North Korea visiting Dandong on the Chinese border down to the Demilitarized Zone in the south.

The photographer says that people were welcoming and hospitable, although he drew mixed reactions when raising his camera.

“Children were generally OK with me taking pictures, and adults allowed me to take photos after a few minutes of politely asking, although it did depend on where we were,” he says.

“In the metro, for instance, when I pointed my camera at people, they all shyly put their heads down to avoid being photographed. I’m unsure if that was due to cultural differences, shyness, or the lack of camera culture.

Gosh, could there possibly be another reason? Flashback to 2018: As Trump Plans North Korea Summit, Defectors Tell Harrowing Stories.