PHOTOS: A rare glimpse of North Korea through the lens of Instagram
"I feel I can help open a window into a place that would otherwise rarely be seen by outsiders," says AP photographer David Guttenfelder

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, for the first time in history, has opened up the country's servers to visitors, allowing the outside world a rare glimpse of the Hermit Kingdom. Seizing the opportunity, this week Instagram is spotlighting the work of David Guttenfelder (@dguttenfelder), Associated Press Chief Photographer for Asia, who is currently on assignment in North Korea.
"I feel I can help open a window into a place that would otherwise rarely be seen by outsiders," said Guttenfelder. "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."
The shots have a surreal quality to them. Filters aside, it feels like you're staring into a time capsule. Here, in no particular order, are a few of Guttenfelder's dream-like iPhone snaps:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
1. A pin of former supreme leader Kim Jong Il sits over the heart of every North Korean citizen, says Guttenfelder
2. Commuters pass by propaganda posters on their way to work
3. A North Korean tour guide
4. A doctor stands by a set of video monitors inside a Pyongyang hospital
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
5. Babies rest in a Pyongyang hospital
6. Synchronized swimmers perform for a colorful audience in Pyongyang
Check out more of Guttenfelder's incredible Instagram shots here.
-
DVT: what to know about the blood clot plaguing NBA players
The Explainer Multiple players have been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis over the past few months
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is Elon Musk's DOGE job coming to an end?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Plummeting popularity, a stinging electoral defeat, and Tesla's shrinking market share could be pulling the tech billionaire out of Trump's presidential orbit
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
What does Health and Human Services do?
The Explainer Cuts will 'dramatically alter' public health in America
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published