A hero in North Korea Pyongyang 북한

One Star General Pak Chan Su. When we asked him why he had so many medals, he answered that he killed a lot of people!..Stupid question!
He's now got a job in the war museum as special guide, it means he can work when he wants!
Pyongyang , North Korea

북한
Number 1 on Explore May 1

© Eric Lafforgue
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Comments

photomeister [deleted] says:

wonderfl portrait. the lips say it all
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

JRodrigues. says:

Fantastic portrait!
--
Seen on my Flickr home page. (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Rita Willaert says:

Oh, my God!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

pmontagne says:

tres bien d avoir cadré les lèvres.
entre notre mentalité et celle de ce monsieur, un goufre nous sépare..
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

NOV-A-KA-IINN says:

pmontagne Pas si certain que çà...
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

karen k. says:

v v strong portrait of...well, not a man, but the symbol of people dead from war. how commendable. what a strange world this is. this is definately an award winning photograph. brilliant and speaks volumes.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

pinkyhonor says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Face Time, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

prwhitehead says:

an amazing photograph, i wish i took it.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Romain [ apictureourselves.org ] says:

Very nice shot.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

nosdy / Pierre Belhassen says:

Superbe...
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

beandafter says:

es un recorte fantástico,el colorido, la mueca de la boca...genial!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

T.h.o.m.a.s says:

Very nice photo. He looks so serious on this pic.

Funny to see that many medals are the same. Usually, you just put a sign on the medal to show that you got the distinction many times.

The medal at the top is the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Republic. It is the one he had when killing a lot of people. It is the highest decoration in DPRK.

It seems that the recepient of this medal can get erected a statue of him at his birthplace.

You took a real hero in photo.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

mahonyweb says:

How easy was it to get a visa, and would you recommend visiting?
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

penso says:

Super Éric, moi qui voudrait aller en Corée du nord depuis longtemps, snif snif..

--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

rodrigomi says:

Fantastica!!! muy buena fotografia!!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

hannahcarrie says:

This alone speaks volumes-I adore this photo!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

chelseafb says:

amazing!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

alison lyons photography says:

Excellent photo. Love the crop, with the focus being on the medals and just the lips showing top left. ;o)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

peregrinari says:

The badges are really vivid and intense, shiny. I've only ever seen more muted tones on military badges before..
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

*Lynne says:

Amazing work here--I love the way you kept the face partially
hidden and concentrated on the medals--that chin is superb!

Seen in Explore, congrats!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

` ®© ROBERTO CARBONI says:

Great shot.Excellent work .Congrats
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

inkyfingerz says:

Such a fabulous capture! Bravo...

I'd like to invite you to share this fantastic image with us at Life Through My Viewfinder. Thanks in advance.

Life Through My Viewfinder

--
Seen on flickrleech.net (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

gato-gato-gato says:

Great shot, really cool.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

giuli@ says:

impressive portrait!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Kerbbi says:

Wow, that's an amazing portrait.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Mario. S ( NO VIDEO ) says:

Superb......
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

vanouxe says:

sa reponse est halucinante!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

RAJA ASRAR says:

HI !
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Christophe Bogaert says:

Fantastic portret, with a very nice crop!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Justin Kibble says:

The middle ribbon, third row up is for cookery.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

joshhikes says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called imagist - numinoso come parole, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

greenkozi says:

wow. this picture tells an amazing story. love the crop and the contrast.

--
[discovered in the photophlow main room] (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Call me Ishmael. says:

They are copies!?!

Ha... anyone that's been in the U.S. Army, Navy, or Air-force will recognize these. The green in the middle for example is a u.s. army accommodation Medal.

The propaganda poster is a copy too. The figures on the poster were Japan’s Emperor and Hitler during WWII
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

voicesbybrian says:

Wow! Amazing photo!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

happyapplepoison says:

nice
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Bryn Tassell says:

Wow, I love the light.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

yeoldeblackhippie says:

well done shot, nice commentary
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Rod Monkey says:

Fabulous crop and colours.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

JTrandall1 says:

WOW...this is unreal, great shot
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

andersdenkend says:

This is super scary!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

urbiex says:

great photo!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

alyak_1291 says:

a picture speaks a thousand words. this one speaks two thousand
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

anothergrapher says:

absolutely amazing
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Chris Farrugia (chrisfarrugia.net) says:

Beautiful, well done!
--
Seen on thousandpics[dot]com
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

puffypanzer says:

I saw a thumbail of this on an RSS feed, but when I went to find the full sized picture, it wasn't there. I did 2 hours of searching to find this, because it's just such an awesome picture. Great - and by great I mean FANTASTIC - compostion!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

*SΛM says:

Great photo. I like the composition and the story behind the shot.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Future Blues says:

I have to agree. Award-winning photo.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

carlessolís says:

INDEPENDENT
...your AMAZING pic
makes me feel
INDEPENDENT,
and deserves an AWARD!!! .
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Jul-zz says:

No-Where
You are invited to add this image to www.flickr.com/groups/no-where
Please tag this photo with NoWhere when you add it to the pool.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Chris (archi3d) says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called FOCUS LEGACY / Post 1-Award 3 / Invitation Only / or +20 favs, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

offzen says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called ***NU ZEN***, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

navejo says:

These photos just get better and better...vraiment fantastiques!
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

sds70 says:

He's a lean, mean killing machine!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

alestaleiro says:

Fantastic photo!
Before reading the explanation I was wondering.. How many peolpe did he killed in order to have sso many medals...
A discusting trophee, indeed..

123 Travel
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

© Jakub Jurkowski says:

What a Framing... beautiful.
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

kiri-fuda says:

Very unusual and eye-catching composition.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Muiz Anwar says:

wow - I've always loved the design of those medals - pity about the reason I guess - but beautiful shot as usual and I love the composition.

The badge colours really pop out don't they!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Bachspics says:

I'm the Admin of the The Gallery Of Fine Portrait Photography It is new. This is an exceptional photo. I hope you will consider it an honor to place your photo in our fast growing “invitation only” gallery of over 1,200 of the best portraits on Flickr by over 900 photographers. Please add it to www.flickr.com/groups/736548@N24/ Feel free to tag your photo The Gallery Of Fine Portrait Photography.

Please read the guidelines on the front page of the pool before sending self-initiated uploads.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Mr Dayglo says:

everyone is kinda bored of the old fashioned N v S Korea - What I want to know is which side is best? East or West?

--
[discovered in Mr Dayglo's photophlow room] (?)
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

sevennine says:

awesome pins! that's a sharp jacket
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

fatdawgpeet says:

Wow, this is like the best photo I've seen in a very long time... it has everything. Wow again.
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

Shiratski says:

Very nice and unique portrait!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Olly Muxworthy says:

Beautifully clear.
My new favourite.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

jver64 says:

A "hero" in North Korea Pyongyang. That's the one that doesn't get hungry.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

SamanthaJo:) says:

The colors are beautiful!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

NyToul says:

le cadrage est parfait
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

pilotbowman says:

Wow, alot of commments! Surely worthy of it!

Cheers
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Golden Striker says:

That is an amazing amount fo medals, unless they were given to him as a propaganda stunt. I wonder how one could put their life on the line so many times and make it out alive. This guy is either skillful or very lucky!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

ericksonmiller says:

wonderful shot, me & my men can take his army any day without trouble.:P
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

sakraft1 says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Medals & Decorations, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

nikond45 says:

Ha Ha Ha! Alot of those pins are just duplicates!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

gavino•vz says:

Interesting answer. I have always wanted to sit down and debate some of these minds.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Lidia Camacho says:

what a story!
thanks for sharing both the powerful picture and the story behind it!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

*ELNA says:

perfect iphone wallpaper
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

DSLR_MANIA says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Luxury Korea (LK) Beta, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

jeremy50 says:

Great photo, I can almost feel his arrogance coming threw the picture.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Sinaloa237 says:

Phot splendide, les tons métalliques rendent parfaitement le sujet
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

alkerdesign says:

great great great
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Várdai says:

Well, I guess he looks like he speaks nothing but the truth.
Imagine you had taken some unfavorable picture of him.
He'd have one more medal.
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

scismgenie says:

I see they do not believe in devices that denote additional awards, just throw on another like the last.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Jenny Air says:

just Perfect!!!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

kencf0618 says:

Very telling.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

GeirBergh says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called War Photography, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

bo a7md q8 says:

nice ..
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

B.e.D says:

It is a very common practice (or it was) in the communist countries to give lots of medals and mostly to high rank officers for everything, almopst like an "army Mc Donalds". I've seen pics were the guy needed an extra chest to carry all the medasl he had.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

font9a says:

I wouldn't be surprised if his functionary title gave him that breast of "flair" to show off in his cush new museum "job". I am a restless cynic when I see these kinds of things from the DPRK.

Anyone have any clarity on the true situation?
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

CanonFire09 says:

They probably gave him medals for leading tours of the museum. School groups you get two medals if you finish alive. Have you noticed all communist countries military have more medals than anyone in other militaries and yet many of them have never fought in any war. Maybe it is for "humanitarian missions". Right.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

bongopix says:

well composed.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

pirateofcake says:

Had to look at it again. Love this photo.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

vicsim says:

Look at the lips!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Dima Veselov says:

Strong emotion on his face
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

AmpamukA says:

Wonderful capture .
Enjoy this day ;-)
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

mangklaw says:

wow! portrait speak itself super strong personality..
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

Uh!Nico says:

Amazing!
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

FrizzText says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Universal Soldier, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 3 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Additional Information

Uploaded using Flickr Uploadr 3.0 (Mac)
Taken in Pyongyang, P´yongyang-si (map)
Taken on April 14, 2008
Viewed 34,871 times
Replaced on May 1, 2008

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