Pyongyang view - DPRK

Pyongyang view, taken from Yanggakdo hotel. You can find a famous satellite picture on the net showing a map of the Korean peninsula by night, with a huge difference between the north and south. In North Korea, there is no public lighting, and people use very low wattage bulbs in their houses. The North Korean capital is as surreal by night as it is by day. Due to the fuel crisis there's hardly any traffic to be heard after dark, and nightlife is virtually non-existent. Only monuments are lit during local festivities.
Every hour, on the hour, from 6 am to midnight, loudspeakers blast out a patriotic song.
Tourists are totally forbidden from leaving their hotels to walk around town, even though Pyongyang is safe, that’s the rule.
The outsides of the buildings are regularly painted and renovated, but inside, they are rather run down.


Few words from the official website of North Korean tourism:
Pyongyang, capital of DPRK is the centre of politics, the economy and culture.
It has a 5,000-year history as a capital city, since Tangun, founder king, established Ancient Korea and set Pyongyang as its capital.
The Moran Hill, the Garden of the Capital is full of flowers and the picturesque River Taedong flows through the city centre. It seems Pyongyang nestles in park.
Such surroundings make Pyongyang the World Best Beauty.


Une célèbre photo satellite qui circule sur le web montre la péninsule coréenne de nuit, avec le sud éclairé et le nord plongé dans le noir. En Corée du
Nord, il n’y a pas d’éclairage public, et les appartements sont éclairés avec le strict minimum. Seuls les bâtiments publics sont éclairés en période de
festivités. Peu de véhicules circulent en ville, et la capitale est plongée de jour comme de nuit dans un silence impressionnant. La ville résonne toutes les
heures, de 6 h du matin à minuit de chants patriotiques diffusés par des hauts parleurs.
Il est interdit aux touristes de se promener seuls sans guides en ville et de quitter leur hôtel. Pyongyang est une ville sûre, mais c’est la règle.
Les façades des immeubles sont régulièrement repeintes et rénovées, mais l'intérieur est généralement en mauvais état.
© Eric Lafforgue
Contact
www.ericlafforgue.com