Is This the Real North Korea? Shocking Pyongyang Footage Exposes What’s Happening Inside

As the rapport between North Korea and Russia continues, a video captured by a Russian YouTuber showcasing the streets of Pyongyang has been gaining significant attention. This footage provides a rare glimpse into life in Pyongyang, which had been largely hidden from view since the COVID-19 lockdowns.

A YouTube channel recently uploaded a video titled “Flight from Vladivostok to Pyongyang.” The footage follows a Russian tourist who explores Pyongyang after boarding an Ilyushin Il-62M aircraft operated by Air Koryo in Vladivostok that lands at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport.

The tourist opted for an all-inclusive five-day package, which cost approximately $1,378. The package included airfare, accommodation, meals, and sightseeing activities.

The video also offers a glimpse inside Sunan International Airport. While the airport houses souvenir shops, electronics stores, and restaurants, most appeared dark and deserted. Currently, the airport only operates international flights to Vladivostok, Beijing, and Shenyang, with just two flights scheduled on the day of filming.

Pyongyang’s streets were notably fraught with signs bearing propaganda slogans such as “Our State-First Era” and “Mount Paektu Spirit.” Most people were seen either cycling or walking, with vehicular traffic sparse.

The cityscape featured high-rise apartments and mixed-use buildings. Grocery stores displayed foreign beers and soft drinks, while German-made cars were observed on the roads.

The prevalence of smartphones was particularly striking. Signs for “Information Technology Exchange Centers” offering smartphone-related services were frequently visible, and many citizens were seen walking while engaged in phone conversations.

North Korean street vendors also caught the viewer’s attention. Stalls selling “refreshing drinks” and “shaved ice” lined the streets, with numerous citizens queuing.

Hundreds of people practiced group dances in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where portraits of President Kim Il Sung and the North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il were displayed. This appears to be part of an event known in North Korea as “dance parties” or “evening gatherings.”

After strict border closures due to COVID-19, North Korea began a partial reopening in August of the previous year. Currently, tourism is allowed only for Russian nationals on a limited basis. TASS reports that over 5,000 tourists traveled between North Korea and Russia from January to September of this year, prompting both nations to agree on increasing the number of charter flights between them.