With an authoritarian regime that lasted over seven decades, North Korea remains one of the most closed-off countries in the world.
It may soon become even more so as the Trump administration prepares to pass a ban on American travel to the country after North Korea detained a US student and returned him to his family in a coma with neurological trauma, which later took his life.
For the few visitors who made it to North Korea, the poverty, outdated infrastructure, and tight government control, largely shocked them.
But even in the strictest of government regimes, people still find ways to go through their lives. Here is how some North Koreans spent the last few days in July:
SEE ALSO: A photographer captured these dismal photos of life in North Korea on his phone
Associated Press photographer Wong Maye-E has been documenting life in North Korea since 2013. Even though she is accompanied by a government minder at all times, she still manages to capture candid moments such as this one.
Source: Associated Press and TIME
North Koreans start their days early, as approximately 59% of the population works outside the home.
Source: The Guardian
At school, North Korean children are taught patriotic songs, salute portraits of current leader Kim Jong-Un, and study the life of former leader Kim Il-Sung closely.
Source: The Guardian
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