Assignment: North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have transformed his image from Hermit King to diplomatic statesman by stepping out onto the world stage in 2018 and 2019. But in 2020, with few Americans traveling to Pyongyang due to years of tightened sanctions and travel bans, the people of North Korea remain as hidden and muted as ever before.

The limited access makes it tough for journalists to cover North Korea, forcing most to report on the country from the outside, at a distance. However, a few intrepid foreign journalists have managed to gain access inside the DPRK. 

Join us for a photo presentation and discussion with veteran correspondents and photojournalists, including AFP’s chief photographer in Pyongyang, who have worked inside North Korea for what promises to be an enlightening look at daily life in North Korea as well as a lively debate about the merits of restricted access inside one of the world’s most censored countries.

This event is being organized by the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy and the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center, with the generous support of the Korea Foundation, and co-hosted by the National Committee on North Korea.