Soldiers pay respects to former North Korean leaders on Wednesday, February 15. The site is considered one of the most sacred in Pyongyang.
Vendors sell flowers to mourners paying respects to deceased leaders of North Korea.
The view over the frozen Taedong River shows residential areas of Pyongyang.
The symbol of North Korea’s sole political party, the Korean Workers’ Party, can be seen atop a government building in Pyongyang.
Taxis are becoming more prevalent on the streets of Pyongyang. Most commuters still ride buses.
Tim Schwartz said in his caption for this image on Instagram that North Korean tour guides told them that “in 1948, Kim Il Sung, his wife and his then 7-year-old son, Kim Jong Il, test fired North Korea’s first domestically manufactured submachine gun.” They were told that all three shot bullseyes at 50 meters.
The Man Gyong Dae School Children’s Palace, shown in May 2016, is an after-school activity complex in Pyongyang.
Young singers practice their performance at a “children’s palace” in Pyongyang.
Children play volleyball at an after-school center in Pyongyang.
An Olympic-sized swimming pool is a focal point of a “children’s palace” after-school center in Pyongyang.
A train can be seen from the window of the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang.
Visitors to North Korea’s Science and Technology Center use the tightly regulated North Korean intranet.
A guide shows visitors a display in the North Korean Science and Technology Center.
Exhibits at the North Korean Science and Technology Center include this fighter jet.
Young members of North Korea’s military ride artillery through Pyongyang.
North Korean soldiers march below statues of North Korea’s founding president Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il.
Weapons are paraded through Pyongyang as a clear signal to the rest of the world that North Korea has military might.
Farm manager Kim Myong Jon is something of a celebrity in North Korea. During the past 40 years, she’s met with all three North Korean leaders.
The farm where Kim Myong Jon works is home to one of North Korea’s first greenhouses. It was first visited by Kim Il Sung more than three decades ago, and more recently by his grandson, current leader Kim Jong Un.
Chili peppers lie in the sun at the Jang Chon farm. Peppers are used for making kimchi, the fermented cabbage dish that is a staple of the North Korean diet.
The futuristic space center is in a residential area not far from the center of Pyongyang.
Two officials walk in the grounds of the space facility. NADA officials told CNN that they had prepared multiple satellites and were in the “final stages of perfecting all operations.”
In May 2015, CNN was given rare access to a faculty apartment in an upscale area of Pyongyang, near Kim Il Sung University. The lounge was neat, if a little dated.
This is the master bedroom of the three-bedroom apartment. A university professor lives in the home with his adult children. It’s 200 square meters (about 2,150 square feet). That’s large for an apartment in Pyongyang.
A flat screen television sits prominently in the lounge.
Books are neatly lined up above a desk in the study. There’s a lamp for reading and a large padded chair.
Every home in North Korea displays portraits of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Housing is assigned by the government and is free. Those who want to move have to sign up to exchange places with other citizens.
The kitchen features a double sink and brushed metal counter tops.
The kitchen is fitted with a Haier two-burner gas hob. Haier, based in Qingdao, China, is one of the world’s biggest home appliance companies.
First-graders in a Pyongyang classroom are orderly yet energetic, often standing and giving spirited answers to their teacher’s questions.
North Korean students watch riding lessons at a new equestrian center designed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. The facility was formerly used for military training.
Outdoor exercise accompanied by upbeat music is a daily routine for these North Korean middle school students. Classes are critiqued on their coordination.
Young children in a newly constructed Pyongyang orphanage practice a musical performance.
The orphanage features a pool area for the children, who live and study in the complex.
Young boys practice a drum routine that they will perform during International Children’s Day in June.
Toy rocket launchers sit ready for children to play with.
Soldiers stand guard on the North Korean side of the DMZ.
North Korea displays the armistice agreement that brought the brutal fighting of the Korean War to an end in 1953.
Junior Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho is part of North Korea’s standing army of more than a million.
Pyongyang women wear their Sunday best — and carry ornate umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun.
Twin statues honor the late leaders of North Korea, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Visitors to Pyongyang are routinely taken to pay their respects and lay flowers at the monument.
Kim Jong Un personally inspected the plans for this new water park and had his top officials test the water slides for safety.
Visitors to a Pyongyang water park play table tennis.
The Pyongyang Gold Lane, a bowling alley in the North Korean capital, is popular among young people.
Pyongyang Airport is the first stop on tours of North Korea. Air Koryo is the national airline. It operates direct flights from Beijing and Shenyang in China, and Vladivostok in Russia. Air Koryo has an aging fleet, although it has purchased some newer aircraft in recent years.
The inflight magazine features multiple pages on Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
The inflight meal consists of a burger and a glass of North Korean beer.
