Images from Pyongyang rapidly became apparent and were remarkable for their diversity. They provided insights into North Korea in almost real time, with Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader, beaming and shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin while guiding him around the capital of one of the least accessible countries in the world.
The coverage of the Kim-Putin meeting this week, which featured images only made public by the respective propaganda branches of each government, was a startling diversion from the norm for those who follow the events of the Kim family’s three-generation rule. In a country where images are rarely approved and edited to the point of nausea, this coverage felt especially unusual.
The present leader’s grandpa and the country’s founder are honored in Kim Il Sung Square, where the two marched on the red carpet. They looked out over a sea of kids holding balloons. They watched a military procession and observed people brandishing pompoms. Groups of North Korean civilians were visible to them, but they were not depicted engaging with them. If history is any guide, these people were thoroughly screened before being allowed to enter the area.
Though colorful and abundant, those pictures were the expected result of a well-oiled propaganda machine.
The interspersed moments that were able to be seen were even more remarkable; they were similarly meticulously calibrated, yet they disclosed a tiny bit more information about the North and its leader than most imagery provides. The photographs were numerous and diverse, taken from stills and movies produced by state media operations in North Korea and Russia (independent journalists were denied access to cover Putin’s visit).
Here, Kim was presenting a bust of the Russian president that he had had created as a gift to Putin. These two leaders were seen cuddling, gazing at Korean Pungsan dogs and horses, leaning in to have casual talks, and laughing during a “gala concert.”
A particularly powerful scene was captured on Kremlin pool footage, which was taken shortly before Putin arrived in Pyongyang. Kim was seen pacing and waiting for his counterpart to arrive on the tarmac, his hands behind his back, silhouetted against the airport gate and a red welcome sign behind him. For a little while, it was simple to see Kim Jong Un as a tired individual waiting for an aircraft after midnight rather than the polished head of an autocratic regime.
The impression that everything was happening practically instantly, primarily through Russian pool visuals, was possibly the most remarkable aspect.
Another factor at work is the sporadic digital manipulation of imagery from the Korean Central News Agency, the North’s principal propaganda agency, prior to its transmission; extensive screening is necessary before it is used.
The photos from this week were particularly captivating since there was an occasional hint of spontaneity. The vast majority of North Korean imagery appears manufactured, and for good reason. Kim is always surrounded by shy and submissive people, just like his father and grandfather. Kim also seems awkward a lot of the time.
