A photographer has pulled off a world-first by recording a 360-degree video of the most secretive capital city in the world from a microlight.
In the spectacular video - which can be moved in any direction by the viewer with a cursor while it plays - Pyongyang's colourful apartment blocks, smoking chimneys and amazingly traffic-free roads can be seen below.
Following the Taedong River, which runs through the centre of the North Korean capital, the aircraft flies by most of the city's famous landmarks - including the pyramidal Ryugyong 'Hotel of Doom', Kim Il-sung Square and the Juche Tower.
In the spectacular production, Pyongyang's colourful apartment blocks, smoking chimneys and amazingly traffic-free roads can be seen below. Pictured: The Juche Tower, which is right on the Taedong River.The appropriately named Aram Pan managed the all-encompassing visual feat - first publicised by NKNews - after persuading authorities at the Stalinist state to allow him access.
He was granted permission for the project by the state-run Korea International Travel Company and National Tourism Administration.
But despite being given unprecedented freedom to photograph Pyongyang from above, he was still forced to delete about 10 per cent of his material.Pan has been shooting North Korea since August 2013 and said the 'ordinary life' in the country that is usually 'overshadowed by the narrative' of it being a 'scary place' made him keen to show off the hermetic state's happier side.
He told NKNews: 'The North Koreans were really proud of their city and were chatting with me about what I saw and what I liked. Even the guy who deleted my photos was very into the conversation.'
Discussing his view on the people, he explained: 'I don't see them as the terrifying people everyone thinks they are and I guess they feel that. I find that the friendlier I am, the more they naturally reveal themselves to me.'Pan has been shooting North Korea since August 2013 and said the 'ordinary life' in the country that is usually 'overshadowed by the narrative' of it being a 'scary place' made him keen to show off the hermetic state's happier side. Pictured: A water park.Discussing his view on the people, he explained: 'I don't see them as the terrifying people everyone thinks they are and I guess they feel that. I find that the friendlier I am, the more they naturally reveal themselves to me.' Pictured in the distance to the right:
He added: 'Other than that, they leave me to snap away.'
Asked if he feels like he is putting forward an idealised view of the belligerent autocracy, Pan said he did not think so.
He pointed to his recent visits to markets in the country, which he said is a clear sign of consumerism growing in the country.
'The bottom line is North Korea has been steadily evolving in ways everyone has overlooked and I don't think we can clearly define them yet,' he added.
