Red flags and banners bearing government propaganda slogans dot the fields. Their motto is: 'Dig for victory'. In this case they seem to be digging for sheer survival.
North Korea is a land of vast motorways, some with as many as 10 lanes. But they are always empty. Very few people own cars. Pedestrians and cyclists zig-zag across them as they are so unused to traffic. But even though these roads host few vehicles, they are beautifully tended. Every Sunday, the people who live close by can be seen dusting down the gutter and pruning the shrubs on the road. Some might be visible in the distance here.
A woman stands in contemplation at the side of a village lane. The most impressive aspect of such villages is that even in the remotest areas and despite their poverty, they are maintained with great care. Scrap metal and twigs are intricately entwined to create the fencing that demarcates each home. Villagers often tend allotments together and share the produce.
Men thatch the roof of their home as winter draws in. People are responsible for the upkeep of their own properties and in remote rural areas they can only rely on the natural resources that lie around. In the background, there is a TV aerial jutting out of the neighbouring roof. Many homes in rural areas have such aerials and I can only imagine they are for receiving broadcasts from the local state-controlled channels. The yards are tidy. Even the most humble dwellings are clean and well-presented.
Despite the deprivation, children will always find creative ways to play. As they are too poor to afford ice skates, these boys have improvised with knife blades stuck onto blocks of wood. They propel themselves along with sticks. The ice on this lake is about 25cm deep. As people walk across it you hear pistol shots ringing out as hairline cracks develop. But it is perfectly safe and in the winter people cycle across the lake to get to the other side.
This department store in the centre of Pyongyang has the latest goods for sale. The food counters sell vacuum-packed foods. There are also traditional medicines and imported pharmaceuticals. Electronic devices are also on sale, including digital cameras and the occasional MP3 player. Just who can afford these items on a Korean salary is not clear. Perhaps some are just there for show.
The USS Pueblo is an incongruous presence, moored as it is in the centre of Pyongyang. It's a US spyship that was captured in 1968 for spying in North Korean waters. The Koreans are very proud to display this as a symbol of their resistance to US "aggression", and to demonstrate to their people the apparently hostile attitude of the USA.
A slogan urging farmers to uphold their national pride and identity. The country is festooned with murals and slogans. They urge everything from fighting off the hated imperialists to producing good consumer products for the benefit of the revolution and the wellbeing of the people.
A village en route to the border with South Korea. Life is hard in North Korea's rural communities, but the farmers do have access to market gardens to supplement their diet. Aid agencies say the real hardship is in provincial cities where state rations are not sufficient to meet basic needs.
A day out on North Korea's biggest national holiday. It is not uncommon for parents to dress their children in army uniforms. The military is revered in official propaganda as the defender of the revolution and the victor in wars of independence against Japan and the United States.
There is more traffic than usual - restrictions have been lifted for the national holiday. Residents say traffic has been extremely sparse during the winter months, probably because of fuel shortages. Private cars are normally banned altogether on Sundays.
These flowers are known as Kimilsungia in honour of the country's founding leader. His son, the current leader Kim Jong-il has flowers named for him too - Kimjongilia. Citizens visit these exhibitions in large numbers on the birthdays of the respective leaders.
Performers at the Arirang mass games spectacular. Thousands of performers put on a minutely choreographed performance of mass movement. It tells the story of Korea's national division and the pain and hardship it caused. This year's performance put less emphasis on militaristic displays and fights against the Americans.