The North Korea Project and The Closed Country

The North Korea Project

His trip to North Korea was a landmark project, as only a handful of Nordic photographers have been able to document life inside the country. The visit resulted in a striking visual documentation that sheds light on the carefully curated experience provided to visitors. Bech’s work from this journey, published in Information, captures the tension between the controlled façade presented to outsiders and the subtle glimpses of real life beyond the government-sanctioned narratives.
His ability to tell stories through powerful, evocative images has made him a respected figure in documentary photography, known for his ability to capture both the everyday and the extraordinary.

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The Closed Country

A Photographic Narrative

The world is no longer as it once was. There is political unrest, conflicts, and great uncertainty. One of the most closed-off countries in the world is North Korea. Very few Nordic photographers have been granted access to the country.

But after spending five years applying and sending letters to the North Korean embassy, freelance photographer Lars Bech and journalist Martin Selsø from Information finally received permission to visit the country. Their journey turned into a surreal and extraordinary experience, crossing the border into a nation that few truly understand, that even fewer have visited, and that remains an enigma to the outside world.

Lars Bech presents photographs and shares anecdotes from his journey to Pyongyang, offering a rare glimpse into the everyday life and orchestrated reality of one of the world’s most secretive regimes. He also showcases examples of his other work, including his large-scale Denmark Project, which captures the essence of Danish life through his lens.