Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder has visited the most closed country in the world and here are some of the photos he made there.

North Korea – a country of morning freshness and brutal tyranny. Taekwondo and the Juche ideas were born there. For a foreigner to get into North Korea is very difficult, particularly for a photographers – it is prohibited to make photos almost everywhere in the country.

All visitors, even more so, photographers in North Korea are necessarily accompanied by members of the local special services. Therefore, the majority of images below that show nation’s poor condition and underdevelopment were made secretely.

Pyongyang airport

Special shop for foreigners and party elites.

Video room in the State Central Library in Pyongyang.

In North Korea, the Internet is prohibited, but there is an intranet, which, through the Korean Computer Center is controlled by the authorities in Pyongyang.

The rulers of North Korea wish to send their citizens into space.

North Korean public activities accompanied by the famous «live pictures». Thousands of people create a huge colored painting.

Children – the future hopes of North Korea

A modern residential complex.

Bus stop

Residents of Pyongyang mainly use crowded public transport: trams, buses and trolleybuses.

Bicycles in North Korea are a luxury and are relatively rare.

Roads are often empty because cars are even less popular here.

New movies announced

Market in the city of Nampo

North Korean soldiers and civilians and the huge bronze figure of the deceased leader Kim Il-Sung.

Panoramic view of Pyongyang from the river Tedongan.

This column is a monument of ideas Juche.

More photos and description can be found on www.guardian.co.uk