Photographs are a key element of North Korean state propaganda. They can be quickly consumed with relatively little thought compared to text and easily shared. They also provide a veneer of objectivity, appearing like an unadulterated reflection of the world even when this is not actually the case.

But while images have long been central to regime propaganda, the ways in which official media creates and publishes photos has not been static, evolving in response to new technology, external circumstances and the leadership’s priorities.

Nowhere is this more clear than when looking at the