Drones over North Korea: USB cards, flash drives dropped | CNN

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The North Korea you aren't meant to see

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Inside North Korea 26 videos

The North Korea you aren't meant to see

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The sons of an American defector to North Korea, one of whom is now a captain in the army, are featured in a propaganda video calling on the US "to drop its hostile policy against North Korea"

N. Korea showcases sons of U.S. defector in video

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Inside library dedicated to North Korea

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Parades mark close of North Korea congress

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North Korea holds historic political event

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North Korean diplomat defects

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Kim Dong Chul, center, a U.S. citizen detained in North Korea, is escorted to his trial Friday, April 29, 2016, in Pyongyang, North Korea. A North Korean court has sentenced an ethnic Korean U.S. citizen to 10 years in prison for what it called acts of espionage. (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon)

North Korea sentences U.S. citizen to hard labor

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U.S. citizen says he spied on North Korea

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This picture taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 12, 2012 shows North Korean rocket Unha-3, carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3, lifting off from the launching pad in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province in North Korea. North Korea's leader has ordered more satellite launches, state media said on December 14, 2012, two days after Pyongyang's long-range rocket launch triggered global outrage and UN condemnation. AFP PHOTO / KCNA vis KNS ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT 'AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo credit should read KNS/AFP/Getty Images)

N. Korea tests missiles despite condemnation

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South Korea: N. Korea conducts two failed missile tests

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North Korea's first Worker's Party Congress in 36 years

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Official: N. Korean missle launch 'seems to have failed'

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N. Korea launces missile from sub, South Korea says

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North Korea: South Korea abducted 13 workers

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North Korea defiant against sanctions

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Top official from North Korean spy agency defects

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This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 9, 2016 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) meeting with the scientists and technicians in the field of researches into nuclear weapons and guiding the work for boosting the nuclear arsenal at an undisclosed location. / AFP / KCNA / KCNAKCNA/AFP/Getty Image

North Korea: Ready to use nukes 'any time'

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What weapons does North Korea have?

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North and South Korea agree to family reunions

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Defector speaks: I needed to leave this 'hell on Earth'

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North Korea takes on West with its own K-pop band

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Life on the edge of Korea's DMZ

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How dangerous is life near the Korean DMZ?

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A North Korean soldier looks toward the South side while a group of foreign veterans who fought for South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and their relatives visit the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas on July 28, 2015. The veterans from Canada, the United States and Colombia were invited by a South Korean church group to mark the 62nd anniversary of the signing of an armistice accord that ended the war on July 27, 1953. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)

Sheltering from North Korea

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Why is Kim Jong Un cracking down his top generals?

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Slovenian rock band Laibach is one of the first Western groups to ever play in North Korea.

Band: N. Korea gig was 'strange'

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Story highlights

Previously, balloons were floated in an attempt to deliver outside info to North Korea

Radio frequencies were jammed

Oslo, Norway CNN —

Stealthy helicopter drones have been delivering SD cards and flash drives to North Korean residents hungry for entertainment and information from the outside, a North Korean defector and activist said Wednesday.

Jung Gwang-il, founder of the group No Chain, said the drones have been delivering the contraband since early 2015.

Tearful North Korean waitresses: Our ‘defector’ colleagues were tricked

The images of former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung (left) and Kim Jong Il hang outside the April 25 House of Culture as Pyongyang holds its 7th Congress of Workers' Party.

Will Ripley/CNN

The full car park at the 7th Workers' Party Congress in Pyongyang, which was attended by some 3,4000 delegates.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Korean women in traditional dress prepare to greet delegates at the 7th Workers' Party Congress, held for the first time in 36 years.

Will Ripley/CNN

A photograph of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hangs in the enormous April 25 House of Culture during the 7th Workers' Party Congress in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

The images of former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung (left) and Kim Jong Il adorn the convention center as the 7th Workers' Party Congress in Pyongyang takes place.

Will Ripley/CNN

More than 3,000 party members and scores of international journalists poured into a convention center in Pyongyang for the once-in-a-generation political gathering.

Will Ripley/CNN

The ceiling in the hall of the April 25 House of Culture is photographed during the 7th Workers' Party Congress.

Will Ripley/CNN

A man watches the 7th Workers' Party Congress in Pyongyang, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave a 15-minute opening speech, touting the country's weapons development.

Will Ripley/CNN

Portraits of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il look down from the clock tower of Pyongyang Central Railway Station. The station is a major hub for travelers to and from the capital, including many of the delegates for the upcoming Workers' Party Congress, which starts on May 6.

Will Ripley/CNN

Passengers look curiously through the window at foreign journalists who are taking pictures of them on a tram in Pyongyang, May 4.

Will Ripley/CNN

Trams are packed to capacity carrying citizens to rehearsals for choreographed group displays during the 7th Workers' Party Congress.

Will Ripley/CNN

A student band outside Hyoksin (Innovation) Station is tasked with lifting the spirits of Pyongyang citizens so they'll work harder during the "70 day battle" leading up to the congress.

Will Ripley/CNN

Secondary school students walk home in a group along Kwangbok "Liberation" street in Pyongyang on May 4 after a day of work and rehearsals for the upcoming congress.

Will Ripley/CNN

A woman gets into a taxi outside a new Pyongyang department store. The North Korean capital now has several taxi companies.

Will Ripley/CNN

A growing number of Pyongyang's upper-middle class are able to purchase fashionable clothing, usually imported from China. Two-year-old Ri Ryong Won's mother is a primary school teacher.

Will Ripley/CNN

Hyon Un Mi, 27, works as a guide at Pyongyang's Arch of Triumph. She says she and her colleagues have worked for 70 days straight, acting on orders of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. To prepare Pyongyang for the upcoming congress, she was part of a work crew sent to refurbish Kim Il Sung Stadium.

Will Ripley/CNN

Everywhere you look people are carrying home bags of artificial flowers. They are standard issue for all major celebrations in North Korea.

Will Ripley/CNN

Around every corner of Pyongyang are banners marking the upcoming congress. This one says "Great party. Motherly party."

Will Ripley/CNN

A woman walks her bike along Kwangbok "Liberation" street in Pyongyang on May 4 after a day of work and rehearsals for the upcoming congress.

Will Ripley/CNN

Many of the mass demonstrations will feature group choreography. Bundles of fake flowers are distributed and people are seen carrying them throughout Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Korea holds first Workers' Party congress in 36 years

The SD cards and USB flash drives contain Western and South Korean films, TV shows, music and internet-free access to Wikipedia – media that will help get outside information to North Koreans, who are kept behind an invisible wall that cuts them off from outside influence.

North Korea launches two midrange missiles; both tests fail

Using such drones has long been discussed among North Korean activists, but it’s the first time a group acknowledged that it had been secretly using them to make deliveries to North Korea.

“I put great hope in these sticks,” said Jung, holding up a USB flash drive as he spoke at the Oslo Freedom Forum on Wednesday. “I believe this has power to bring freedom to my country.”

North Korean high school students play on a beach at Wonsan, on September 11, 2017.

Will Ripley/CNN

Bartender at the Rainbow floating restaurant in Pyongyang on September 10.

Will Ripley/CNN

Sunday afternoon row boats on the Taedong River, Pyongyang, beside Juche Tower. Taken on September 10.

Will Ripley/CNN

Participation in mass celebrations is mandatory for those privileged citizens allowed to live in the capital, Pyongyang. Taken on September 9.

Will Ripley/CNN

Pyongyang residents walk past a poster marking the 69th DPRK Foundation Day on September 9. It reads "Let the entire world look up to the great Kim Il Sung nation and Kim Jong Il Korea."

Will Ripley/CNN

This statue in Samjiyon depicts North Korea's founding President Kim Il Sung when he was a guerrilla fighter against the Japanese. Taken on September 6.

Will Ripley/CNN

The lobby of the CNN team's hotel in Samjiyon on September 5.

Will Ripley/CNN

A bus driver who drives a Japanese vehicle over some of the bumpiest roads in North Korea. Taken on September 5.

Justin Robertson/CNN

Propaganda banners line the streets of Samjiyon on September 4.

Will Ripley/CNN

Public transportation in rural North Korea, near the Chinese border, taken on September 4.

Will Ripley/CNN

A young North Korean musician in the border town of Kaesong, taken on September 4. Music is a huge part of life in North Korea.

Justin Robertson/CNN

North Korean tour guide at Mt Paektu outside the alleged birth place of Kim Jong Il, on September 3. Kim is widely considered to have been born in Russia.

Justin Robertson/CNN

Housing units deep in rural North Korea, near the border with China, taken on September 3.

Will Ripley/CNN

A boy living in the mountainous northeastern border region on September 3, not far from North Korea's sixth nuclear test.

Will Ripley/CNN

The view from the top of Mt Paektu on September 3, a sacred site to North Koreans close to the border with China. First time CNN has ever been allowed here.

Will Ripley/CNN

The Mausoleum of Tangun is said to hold the remains of the ancient King Tangun -- widely considered a mythical figure. <br /><br />North Korea built the pyramid in 1994 and has not allowed outside experts to verify the remains inside.

The Mausoleum of Tangun is said to hold the remains of the ancient King Tangun -- widely considered a mythical figure.

North Korea built the pyramid in 1994 and has not allowed outside experts to verify the remains inside.

Will Ripley/CNN

Sunset from inside Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on August 31.

Will Ripley/CNN

The crowd applauds as North Korean TV airs footage of their latest missile launch outside Pyongyang Station on August 30, 2017.

Will Ripley/CNN

The parents in North Korea of an inadvertent defector react to <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2017/04/30/nk-family-divided-ripley-pkg.cnn" target="_blank">a video message</a>, shared by CNN's Will Ripley, from their daughter, who lives in South Korea and cannot return home. The family hasn't been together in years.

The parents in North Korea of an inadvertent defector react to a video message, shared by CNN's Will Ripley, from their daughter, who lives in South Korea and cannot return home. The family hasn't been together in years.

Will Ripley/CNN

May Day celebrations are held on May 1 in Pyongyang.

Justin Robinson/CNN

A North Korean boy sits in his family's living room on April 30 in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Koreans in Pyongyang celebrate the country's <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/25/asia/north-korea-army-day-in-pictures/" target="_blank">85th annual Army Day</a> on April 25. The holiday celebrates the founding of its army.

North Koreans in Pyongyang celebrate the country's 85th annual Army Day on April 25. The holiday celebrates the founding of its army.

Justin Robertson/CNN

A North Korea veteran stands against the backdrop of the USS Pueblo, a US Navy ship that North Korea captured in 1968. CNN's Will Ripley‪ asked this veteran about his thoughts on the USS Carl Vinson, an American aircraft carrier conducting joint drills with two Japanese destroyers in the western Pacific Ocean. The veteran told Ripley, "We can sink that aircraft carrier."

Justin Robertson/CNN

Ripley noted that in Pyongyang, children are often seen dressed in bright, colorful clothing, contrasting with the more conservative and darker outfits worn by many adults.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Korean soldiers march on April 15, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/14/asia/north-korea-day-of-the-sun/" target="_blank">as the nation marks the birth of its founder, Kim Il Sung,</a> who is also the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korean soldiers march on April 15, as the nation marks the birth of its founder, Kim Il Sung, who is also the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

North Koreans celebrate the birthday of Kim Il Sung. He would have been 105.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

Tanks roll through Kim Il Sung Square on April 15.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

North Korean air force jets fly over the Pyongyang celebration.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears at a ceremony to formally open a housing development in Pyongyang on April 13. The project was rushed to completion in under a year, North Korean officials say.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

North Koreans gather to witness the opening of the Ryomyong Street housing development.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

Foreign journalists are filmed by North Korean media during the Ryomyong Street event.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

Soldiers leave the opening ceremony of the Ryomyong Street development.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

North Koreans observe a statue of their founder, Kim Il Sung, at the Museum of the Korean Revolution on April 10. CNN's Will Ripley said it was the first time CNN cameras had been allowed into the Pyongyang museum.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Koreans pose on April 9, for a photo at Mangyongdae, the birthplace of Kim Il Sung.

Will Ripley/CNN

Boys in Pyongyang pose for a photo at a secondary school for orphans on February 19.

Will Ripley/CNN

A tiger is seen at a zoo in Pyongyang on February 19. CNN's Will Ripley, Tim Schwarz and Justin Robertson were the only Western broadcasters reporting from North Korea after it conducted a ballistic missile test on February 12. See their dispatches.

Will Ripley/ CNN

CNN's Will Ripley posted this photo of the Pyongyang skyline on February 17. "Note the 105-story pyramid skyscraper, the Ryugyong Hotel. Work began in 1987. Still unfinished," Ripley said in his Instagram post.

will ripley/CNN

North Korean soldiers ride on February 17, in a black Mercedes-Benz on the streets of Pyongyang.

Wiill Ripley/CNN

A 70-story apartment building undergoes construction on February 17.

Will Ripley/CNN

The floating Rainbow Restaurant is seen in Pyongyang on February 17.

Will Ripley

North Korean soldiers watch fireworks on February 16, in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

People use smartphones on on February 16, to take photos of an ice sculpture in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

A soldier stands guard in North Korea on February 16. While military service for women has long been voluntary, it reportedly was made mandatory recently in a bid to bolster the armed forces.

Ellana Lee/CNN

A boy visits the Kimjongilia flower show on February 16. The red flowers are named after the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

Will Ripley/CNN

University students dance in front of the Pyongyang indoor stadium on February 16.

Will Ripley/CNN

Book titles are listed in English at a bookshop for tourists in the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang.

Tim Schwarz/CNN

Ice flows down the Taedong River in Pyongyang on February 16.

Will Ripley/CNN

Soldiers pay respects to former North Korean leaders on February 15. The site is considered one of the most sacred in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Vendors sell flowers February 15 to mourners paying their respects to deceased leaders of North Korea.

Will Ripley/CNN

The view over the frozen Taedong River shows residential areas of Pyongyang on February 15.

Justin Robertson/CNN

The symbol of North Korea's sole political party, the Korean Workers' Party, can be seen atop a government building in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Taxis are becoming more prevalent on the streets of Pyongyang. Most commuters still ride buses.

Will Ripley/CNN

Tour guides told CNN's crew that "in 1948, Kim Il Sung, his wife and his then 7-year-old son, Kim Jong Il, test fired North Korea's first domestically manufactured submachine gun," Tim Schwartz said on Instagram. The guides said that all three shot bullseyes at 50 meters.

Tim Schwartz/CNN

The Man Gyong Dae School Children's Palace, shown in May 2016, is an after-school activity complex in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Young singers practice their performance at a "children's palace" in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Children play volleyball at an after-school center in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

An Olympic-sized swimming pool is a focal point of a "children's palace" after-school center in Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Pyongyang prepares in 2016 for the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/28/asia/north-korea-party-congress-explainer/">Workers' Party of Korea congress,</a> the first such meeting since 1980. The event aimed to consolidate Kim Jong Un's power in the regime.

Pyongyang prepares in 2016 for the Workers' Party of Korea congress, the first such meeting since 1980. The event aimed to consolidate Kim Jong Un's power in the regime.

Charlie Miller/CNN

A train can be seen from the window of the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang.

Charlie Miller/CNN

CNN visits the North Korean <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/08/asia/north-korea-hydrogen-bomb-science-park/" target="_blank">Science and Technology Center</a> in Pyongyang in January 2016.

CNN visits the North Korean Science and Technology Center in Pyongyang in January 2016.

Will Ripley/CNN

Visitors to North Korea's Science and Technology Center use the tightly regulated North Korean intranet.

Will Ripley/CNN

A guide shows visitors a display in the North Korean Science and Technology Center.

Will Ripley/CNN

Exhibits at the North Korean Science and Technology Center include this fighter jet.

Will Ripley/CNN

During a carefully choreographed show of strength to mark the <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/10/asia/north-korea-military-parade/">70th anniversary of the ruling Korean Workers' Party</a> in October 2015, a soldier marches across Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square.

During a carefully choreographed show of strength to mark the 70th anniversary of the ruling Korean Workers' Party in October 2015, a soldier marches across Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square.

Will Ripley/CNN

Young members of North Korea's military ride artillery through Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/Instagram

North Korean soldiers march below statues of North Korea's founding president Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il.

Will Ripley/CNN

Weapons are paraded through Pyongyang as a clear signal to the rest of the world that North Korea has military might.

Will Ripley/CNN

A large mural of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung stands outside the Jang Chon cooperative farm, a 30-minute drive outside the capital Pyongyang. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/25/asia/north-korea-most-famous-farmer/">CNN visited the farm in September 2015.</a>

A large mural of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung stands outside the Jang Chon cooperative farm, a 30-minute drive outside the capital Pyongyang. CNN visited the farm in September 2015.

Will Ripley/CNN

Farm manager Kim Myong Jon is something of a celebrity in North Korea. During the past 40 years, she's met with all three North Korean leaders.

Will Ripley/CNN

The farm where Kim Myong Jon works is home to one of North Korea's first greenhouses. It was first visited by Kim Il Sung more than three decades ago, and more recently by his grandson, current leader Kim Jong Un.

Will Ripley/CNN

Chili peppers lie in the sun at the Jang Chon farm. Peppers are used for making kimchi, the fermented cabbage dish that is a staple of the North Korean diet.

Will Ripley/CNN

CNN's Will Ripley speaks with scientists from North Korea's space agency, the National Aeronautical Development Association (NADA). In September 2015, CNN was given exclusive access to the newly opened satellite control center.

Will Ripley/CNN

The futuristic space center is in a residential area not far from the center of Pyongyang.

Will Ripley/CNN

Two officials walk in the grounds of the space facility. NADA officials told CNN that they had prepared multiple satellites and were in the "final stages of perfecting all operations."

Will Ripley/CNN

Hula hoop diplomacy at a North Korean dolphinarium<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/asia/north-korea-hula-hooping/">. CNN video journalist Brad Olson</a> was called on stage to show how it's done."I managed to get three going, much to the delight of the crowd," he said.

Hula hoop diplomacy at a North Korean dolphinarium. CNN video journalist Brad Olson was called on stage to show how it's done."I managed to get three going, much to the delight of the crowd," he said.

Brad Olson/CNN

In May 2015, CNN was given rare access to a faculty apartment in an upscale area of Pyongyang, near Kim Il Sung University. The lounge was neat, if a little dated.

will ripley/cnn

This is the master bedroom of the three-bedroom apartment. A university professor lives in the home with his adult children. It's 200 square meters (about 2,150 square feet). That's large for an apartment in Pyongyang.

will ripley/cnn

A flat-screen television sits prominently in the lounge.

will ripley/cnn

Books are neatly lined up above a desk in the study. There's a lamp for reading and a large padded chair.

will ripley/cnn

Every home in North Korea displays portraits of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Housing is assigned by the government and is free. Those who want to move have to sign up to exchange places with other citizens.

will ripley/cnn

The kitchen features a double sink and brushed metal counter tops.

will ripley/cnn

The kitchen is fitted with a Haier two-burner gas hob. Haier, based in Qingdao, China, is one of the world's biggest home appliance companies.

will ripley/cnn

First-graders in a Pyongyang classroom are orderly yet energetic, often standing and giving spirited answers to their teacher's questions.

will ripley/cnn

North Korean students watch riding lessons at a new equestrian center designed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. The facility was formerly used for military training.

will ripley/cnn

Outdoor exercise accompanied by upbeat music is a daily routine for these North Korean middle school students. Classes are critiqued on their coordination.

will ripley/cnn

Young children in a newly constructed Pyongyang orphanage practice a musical performance.

Will Ripley/CNN

The orphanage features a pool area for the children, who live and study in the complex.

Will Ripley/CNN

Young boys practice a drum routine that they will perform during International Children's Day.

Will Ripley/CNN

Toy rocket launchers sit ready for children to play with.

Will Ripley/CNN

Junior Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho speaks to CNN correspondent Will Ripley. In May 2015, Ripley and his team were <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/02/asia/cnn-inside-north-korea/">granted rare access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in North Korea.</a> An estimated three-quarters of North Korea's standing army of more than a million is based near the heavily fortified border.

Junior Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho speaks to CNN correspondent Will Ripley. In May 2015, Ripley and his team were granted rare access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in North Korea. An estimated three-quarters of North Korea's standing army of more than a million is based near the heavily fortified border.

CNN/Will Ripley

Soldiers stand guard on the North Korean side of the DMZ.

Will Ripley/CNN

North Korea displays the armistice agreement that brought the brutal fighting of the Korean War to an end in 1953.

Will Ripley/CNN

Junior Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho is part of North Korea's standing army of more than a million.

Will Ripley/CNN

Pyongyang women wear their Sunday best -- and carry ornate umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun.

Will Ripley/CNN

Twin statues honor the late leaders of North Korea, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Visitors to Pyongyang are routinely taken to pay their respects and lay flowers at the monument.

Will Ripley/CNN

Kim Jong Un personally inspected the plans for this new water park and had his top officials test the water slides for safety.

Will Ripley/CNN

Visitors to a Pyongyang water park play table tennis.

Will Ripley/CNN

The Pyongyang Gold Lane, a bowling alley in the North Korean capital, is popular among young people.

Will Ripley/CNN

Pyongyang Airport is the first stop on tours of North Korea. Air Koryo is the national airline. It operates direct flights from Beijing and Shenyang in China, and Vladivostok in Russia. Air Koryo has an aging fleet, although it has purchased some newer aircraft in recent years.

Will Ripley/CNN

The inflight magazine features multiple pages on Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

Will Ripley/CNN

The inflight meal consists of a burger and a glass of North Korean beer.

Will Ripley/CNN

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Drones drop films, information into N. Korea, activists say

Story highlights

North Korea holds first Workers' Party congress in 36 years

Scenes from Pyongyang: CNN inside North Korea