Chang Jeong-gil on Pyongyang's Kangdong County

2012.06.18

The emaciated young soldier squatting here is collecting pieces of stolen corn from a cooperative farm. (September 2008, by Chang Jeong-gil)

In the spring of 2008, the Rimjin-gang editorial staff asked our North Korean reporters to cover the daily lives of the people, especially regarding the food situation.

Two kotchebi boys on the street. There is a lot of food at the market, so many children beggars gather there. (September 2008, by Chang Jeong-gil)

While they were in the field doing that reporting, news spread around the globe that something catastrophic had happened to Kim Jongil.
There was no official announcement or confirmation, but the consensus of those reports was that neurological problems worsened sometime in mid- August, after which Kim underwent surgery or special treatment.

Photojournalist Chang Jeong-gil (right) has just reached China with 250 shots of digital still photographs he took in North Korea. He explains details of the photographs to Ishimaru Jiro. (October 2008)

He then failed to attend the 60th anniversary memorial ceremony of the country's founding, thought to be the biggest national event of the year.

After hearing this, our reporters continued their interviews, risking their lives to create high-quality visual reports.
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A Life In A Countryside -
Rimjin-gang <Page 258>

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