Life under the first Kim: Snapshots found in antique shop give rare insight into North Korea in the 1950s

  • Grainy black and white photos taken in North Korea in the late 1950s
  • Rare pictures unearthed in an antique shop in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia
  • Taken by a doctor who travelled through country from 1955 to 1959
  • Fascinating glimpse into everyday village life in post-Korean War years
  • North Korea was ruled by 'Great Leader' Kim Il-Sung at the time

By Kerry Mcdermott

Published: | Updated:

From a Communist parade to a crowd of laughing schoolchildren, this collection of 1950s photographs offers a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of post-war North Koreans.

The grainy black and white pictures - taken in the early years of 'Great Leader' Kim Il-Sung's rule after the Korean War - came to light after a collector stumbled across them in a dusty antique shop in Czechoslovakia.

The rare snapshots are in contrast to state-issued photographs of military drills that have emerged from modern North Korea in recent weeks, as relations between the secretive state and its neighbour to the South grow increasingly sour.

Rare: The collection of extraordinary photographs taken in post-war North Korea - including this one of a Communist parade - was discovered in an antique shop

Rare: The collection of extraordinary photographs taken in post-war North Korea - including this one of a Communist parade - was discovered in an antique shop

Daily life: Czech collector Petr Doubrava came across the photographs, including this one of North Korean children in the 1950s, by chance

Daily life: Czech collector Petr Doubrava came across the photographs, including this one of North Korean children in the 1950s, by chance

The unique collection features images of smiling children, people milling around outside a market, fishermen at work and villagers sitting down to eat together.

But there is also evidence of the Communist rule that remains in place in the isolated country more than 50 years on, in photographs of flag-bearing North Koreans marching en masse.

Petr Doubrava was astonished to happen across the atmospheric black and white images in an antique shop he frequents in the Czech town of Pardubice.

He said they were taken by a doctor who travelled through the isolated country as a member of a Czechoslovakian expedition in the years after the Korean War ended in 1953.

He declined to reveal what he paid for the unique find, saying only that the antiques dealer had handed them over in exchange for some books and 'a few tens of euros'.

Simple life: This photograph of villagers catching fish during the 1950s is a far cry from modern pictures emerging from the secretive state; which are more likely to feature military aircraft

Simple life: This photograph of villagers catching fish during the 1950s is a far cry from modern pictures emerging from the secretive state; which are more likely to feature military aircraft

Childhood: The photographer captured a group of giggling children in North Korea in the late 1950s

Childhood: The photographer captured a group of giggling children in North Korea in the late 1950s

Meal-times: The owner of the Czech antique shop said the grainy black and white shots were sold to him by the son of a photographer

Meal-times: The owner of the Czech antique shop said the grainy black and white shots were sold to him by the son of a photographer

'I found the set in a dusty antique shop in a Czech town called Pardubice,' Mr Doubrava said.

'The owner of the shop told me that the collection was sold to him by the son of a photographer.

'The photographer was a doctor who had travelled through North Korea between 1955 and 1959.

'His son was forced to sell the images because of mounting debts but as soon as I saw them I knew they were highly interesting.

'The pictures cover a whole range of topics from schools and education, the life of the villagers and a communist parade and pictures like this are extremely rare.

'I go to this particular antique shop quite frequently. In order to buy the pictures I swapped them for some books and added a few tens of Euros,' Mr Doubrava said.

Housing: Makeshift homes can be seen in this black and white shot taken in North Korea during the 1950s

Housing: Makeshift homes can be seen in this black and white shot taken in North Korea during the 1950s

Atmospheric: Two elderly North Korean men were snapped sitting side by side by the photographer, who travelled through the country between 1955 and 1959

Atmospheric: Two elderly North Korean men were snapped sitting side by side by the photographer, who travelled through the country between 1955 and 1959

Insight: A trio of villagers smile for the camera in this shot taken from the rare collection of 1950s images

Insight: A trio of villagers smile for the camera in this shot taken from the rare collection of 1950s images

Tending the land: North Korean girls carry containers on their heads as they work in a field

Tending the land: North Korean girls carry containers on their heads as they work in a field

Communism: North Koreans were captured on camera parading through the streets during the 1950s

Communism: North Koreans were captured on camera parading through the streets during the 1950s

The war between South Korea, backed by the UN, and North Korea, supported by China, lasted from June 1950 to July 1953.

The Korean peninsula had been ruled by the Empire of Japan until the end of the Second World War.

Amid the chaos after the war a Communist state was established under Kim Il-Sung in the North -  which remains under Communist rule to this day.

His personal philosophy of self-reliance would become fundamental to the country's development for almost half a century until his death in 1994.

Life in isolated North Korea remained behind a veil of secrecy under the rule of Il-Sung's successor Kim Jong-Il which continues today under his son Kim Jong-Un.

Assembly: Scores of schoolgirls, all sporting virtually identical haircuts, are seen sitting in rows on the ground in this photograph by the intrepid doctor

Assembly: Scores of schoolgirls, all sporting virtually identical haircuts, are seen sitting in rows on the ground in this photograph by the intrepid doctor

Collector: This image shows a row of flags blowing in the breeze on top of a building as men mill around on the ground below

Collector: This image shows a row of flags blowing in the breeze on top of a building as men mill around on the ground below

Exchange: The Czech collector swapped some books - and an undisclosed amount of euros - for the pictures

Exchange: The Czech collector swapped some books - and an undisclosed amount of euros - for the pictures

Unique: A snapshot of villagers on board boats off the coast of North Korea

Unique: A snapshot of villagers on board boats off the coast of North Korea

Rural: Horses pull trailers loaded with sticks along a country path in North Korea during the late 1950s

Rural: Horses pull trailers loaded with sticks along a country path in North Korea during the late 1950s

Community: The way the villagers, all clad in scarves and coats, huddle together in this photograph suggest it was taken in winter

Community: The way the villagers, all clad in scarves and coats, huddle together in this photograph suggest it was taken in winter

Contrast: Modern pictures emerging from the secretive state typically feature military drills being carried out under young leader Kim Jong-Un

Contrast: Modern pictures emerging from the secretive state typically feature military drills being carried out under young leader Kim Jong-Un

Village life: North Koreans young and old are pictured milling around what appears to be a village market

Village life: North Koreans young and old are pictured milling around what appears to be a village market

Shadowy: This photo taken inside the secretive state back in the 1950s shows two children with a man in traditional dress

Shadowy: This photo taken inside the secretive state back in the 1950s shows two children with a man in traditional dress

Day's work: The Czech collector stumbled across the photographs in an antique shop in Pardubice

Day's work: The Czech collector stumbled across the photographs in an antique shop in Pardubice

Relations: The North established a Communist government after the end of the Second World War

Relations: The North established a Communist government after the end of the Second World War

Fascinating: Two women walk with heavy loads against a backdrop of workers and billowing flags

Fascinating: Two women walk with heavy loads against a backdrop of workers and billowing flags

Conditions: Much of North Korea remains impoverished half a century after these photographs were taken

Conditions: Much of North Korea remains impoverished half a century after these photographs were taken

Post-war: The photographs are believed to have been taken after the end of the Korean War in 1953

Post-war: The photographs are believed to have been taken after the end of the Korean War in 1953

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