Photos taken from the Chinese border city of Dandong offer a look into life in the nation which has been testing missiles amid a growing threat of World War 3.
A photographer was able to take photos of Sakchu county and the Yau River from the Chinese border.
Sakchu is reportedly home of one of the hermit kingdom’s two primary chemical munition facilities.
It is a very rural area, and arable farming is tough in the harsh conditions – the average temperature is 8C, plunging to -10 in Winter.
Soldiers in warm hats can be seen in the snow carrying out tasks like digging and gathering water.
In one image a North Korean fisherman is seen in the icy waters looking for fish.
Spartan grey square buildings can be seen in the background, including a number of houses with balconies.
Another image shows soldiers in the back of a red military truck.
In the North Korean town, large portraits of late leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il are seen.
In another image people are seen with bicycles are they walk in the snow along the river bank.
China has been a major trading partner of the reclusive nation, but heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula has resulted in a shutdown of relations.
The contrast between both sides of the 880-mile border is great, the landscape of North Korea is barren and bleak, but Dandong, in China, is a vibrant bustling city.
In this border region exists a thriving black market for Chinese mobile phones.
Signal from Chinese phone networks reaches across the river and citizens are willing to risk their lives to get their hands on devices to make international calls.
Calling abroad is illegal in the hermit kingdom.
Despite the tense situation, many Chinese tourists travel to Dandong to get a sneak peek at the reclusive country. Visitors can take boat rides down the Yalu River that divides the nations.
Tensions may be thawing on the peninsula after North Korea and South Korea entered into talks to discuss Pyongyang’s possible participation in the February 9-25 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The talks have raised hopes of a thaw in tensions on the Korean Peninsula amid escalating tensions over Pyongyang’s missile testing.
However there are concerns the North could use the Olympics to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul, and it will use the sporting event to bargain against international sanctions.
Robert A Manning resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council exclusively told Express.co.uk: “[Kim] went well beyond that in what appears at least a tactical shift, explicitly calling for talks which suggest at a minimum reopening a North-South dialogue channel and most likely participating in the ROK Winter Olympics.
“For Kim, it appears to be returning to the North Korean playbook to try and drive a wedge between the US and ROK when there is a leftist government in Seoul.