The 17th ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships took place in Pyongyang from September 6 to 12, 2011. About 800 athletes from 80 countries, including the U.S., attended the event.
North Korea and the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships
Athletes enter the Taekwon-Do Hall in Pyongyang. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
Athletes waiting for the opening ceremony of the Taekwon-Do championships. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
A North Korean dance team performs a traditional dance at the event. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
North Korean children riding roller skates in Pyongyang. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
A man reads the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's official newspaper, from a newspaper stand in a Pyongyang subway station. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
English language learning is booming among North Korean school children. An English word is posted on a street tree. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
A salesperson waits for a customer at a souvenir store in Pyongyang. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
USS Pueblo, which was captured by North Korea more than 40 years ago, is exhibited in the Daedong River in Pyongyang. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)
Singing is a popular way to attract customers in North Korea. (Sungwon Baik/VOA)