Spot the difference! Intriguing photo series shows how life in North and South Korea compare
- Jacob Laukaitis, an entrepreneur and avid traveller, visited North and South Korea to compare them
- He decided to take photographs showing similar situations with the mood striking a sharp contrast
- The 22-year-old visited a range of different locations including schools, train stations and car parks
After visiting North and South Korea, an intrepid traveller has revealed the contrast between the two nations using striking photographs.
Jacob Laukaitis, a 22-year-old entrepreneur and travel blogger from Lithuania, decided to take images of certain situations to show how South Korea has a warmth of character compared to its notoriously cold-hearted neighbour.
In one photo set, focused on education, a school in South Korea looks bright and relaxed with contemporary furnishings lifting the mood. But moving to North Korea, a classroom setting appears rigid and bleak as students sit in uniform with their heads studiously bowed.
After visiting North and South Korea, an intrepid traveller has revealed the contrast between the two nations using striking photographs. The above photos show how the countryside in South Korea (left) compares to North Korea (right)
Jacob Laukaitis, a 22-year-old entrepreneur and travel blogger, decided to take images of certain situations to show how South Korea has a warmth of character compared to its notoriously cold-hearted neighbour. The above photos show how the streets compare, with South Korea bustling with traffic (left) and North Korea eerily devoid of cars (right)
In Laukaitis' photo series people look happy and relaxed in South Korea, wearing colourful clothes (left), while in North Korea the mood is more formal and sombre (right)
Similarly, a train station in South Korea features slick and clean interiors. There are polished floors, bright lights and modern stainless steel finishings.
Over the border Laukaitis visited a train station that looks thoroughly dated. Low, arched ceilings inspire a feeling of claustrophobia and strip lights give a cold, bright glow.
Sticking with the transport theme, a photo of a road in South Korea is bustling with traffic. The lanes are full with commuters and the tarmac appears to be good condition.
But in North Korea, a gaping highway is completely devoid of cars, sitting eerily empty.
A car park in South Korea is packed full of cars and tour buses (left) but in North Korea there is just one car parked up and the police seem to be inspecting the driver (right)
Laukaitis says the above photos document what people get up to in the free time in South Korea (left) and North Korea (right). The two scenes strike a sharp contrast
Laukaitis explained previously to MailOnline Travel that he went on a 'strictly guided' seven-day tour in North Korea just over a year ago.
He said that the tour operators took away his passport and didn't let him explore anything on his own.
Every photograph he wanted to take needed permission from the guide as he was not allowed to capture certain aspects of life in North Korea, like soldiers, workers or construction sites.
He also had little opportunity to interact with locals and in turn, the locals seemed to have little interest or were too afraid to interact with the foreign visitors.
At one point, the group were allowed to go on one ride at a theme park before being told they had to leave.
In one photo set, focused on education, a school in South Korea looks bright and relaxed with contemporary furnishings lifting the mood (left). But moving to North Korea, a classroom setting appears rigid and bleak as students sit in uniform with their heads studiously bowed (right)
A train station in South Korea features slick and clean interiors. There are polished floors, bright lights and modern stainless steel finishings (left). Over the border, a train station looks thoroughly dated. Low, arched ceilings inspire a feeling of claustrophobia and strip lights give a cold glow (right)
The seven-day journey was one of the most interesting trips for Laukaitis, but he says he left the country feeling sad knowing that millions didn't have the freedom that he did.
Summing up the travel experience, the adventurer, who has travelled to more than 50 countries, wrote: 'North Korea was definitely the weirdest country I had ever visited.'
After the trip he decided to see what South Korea was like and he flew there this year so he could compare his experiences in both countries.
The most recent photos from Laukaitis' Instagram account, @jacoblaukaitis - which boasts more than 11,000 followers - shows he is on the move again, with his current adventure taking place in Thailand.
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