A photographer captured these dismal photos of life in North Korea on his phone

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, all eyes have been on the country's neighbor to the north.

Government leaders from North Korea and South Korea have begun to embrace themes of peace and harmony at the Pyeongchang Games. But international observers have offered a mix of scrutiny and praise as they watch the totalitarian nation warm to its southern neighbor.

We still know very little about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The North Korean government is notoriously secretive. Upon entering the country, visitors are instructed on what they can and cannot take pictures of. Customs agents inspect your cellphone and other digital devices, including cameras, tablets, and storage cards, for banned content.

In 2015, these restrictions prompted Getty photographer Xiaolu Chu to travel by train through the country, documenting everyday life through his phone lens. He told Business Insider it was too risky to use a high-end camera because locals would report him to the authorities.

While some images were deleted during run-ins with the police, Chu shared some snapshots with us. Take a look at life inside North Korea.

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Chu took the long way around during his visit to North Korea.

Most Chinese tourists enter by train through Sinuiju or by plane through Pyongyang. He instead traveled to Russia so he could access the northern port at Tumangang.

The train ride from Tumangang to Pyongyang — the capital of North Korea — lasts a day. It was canceled because of a dispute between North Korea and South Korea.