Journalist Suki Kim spent a year undercover in North Korea. She posed as an English teacher, then bravely wrote a book about her insights into North Korean society.

AN INTREPID cameraman has taken to the skies to give a startling insight into one of the world’s most secretive cities.

Aram Pan boarded a microlight aircraft to film above the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, and revealed a landscape of bizarre buildings that wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi movie.

Pan, from Singapore, was given an exclusive chance to take his equipment on a flight over the city, filming both with a 360-degree camera and snapping regular photos, The Sun reported.

The result is a genuinely unique view of North Korea’s capital seen from all angles, showing everything from modern new construction to secretive ruling party headquarters.

Pan told NK News: “It started with my first trip in August 2013. That trip really piqued my interest as I saw a side of them that nobody seemed interested in.

“Ordinary life was happening all around that seemed to be overshadowed by the narrative of North Korea being a scary place. I just decided, why not show people the stuff I see?”

Pan’s footage comes as satellite images revealed activity around Pyongyang’s “Hotel of Doom”, a $750 million project that’s been incomplete for three decades.

Pan believes his relaxed attitude to life in North Korea has helped him open doors in the notoriously private regime.

“Perhaps it’s because I don’t see them as the terrifying people everyone thinks they are and I guess they feel that,” he said.

“I find that the friendlier I am, the more they naturally reveal themselves to me. There’s an old saying, ‘A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger’.

“I asked if I could capture the city from the air — long story short. After a combined effort on the part of the National Tourism Administration and Korea International Travel Company approval was obtained and my flight was arranged.”

However, not all his pictures escaped the attention of Kim Jong-un’s notorious censors.

“There was a guy there to go through all the material I shot. There were a couple of photos he deleted. I’d say I kept 90 per cent of what I shot,” he said.

“The North Koreans were really proud of their city and were chatting with me about what I saw and what I liked. Even the guy who deleted my photos was very into the conversation.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.