Vintage Documentary Films and Newsreels

To access films or newsreels, please click on the image of the selected production.

Documentary films

Our Construction

Year: 1946

Subject: Rally in commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the March First Uprising

Quality rating: Good

Notes: First documentary film ever produced in North Korea. Due to a lack of equipment, no audio was recorded for this film.

Length: 14:54

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Soviet Documentary Film on Collective Farming in Korea

Year: 1946

Subject: Agriculture in post-liberation Soviet influenced regions of Korea

Quality rating: Good

Notes: Produced by the Soviet Union

Length: 24:57

The People's Army

Year: March 1948

Subject: Commemoration (in 1948) of the foundation of the People's Army

Quality rating: Fair

Notes: None

Length: 15:17

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

8.15 (August 15)

Year: April 1948

Subject: Commemoration (in 1947) of the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule

Quality rating: Fair

Notes: None

Length: 10:59

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

The Second World Festival of Youth and Students

Year: 1949

Subject: The 1949 Hungary Second World Festival of Youth and Students

Quality rating: Good

Notes: None

Length: 4:22

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Call to the World

Year: 1950

Subject: The Korean War

Quality rating: Fair

Notes: Graphic images are present

Length: 17:36

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

U.S. Germ Warfare in Korea

Year: 1952

Subject: Accusation of USA for biological warfare usage during Korean War

Quality rating: Fair

Notes: Graphic images are present

Length: 21:46

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Czech Documentary Film on Hospitals in North Korea

Year: 1954

Subject: Hospitals in North Korea

Quality rating: Good

Notes: Produced by Czechoslovakia

Length: 11:36

Rise of Pyongyang

Year: 1958

Subject: The reconstruction of Pyongyang after the Korean War

Quality rating: Fair

Notes: One of the rare colour films made in that era

Length: 42:37

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Panmunjom

Year: 1961

Subject: The DMZ and Panmunjom

Quality rating: Bad-Fair

Notes: 

Length: 12:22

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

The Pueblo Incident - Analysis of the North Korean Evidence

Year: 1968

Subject: The U.S.S Pueblo Incident and capture

Quality rating: Good

Notes: Produced by the U.S. Navy. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 28:14

The Leader is Always with Us

Year: 1969

Subject: Kim Il Sung

Quality rating: Fair recording, high quality capture

Notes: None

Length: 1:10:57

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

The Leader who Prevented Impacts from a Cold Front and Provided a Prosperous Year - Our Great President (1977)

Year: 1977

Subject: Kim Il Sung's work in agriculture

Quality rating: Poor recording, high quality capture

Notes: None

Length: 58:11

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Panmunjom (1984)

Year: 1984

Subject: The DMZ

Quality rating: Poor for 1984.

Notes: None

Length: 18:45

Hungarian Documentary Film on Daily Life in North Korea (1987)

Year: 1987

Subject: North Korean life in 1987, short historical summary

Quality rating: Good

Notes: None

Length: 9:18

Documentary film series - Complete and Incomplete

The War of Justice Part 1

Year: 1951

Subject: The Korean War

Quality rating: Good

Notes: Graphic images are present

Length: 37:02

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Long Live the Banner of the Republic Part 2

Year: 1963

Subject: Life and current events in North Korea

Quality rating: Low

Notes: None

Length: 29:49

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Newsreels

Newsreel series « Korea Times »

« Korea Times » May 1947

Year: 1947

Subject: Current events

Notes: Missing beginning title

Length: 8:46

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 2

Year: 1948

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 8:22

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 3

Year: 1948

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 10:03

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » February 1949

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 6:15

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 11

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 9:32

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 16

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 10:32

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 21

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 10:25

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » No. 25

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 9:32

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » Special Report No. 6

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 10:37

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » Special Report No. 8

Year: 1949

Subject: Current events

Notes: None

Length: 18:14

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

« Korea Times » Unknown edition

Year: 1948

Subject: Current events

Notes: Titles with the edition number is missing.

Length: 10:35

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Newsreel series « Combat Bulletin »

« Combat Bulletin » No. 101 - « Battle for Time »

Year: 1950

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 28:59

« Combat Bulletin » No. 102 - « Turning the Tide »

Year: 1950

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 20:45

« Combat Bulletin » No. 103 - « U.N. Offensive »

Year: 1950

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 20:45

« Combat Bulletin » No. 104 - « Chinese Reds Enter War »

Year: 1950

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 20:28

« Combat Bulletin » No. 105 - « U.N. Forces Escape Trap »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 16:24

« Combat Bulletin » No. 106 - « U.N. Forces Consolidate Below 38th Parallel »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 20:35

« Combat Bulletin » No. 107 - « U.N. Forces Move North »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 17:23

« Combat Bulletin » No. 108 - « U.N. Offensive Continues »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 17:35

« Combat Bulletin » No. 109 - « U.N. Forces Cross 38th Parallel »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 19:28

« Combat Bulletin » No. 110 - « Reds Launch Spring Offensive »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 15:24

« Combat Bulletin » No. 111 - « U.N. Counterattack »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 16:28

« Combat Bulletin » No. 112 - « Korean Cease-Fire Talks »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 18:21

« Combat Bulletin » No. 113 - « Stalemate in Korea »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 18:21

« Combat Bulletin » No. 114 - « The Captured Enemy »

Year: 1951

Subject: Korean War

Notes: Produced by the US Army. To view this file, you must download it as we used the OGV format to preserve quality.

Length: 14:14

Other Newsreels

CBS Film Report on North Korea

Year: 1970

Subject: Life in North Korea

Notes: Broadcasted on January 26, 1960

Length: 5:24

Chronicle of Our Days

Year: 1989

Subject: The 13th World Festival of Youth and Students

Notes: 

Length: 9:11

Historical audio

The Song of General Kim Il Sung

Year: 1950

Origin: Vinyl record

Notes: None

Length: 1:51

Kim Il Sung's Address for the New Year 1950

Year: 1950

Origin: Radio broadcast of the address

Notes: None

Length: 8:54

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Kim Il Sung's Speech "Go All Out Victory in the War" - June 25, 1950

Year: 1950

Origin: Radio broadcast of the speech

Notes: None

Length: 17:39

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Kim Il Sung's Speech "Repel the US Imperialist Invasion" - July 8, 1950

Year: 1950

Origin: Radio broadcast of the speech

Notes: None

Length: 21:21

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Kim Il Sung's Address for the New Year 1958

Year: 1958

Origin: Radio broadcast of the address

Notes: None

Length: 11:28

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Partial Speech given by Kim Il Sung for the 5th WPK Congress on November 2, 1970

Year: 1970

Origin: Partial recording of AM radio broadcast

Notes: Since the original piece is a recording, archive images were added for the viewer's enjoyment.

Length: 1:07:44

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Complete Speech given by Kim Il Sung for the 5th WPK Congress on November 2, 1970

Year: 1970

Origin: Recordings of AM radio broadcasts

Notes: Since the original piece is a recording, archive images were added for the viewer's enjoyment.

Length: 5:21:02

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Historical footage

Parade for the Celebration of Liberation Day

Year: 1948

Origin: Bulgarian newsreel

Notes: Noticeable audio issues

Length: 01:30

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Kim Il Sung's Speech at the North-South Joint Conference

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 03:45

Kim Ku's Speech at the North-South Joint Conference

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 01:02

Pak Hon Yong's Speech at the North-South Joint Conference

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 01:53

National Anthem 'Auld Lang Syne' Played at the North-South Joint Conference

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 00:27

National Anthem 'Auld Lang Syne' Played at the Founding Ceremony of the Korean People's Army

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 00:58

Kim Il Sung's Speech Commemorating the Foundation of the Korean People's Army

Year: 1948

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 03:18

Ho Hon's Speech at the Foundation Convention of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea

Year: 1949

Origin: Unknown

Notes: n/a

Length: 01:32

Ceremony for the Celebration of Liberation Day

Year: 1950

Origin: Bulgarian newsreel

Notes: Minor audio issues

Length: 02:54

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Radio Broadcast of the Korean People's Army Announcing the Capture of Seoul

Year: 1950

Origin: South Korean TV programme

Notes: n/a

Length: 00:47

Capture of Pyongyang by United Nations Forces

Year: 1950

Origin: South Korean TV programme

Notes: n/a

Length: 00:25

Korean War Footage, Bundle 4

Year: 1951

Origin: American newsreel

Notes: List of contents:

Length: 06:17

Korean War Footage, Bundle 3

Year: 1951

Origin: American newsreel

Notes: List of contents:

Length: 01:37

Korean War Footage, Bundle 2

Year: 1952

Origin: American newsreel

Notes: List of contents:

Length: 04:17

Activities of the Korean People's Army

Year: 1953

Origin: Bulgarian newsreel

Notes: No audio

Length: 02:34

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Korean War Footage, Bundle 1

Year: 1953

Origin: American newsreel

Notes: List of contents:

Length: 02:10

Parade for the 20th Anniversary of the Founding of the DPRK

Year: 1968

Origin: Bulgarian newsreel

Notes: None

Length: 00:48

Part of the North Korea Media Archive Collection

Report on anniversary of the Panmunjom DMZ Axe Attacks

Year: 1976 and 1990s

Origin: American Forces News

Notes: Includes both original footage of the incident and of a news report on its anniversary

Length: 10:10

Report on the firefight between KPA and ROK after the defection of a Soviet Citizen

Year: 1984

Origin: American Forces Network

Notes: n/a

Length: 3:08

Return of two North Korean sailors adrift in ROK waters

Year: 1990s

Origin: American Forces Network

Notes: n/a

Length: 1:58

KBS Report on Jimmy Carter's Meeting with Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang

Year: 1994

Origin: Korean Broadcasting System

Notes: n/a

Length: 2:05

North Korea returns remains of Korean War KIA US Soldiers

Year: 1990s

Origin: American Forces News

Notes: n/a

Length: 19:24

United Nations returns bodies of North Korean Submarine Commandos

Year: 1996

Origin: American Forces News

Notes: n/a

Length: 28:34

Return of a North Korean soldier who accidentaly crossed the DMZ

Year: 1996

Origin: American Forces Network

Notes: n/a

Length: 1:44

News report of famine relief sent to North Korea

Year: 1997

Origin: American Forces News

Notes: n/a

Length: 2:30

Announcements and broadcasts of Kim Jong Il's death made by KCTV on December 19, 2011

Year: 2011

Origin: Korean Central Television (KCTV)

Notes: Compilation of annoucements and footage of mourning

Length: 1:36:50