What's more, the photographer has taken some the photos captured in the country's capital to create the exhibition Scenes from the People's Paradise - Pyongyang, which opened at aMBUSH Gallery on the weekend.

Reed - who was in the country to help take photos for an upcoming book on North Korean hotels - took the images in the little spare time she had when she wasn't working, but they give a rare insight into one of the world's most secretive cities, as well as showcasing its architecture.

"They look a little bit cold, there's not many people in them. They're mainly architectural studies and during the day that's what it was like," she says.

"There are hardly any tourists there walking on the streets and everybody works so the streets aren't bustling and crowded during the day. It's quite sparse.

"All of their public buildings are just huge and monumental. They all have photos of the previous two leaders on them and in particular the sporting stadiums, really grabbed my interest.

"Each sporting stadium's architecture is based on the sport. So the weightlifting stadium is a big circular building that looks like a weight on a barbell. The table tennis stadium looks like a table tennis net."

But what is just as compelling as the exhibition is Reed's experience in the country.

The photographer was met at the airport - as would any visitor to North Korea - where she handed over her passport and met her minder who would stay with her for the entirety of the trip.

"You don't really get to see anything in the country that we're told about the country," Reed says.

"We know about the work camps, and we know about their nuclear program and that kind of thing, but when you're there in amongst the people on the ground you don't really get a sense of that.

"It's kind of just like going to any other country but without the freedom. It's kind of like a really strict Contiki tour. They organise everything for you so you don't really feel in danger."