On May 5, 2016, CNN toured the Man Gyong Dae School Children's Palace, an after school activity complex, in Pyongyang.

Young singers practice their performance at the "children's palace" in Pyongyang.

Children play volleyball at an after school center in Pyongyang.

An Olympic-sized swimming pool at a "children's palace" after school center in Pyongyang.

Women in scarves walk past the Koryo Hotel in central Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, May 4.

A North Korean flag flies in the streets of Pyongyang.

A tram passes by a leafy street in Pyongyang, as commuters emerge from a metro station in the city.

A train can be seen from the window of the Koryo Hotel in Pyonyang.

Visitors to North Korea's Science and Technology Center use the tightly regulated North Korean intranet.

A guide shows visitors a display in the North Korean Science and Technology Center.

The center includes exhibits that highlight technology as well as scientific development, such as this fighter jet.

Young faces of North Korea's military ride artillery through Pyongyang.

North Korean soldiers march below statues of North Korea's founding president Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il.

Weapons were paraded through Pyongyang as a clear signal to the rest of the world that North Korea has military might.

Farm manager Kim Myong Jon is something of a national celebrity in North Korea. During the past 40 years, she's met with three of the country's leaders.

The farm is home to one of North Korea's first greenhouses. It was first visited by Kim Il Sung more than three decades ago, and more recently by his grandson, current leader Kim Jong Un.

Chili peppers lie in the sun at the Jang Chon farm. It's used for making kimchi, the fermented cabbage dish that is a staple of the North Korean diet.

The futuristic space center is in a residential area not far from the center of Pyongyang.

Two officials walk in the grounds of the space facility. While there, NADA officials told CNN they had prepared multiple satellites and were in the "final stages of perfecting all operations."

In May 2015, CNN was given rare access to a faculty apartment in an upscale area of Pyongyang, near Kim Il Sung University. The lounge was neat, if a little dated.

This is the master bedroom of the three bedroom apartment. A university professor lives there with his adult children. It's 200 square meters (about 2,150 square feet) -- large for an apartment in Pyongyang.

A new flat screen television is in the lounge.

Books are neatly lined up above a desk in the study. There's a lamp for reading and a large padded chair.

Every home in North Korea displays portraits of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Housing is assigned by the government and is free. Those who want to move have to sign up to exchange spaces with other citizens.

The kitchen features a double sink and brushed metal counter tops. Beyond the shelving, the dining area is full of natural light.

The kitchen is fitted with a Haier two-burner gas hob. Haier, based in Qingdao, China, is one of the world's biggest home appliance companies.

First graders in a Pyongyang classroom are orderly yet energetic, often standing and giving spirited answers to their teacher's questions, May 7, 2015. Photo by CNN's Will Ripley.

North Korean students watch horse riding lessons at a new equestrian center designed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. The facility was formerly used for military training.

Outdoor exercise accompanied by upbeat music is a daily routine for these North Korean middle school students. Afterward, classes are critiqued on their coordination.

Young children in a newly constructed Pyongyang orphanage practice a musical performance, May 2015.

The orphanage features a pool area for the children, who live and study in the complex.

Young boys practice a drum routine that they will perform during International Children's Day in June.

Toy rocket launchers, similar to those displayed in North Korean military parades, are on the shelves for children to play with.

The view from the North Korean side of the DMZ, with armed DPRK soldiers standing guard.

North Korea displays the armistice agreement that ended the brutal fighting of the Korean War in 1953.

Junior Lt. Colonel Nam Dong Ho is part of North Korea's standing army of more than one million.

Two women share a bicycle as they head south on a highway leading from Pyongyang to the DMZ, May 2015.

Pyongyang women wear their Sunday best, and carry ornate umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun.

Twin statues honor the late leaders of North Korea Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Visitors are routinely taken here to pay their respects and lay flowers at the statue. Photo taken May 2, 2015.

Kim Jong Un personally inspected the plans for this new water park 113 times and had his top officials safety test the water slides. Guests frolic in the park in this photo taken in May 2015.

Pyongyang residents play table tennis at a water park in Pyongyang.

The Pyongyang Gold Lane, a bowling alley in the North Korean capital, is popular among young people.

Pyongyang Airport is the first stop on tours of North Korea. Air Koryo is the national airline, which operates direct flights from Beijing and Shenyang in China, and Vladivostok in Russia.

Air Koryo has an aging fleet, although it has purchased some newer aircraft in recent years.

The inflight magazine feature multiple pages on Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

The inflight meal consists of a burger and glass of North Korean beer.