North Korean women in Pyongyang have found a subtle way to demand more freedom.
Fighting against traditional gender roles, more women in the capital are trying to get their hands on driver's licences.
Six members of the Socialist Women's Union in Pyongyang's Tongdaewon district recently signed up together for grade 4 civilian driver's licences.
To be able to rent vehicles and celebrate their birthdays in style, the women spend three hours a day in driving lessons despite not owning cars.
Female students at Kim Il Sung University are also joining the driving sensation.
Rather than taking formal classes, some are learning from parents and friends as they sneak cars to the outskirts of town for secret practice sessions.
The new trend suggests North Korean women are quietly asserting their human rights in a society that has long restricted their freedoms.
Breaking Barriers: North Korean Women demand basic rights
Questionable regulations such as "don't ride a bicycle wearing a skirt" were once routine, and as recently as 2021, Kim Jong Un reminded women to "support their husbands and dedicate themselves to raising their children as socialist warriors."
However, women learning to drive and taking command represents a subtle rejection of these petty expectations.
The North Korean women are claiming their fundamental rights as the country sees a surge in licence application in Pyongyang's Hwasong district.
