Discovering North Korea: A Unique Travel Experience
A unique country headed by a regime many would see as a ‘cult of personality’, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPKR) is perhaps the purest example of a totalitarian regime in the 21st century. The state controls virtually every aspect of life, and the state is controlled by one particular family, with Kim Jong Un succeeding his father, Kim Jong Il, as the supreme leader of North Korea in 2011. The country’s history, current leadership, and structure make it unlike any other tourist destination on earth.
Tourism is tightly controlled but visas are rarely refused. The country attracts millions of visitors each year, the majority of whom come from China, and the government has plans to rapidly expand its tourism industry over the coming years. Each group of tourists is assigned tour guides, who restrict visitors to a government-approved itinerary that prohibits individual and free exploration. On the plus side, a visitor’s chance of getting mugged is zero. However, visitors shouldn’t expect to see anything but the sanitised version of North Korea.
Visitors should be careful about insulting or disrespecting the government or Kim Jong Un, and should remember that their tour guide may get into serious trouble, as it’s possible that tourists are being monitored in some form or another. It’s quite natural to feel paranoid in North Korea.
The capital city, Pyongyang, is notable for its empty roads and scarcity of pedestrians. The main sites are enormous memorials and statues commemorating the DPRK’s founder, Kim Il Sung. A strange and sterile environment, the uncannily clean city somewhat belies the state’s notoriety for human rights violations.
Symbolic of some of the regime’s failures, the city skyline is dominated by the enormous and permanently unfinished pyramid shape of the Ryugyong Hotel. It serves as a grand yet unrealised step towards foreign investment, growth, and connection with the rest of the world.
Key Facts
- Language:
- Korean is the official language of North Korea, but there are minor differences between the Korean spoken in North and South Korea.
- Passport/Visa:
Passports must be valid on arrival, visitors must hold tickets and documents required for their next destination, and they must have sufficient funds to cover their stay. It is highly recommended that travellers’ passports have at least six months’ validity remaining after the intended date of departure from their travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
- Currency:
The Korean won (KPW) is the official currency in North Korea.
- Electricity:
- Electrical current is 120 or 220 volts, 60Hz. They use two-prong plugs, with either round or flat pins. (Plug type A and C.)
Health Notes when travelling to North Korea
Recommended routine vaccinations include MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) updates, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and a yearly flu shot. Typhoid and hepatitis A vaccinations are recommended for most travellers, and some travellers should consider hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies vaccines. All visitors who are older than 16 should get fully vaccinated for COVID-19; proof of a yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers who are older the one, and are arriving from countries where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission. There is a risk of malaria in certain parts of the country, so visitors should use anti-malarial medication and take plenty of insect repellent.
The most common ailment is travellers’ diarrhoea, and it can be avoided with basic precautions. Visitors shouldn’t eat unwashed fruits and vegetables, or food that has not been cooked. Neither should they drink tap water unless it has been disinfected, boiled or filtered. Visitors who plan to enter North Korea with prescription medication should bring a letter from their doctor detailing what their condition is, and confirming the necessity of their medication; it is also important to find out, from a tour operator, what OTC medication they are allowed to bring.
Medical facilities are limited, so people with underlying problems should avoid travelling to North Korea. The Friendship Hospital in Pyongyang provides adequate surgical facilities, but it’s not comparable to major hospitals in nearby Asian countries. Visitors should have medical insurance with provision for air evacuation to well-developed medical facilities in Beijing.
Safety Notes when travelling to North Korea
Crime against foreigners is rare but visitors should always carry ID, and normal travel precautions are advised. All tourism in North Korea is guided, so visitors should not leave the group and wander off alone, as this could result in serious reprimand from police or officials, and their tour guide is likely to bear the brunt of this.
Visitors shouldn’t criticise the government and they should stick to photographic regulations. All contraband media will be confiscated and there are strict laws regarding contraband items; tour operators can furnish tourists with a list of safe and contraband items.
All travel outside of Pyongyang must be government sanctioned and local taxi drivers are unlikely to take visitors anywhere unaccompanied by a guide. The situation at the demilitarised zone between the DPRK and South Korea is changeable, and relations between the two countries remain tense.
Customs in North Korea
Locals warm up to friendly travellers who respect tour rules and take the time to learn a few Korean phrases. In terms of social etiquette, bowing is the normal form of greeting (the deeper the bow, the more respect being shown), and travellers will be expected to remove their shoes when entering certain buildings or places of historical interest.
Bowing to pictures and statues of the supreme family is also expected. Homosexuality is not illegal, but is discouraged and frowned upon by the authorities. Smart clothing is preferable to casual, meaning collared shirts are a better choice than T-shirts, and trousers and neat jeans will go over better than shorts or tracksuits.
Duty Free in North Korea
Information on the exact amounts of duty-free cigarettes, tobacco and liquor allowed is unclear and it is best to check with a tour operator before visiting North Korea. Prohibited items include binoculars, guns and ammunition, explosives, drugs, seeds, pornography, certain types of media and books or literature in Korean. Gifts, cameras, watches, tape recorders and precious metals must be declared on arrival.
Tipping in North Korea
North Korea is not a wealthy country, so guides and hotel staff will appreciate tips. They will never ask for them, however, and there is no standard for what the size of a tip ought to be. Gift giving is an important part of Korean culture and is often an acceptable alternative to tipping. Tourists can show gratitude through gifting male guides with cigarettes, and female guides with chocolates. Literature or media from the outside world are not acceptable gifts, as these items will cause trouble for tourists and their guides.
Passport/Visa Note
Passports must be valid on arrival, visitors must hold tickets and documents required for their next destination, and they must have sufficient funds to cover their stay. It is highly recommended that travellers’ passports have at least six months’ validity remaining after the intended date of departure from their travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
Entry Requirements
- Entry requirements for Americans:
United States citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for Canadians:
Canadian citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for UK nationals:
UK citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for Australians:
Australian citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for Irish nationals:
Irish citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for New Zealanders:
New Zealand citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
- Entry requirements for South Africans:
South African citizens must have a valid passport. A visa is required.
North Korea Embassies
- In the United Kingdom:
Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, London, United Kingdom: +020 8992 4965.
- In South Africa:
Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pretoria, South Africa: +012 991 8661
Foreign Embassies in North Korea
- American Embassy
Embassy of Sweden, Pyongyang, North Korea (also responsible for the United States): +850 2 3817 485
- Canadian Embassy
Embassy of Sweden, Pyongyang, North Korea (also responsible for Canada): +850 2 3817 485
- British Embassy
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Pyongyang: (850) 2 381 7982
- Australian Embassy
Embassy of Sweden, Pyongyang, North Korea (also responsible for Australia): +850 2 3817 485
- New Zealand Embassy
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Pyongyang (also responsible for New Zealand): (850) 2 381 7982
- South African Embassy
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Pyongyang (also responsible for South Africa): (850) 2 381 7982
Public Holidays Around the World
Planning your year? Knowing public holidays in different countries can help you plan trips, schedule events, or understand global schedules. Below, find a comprehensive list of public holidays sorted by country.
