North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), remains one of the world’s most isolated and enigmatic nations. For those considering Travel To North Korea, it’s crucial to understand the unique challenges, restrictions, and potential risks involved. This guide provides a comprehensive overview for English-speaking travelers, drawing on official travel advisories to ensure you are well-informed before considering a journey into this isolated state.
Understanding the Risk Level: Why “Avoid All Travel” is the Standard Advisory
Most government travel advisories, including those from Canada, strongly advise against travel to North Korea. The risk level is categorized as “Avoid all travel” due to a confluence of factors, primarily centered on the unpredictable security situation and the highly repressive nature of the North Korean regime. This is not a typical tourist destination; the political climate, coupled with the nation’s nuclear weapons development program, creates an environment where traveler safety cannot be guaranteed.
The absence of a permanent Canadian (or many Western nations) diplomatic mission within North Korea significantly limits the consular assistance available to citizens who may encounter difficulties. Should you be detained, especially outside of Pyongyang, gaining consular access can be severely delayed or even denied, entirely at the discretion of the North Korean government. This lack of consistent consular support is a primary reason for the strong “avoid all travel” recommendation.
Safety and Security in North Korea: A Controlled Environment
Safety Information: Surveillance and Minimal Freedom
Within North Korea, your experience as a traveler will be heavily curated and monitored. Independent travel is virtually impossible. Tourism is only permitted through government-approved agencies, and even then, itineraries are strictly controlled. Expect constant observation by your government-assigned guides, and be aware that your accommodation and telecommunications are likely monitored.
Limited Consular Access: As highlighted, consular access if detained is not guaranteed and can be severely restricted. Navigating the North Korean legal system from a foreign perspective is exceptionally challenging due to limited transparency and understanding of their judicial processes.
Minimal Tourist Infrastructure: Tourist facilities are basic, and essential services are often unreliable. Shortages of food, electricity, and clean water are commonplace, impacting daily life and potentially your health and comfort during your visit.
Lack of Privacy: Privacy as understood in Western nations does not exist in North Korea. Surveillance is pervasive. Your movements, communications, and even personal belongings can be searched and scrutinized at any time. Electronic devices are subject to review, and any content deemed objectionable by North Korean authorities can lead to serious consequences.
Registration is Mandatory: Upon arrival, foreigners must register with authorities through their host organization within 24 hours. This is a legal requirement, and non-compliance can lead to penalties.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula: An Ever-Present Factor
The geopolitical landscape of the Korean Peninsula is volatile. Tensions can escalate rapidly, often with little to no warning. North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, military exercises, and border incidents with South Korea are all potential triggers for heightened instability. Due to restrictions on international media within North Korea, travelers may be unaware of developing situations that could directly impact their safety and security. Events that would be widely reported internationally might come as a complete surprise within North Korea.
Crime: Low Rate, High Stakes
While the general crime rate in North Korea is reported to be low, petty crime, such as theft, can occur, particularly at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Maintaining vigilance over your personal belongings, including passports and travel documents, is essential at all times. However, the greater risk to travelers comes not from common crime, but from inadvertently violating North Korean laws or regulations, which can lead to disproportionately severe penalties.
Road Safety: Restricted Movement
Travel within North Korea is severely restricted and almost always conducted via transportation arranged by tour operators or government authorities. While major highways are generally well-maintained, rural roads can be hazardous due to condition and potential lack of maintenance. Police checkpoints are common, especially at the entry points to towns and cities. Travelers should expect to present documentation at these checkpoints to gain permission for further travel.
Air Travel: Limited Information
Information regarding the safety standards of North Korean domestic airlines is limited and not readily assessed by international aviation safety organizations. Travelers should be aware that safety oversight may not meet international norms.
Entry and Exit Requirements for North Korea: Navigating Bureaucracy
Entry and exit regulations for North Korea are stringent and subject to change without notice. It is imperative to verify the most up-to-date information with North Korean embassies or consulates in third countries before making any travel plans.
Passport Validity
For Canadians (and generally for most nationalities), your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended date of departure from North Korea. However, it is always advisable to have even longer validity remaining on your passport to account for any unforeseen travel delays. Airlines may also have stricter rules regarding passport validity than the destination country itself, so check with your carrier as well.
Visas: A Necessary and Complex Process
A visa is mandatory for travel to North Korea for most nationalities, including Canadians. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. The application process is typically lengthy and requires approval from the North Korean government in Pyongyang. You must apply for a visa through a North Korean embassy or consulate in a third country, not from within North Korea itself. The visa application process can be slow and cumbersome, and there is no guarantee of approval.
Journalist Restrictions: Professional journalists must obtain specific permission to visit North Korea and cannot enter on a tourist visa, even for personal travel. Journalists require special visas and must adhere to strict regulations regarding their activities within the country.
Visa Types: Tourist visas, business visas, and student visas are all required depending on the purpose of your visit. However, independent business or student travel is exceptionally rare and almost always conducted through pre-arranged, government-sanctioned programs.
Other Entry Information: Points of Entry and Restrictions
Foreigners can enter North Korea by air (primarily through Pyongyang Sunan International Airport – FNJ) or by train (usually from China). Crucially, it is impossible to enter North Korea from South Korea or vice versa. The border between the two Koreas is heavily militarized and closed to civilian crossing.
Even with a valid passport and visa, entry is not guaranteed. Travelers can be arbitrarily denied entry or even detained at the point of entry. It is essential to be aware of this possibility, regardless of fulfilling all stated entry requirements.
Dual Citizenship and Korean Heritage: Special Considerations
If you hold dual citizenship, particularly if one nationality is Korean (North or South), you should carefully consider the implications before attempting travel to North Korea. North Korean authorities may subject dual citizens, or individuals with family ties to Korea, to specific laws and obligations not applied to other foreigners.
Canadians who also hold South Korean citizenship must obtain explicit approval from South Korean authorities to travel to North Korea. Failure to do so can result in legal repercussions from the South Korean government.
Unauthorized Points of Entry: Extreme Danger
Entering North Korea at any point not officially designated as an international point of entry is extremely dangerous. There have been instances of foreigners being detained and even shot for attempting to enter the country unauthorized. Strictly adhere to authorized entry points and designated travel zones within North Korea.
Health Considerations for Travel to North Korea: Prepare for Limited Resources
Healthcare facilities and medical services in North Korea are significantly below international standards. Travelers should be prepared for limited resources, potential shortages of medication, and facilities that may lack basic amenities.
Pre-Travel Health Advice and Vaccinations
Consult a healthcare professional or travel health clinic at least 6-8 weeks before your planned travel to North Korea. Seek personalized advice regarding necessary vaccinations and preventative medications based on your health status and itinerary.
Routine Vaccinations: Ensure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date, including measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), and influenza.
Recommended Vaccines and Preventative Measures:
- Hepatitis A: Vaccination is strongly recommended due to the risk of contracting Hepatitis A through contaminated food and water.
- Hepatitis B: Vaccination is recommended for all travelers as Hepatitis B is a risk in North Korea.
- Measles: Ensure you are fully protected against measles.
- Japanese Encephalitis: Consider vaccination if you plan to spend extended periods in rural areas or during peak mosquito season.
- COVID-19: Vaccination against COVID-19 and recommended booster doses are highly advised. Check for any specific COVID-19 related entry or exit requirements.
- Influenza (Flu): Annual flu vaccination is recommended, ideally at least two weeks before travel.
- Malaria: While malaria risk is low, mosquito bite prevention is crucial. Antimalarial medication is generally not recommended for North Korea due to the very low risk.
- Rabies: Pre-exposure rabies vaccination may be considered for high-risk travelers (e.g., those planning outdoor activities or extended stays in rural areas) as rabies treatment may be limited within North Korea.
Yellow Fever: Yellow fever is not a risk in North Korea, and vaccination is generally not required for entry.
Food and Water Safety: Essential Precautions
Food and waterborne illnesses are a significant risk in North Korea. Practice stringent food and water safety measures:
- Drink only bottled or boiled water. Avoid tap water, ice cubes, and fountain drinks.
- Eat only thoroughly cooked food. Avoid raw or undercooked meats, seafood, and dairy products.
- Peel fruits and vegetables yourself.
- Be cautious with street food.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially before eating.
Traveler’s Diarrhea: Traveler’s diarrhea is common. Pack oral rehydration salts and consider bringing anti-diarrheal medication as recommended by your doctor.
Typhoid Fever: Typhoid is a risk. Vaccination is recommended, especially for those traveling to rural areas or for extended periods.
Insect Bite Prevention: Protection Against Disease
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis, are present in North Korea. Take precautions to prevent insect bites:
- Use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin on exposed skin.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
- Sleep under mosquito netting if accommodations are not adequately screened.
Animal Precautions: Avoid Contact
Avoid contact with animals, especially dogs, cats, and wild animals, as rabies is present. Animal bites or scratches should be washed immediately with soap and water, and medical attention sought promptly. Rabies treatment may be limited in North Korea, potentially requiring medical evacuation.
Person-to-Person Infections: Hygiene and Awareness
Practice good hygiene to minimize the risk of person-to-person infections:
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Practice cough and sneeze etiquette.
- Avoid close contact with sick individuals.
Tuberculosis (TB): While TB risk is generally low for short-term travelers, it is higher for those visiting or working in healthcare facilities, prisons, or other high-risk environments.
Medical Services and Facilities: Severely Limited
Medical facilities in North Korea are poor, often lacking essential supplies, reliable power, and modern equipment. Pyongyang Friendship Hospital is sometimes cited as having English-speaking staff, but overall, specialized care and emergency services are extremely limited. Medical evacuation can be difficult to arrange and is not guaranteed. Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is essential for travel to North Korea. Be prepared to pay for any medical treatment in cash upfront.
Laws and Culture in North Korea: Navigating a Unique Social Landscape
Laws: Strict Regulations and Limited Freedoms
North Korean laws are significantly different from those in Western countries, and regulations are strictly enforced. Foreigners are subject to North Korean law, and understanding and adhering to these laws is critical.
Guide Supervision: You must be accompanied by government-assigned guides at all times. Independent movement is forbidden. Follow your guide’s instructions meticulously.
Restrictions on Interaction: Unauthorized conversations with locals, unsanctioned currency exchange, or purchasing goods from stores not designated for foreigners can lead to fines or arrest.
Transportation Restrictions: Foreigners are prohibited from using public transportation like buses or the subway.
Drug Laws: Penalties for drug offenses (possession, use, trafficking) are extremely severe, including lengthy jail sentences and heavy fines.
Import and Export Restrictions:
- Prohibited Items: Satellite phones and shortwave radios are prohibited and will be confiscated upon arrival (and potentially returned upon departure).
- Currency Restrictions: Import and export of North Korean won (KPW) is forbidden.
- Content Restrictions: Authorities may seize any materials deemed pornographic, political, or intended for religious proselytizing. Be extremely cautious about bringing any Korean-language materials that could be interpreted as critical of the North Korean regime.
Photography Restrictions: Photography of sensitive sites like airports, military installations, roads, bridges, seaports, and railway stations is strictly prohibited. Even outside of restricted areas, taking photos or videos without your guide’s explicit permission can lead to equipment confiscation or detention.
Dual Citizenship: Non-Recognition and Consular Access
North Korea does not legally recognize dual citizenship. If North Korean authorities consider you a North Korean citizen, they may deny you access to Canadian (or other foreign) consular services. This can severely limit the assistance your embassy can provide if you encounter problems.
Culture: Respect and Sensitivity
Navigating North Korean culture requires extreme sensitivity and respect for the country’s political system and leadership.
Respect for Leadership: Avoid any criticism, even subtle, of the North Korean political system, current leader Kim Jong-un, and former leaders Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung, and their family members. Displays of disrespect towards the leadership are considered extremely serious offenses.
2SLGBTQI+ Considerations: While same-sex sexual acts are not explicitly illegal in North Korea, homosexuality is not accepted and is largely invisible in North Korean society. 2SLGBTQI+ travelers should be aware that public displays of affection or any open expression of non-heteronormative identity could lead to harassment or negative attention.
Money: Cash-Based Economy
The official currency is the North Korean won (KPW), but it is not used by tourists. Foreigners are expected to use Euros, US dollars, or Chinese Renminbi. Cash is the primary form of payment. Credit card acceptance is extremely limited, and ATMs are nonexistent. Change in foreign currency is often unavailable, so bring smaller denominations.
Natural Disasters and Climate: Typhoons and Monsoon Season
North Korea is susceptible to natural disasters, particularly typhoons and flooding during the monsoon season.
Typhoons and Monsoon Season
The rainy season extends from late June to August, with typhoons most likely in August and September. Heavy rain can cause severe flooding and landslides, resulting in loss of life, infrastructure damage, and disruption of essential services. North Korea is also prone to droughts.
Monitor regional weather forecasts closely if traveling during the typhoon or monsoon season. Be prepared to alter your itinerary and follow the advice of local authorities in the event of a natural disaster.
In conclusion, travel to North Korea is not typical tourism. It is a highly controlled and potentially risky undertaking. The “avoid all travel” advisory reflects the significant safety and security concerns. If you are considering travel despite these warnings, thorough preparation, meticulous adherence to regulations, and a deep understanding of the risks are absolutely essential.
