Travelling Into North Korea

North Korea is a perennial news highlight, but in 2012 the isolated country seems to stand at a crossroads. The death of Kim Jong-il and the ascendance of the former leader’s heir apparent have pundits around the globe speculating the isolated country’s next move. Will the change in leadership make the North Korean government more reactionary? Or will it provide an opportunity for the country to open up to new reforms?

Tourism

Travel throughout the country is only possible as part of a guided tour. Independent travel is not permitted, you must not leave your hotel without a guide, you will not be allowed to travel on the public transport system at all and both you and your guide will be punished if you infringe the rules.

If you are not prepared to accept severe limitations on your movements and behaviour, you should not go to North Korea.

Entry Limits

There are some nationalities that are not even permitted entry to North Korea. South Koreans are not permitted entry and there have been reports of difficulties regarding Israeli, American, British and Japanese nationals. However, in January 2010, North Korea lifted the restrictions on American citizens who are now free to visit at anytime of the year. A specialist North Korean travel agency can help you sort out the complex and ever-changing regulations.

Total Control

When you arrive in North Korea, your guide will take your passport and keep it for “security reasons”. Make sure your passport looks decent and doesn’t differ from the most common passports from your country.

Also, DPRK border officials routinely confiscate visitors’ cell phones upon arrival, returning the phone only upon departure.

Honour The Leader
Most, if not all, tour groups are asked to solemnly bow and lay flowers on one or two occasions in front of statues of Kim Il Sung when visiting monuments of national importance. Always act in a respectful manner around images North Korean leaders.

Unique Experience
So, curiosity will probably get the cat killed in North Korea, and maybe even your Tour Guide, and you may be expelled from the country. Still, North Korea is nothing if not a fascinating and totally unique country. You may be curious to experience it for yourself, you’ve just got to learn to follow all the rules to the letter.

And the people who go to North Korea, it’s not like going anywhere else, so they’re really into it, they want to know the detailed explanations about complicated political concepts. And a lot of people, they read up a lot on North Korea, but still it’s fair to say most people know nothing before they go in. So to have a cooperative farm system explained to you, to know the difference between the army first policy, it requires a detailed fluency in English, and an understanding of those issues. And that’s what our translator-guides do.

So being a tour guide is hard! It’s not just “Here’s the Forbidden City,” and “Let’s go to a jade shop, where I get 20 percent of the money you spend.” It’s really a complicated job in North Korea, and an important one.