trip to north korea from south korea

North Korea (DPRK)

Why should you choose Koryo Tours?

Choosing to travel to unusual destinations such as North Korea is a big decision, and choosing the right people to take you is an incredibly important part of that. Learn about how we facilitate tourism responsibly in some of the most interesting and unique destinations on our planet, and at the same time ensure you get the most out of your once-in-a-lifetime experience .

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A tour to North Korea (DPRK) is the ultimate in adventure travel. Join Koryo Tours as we explore Pyongyang and some of North Korea's most remote locations for an experience you'll never forget, all in the safe hands of North Korea tour experts.

Our North Korea tours are designed with the purpose of making sure you see and do as much as possible on tour in North Korea (DPRK). Touring this country is the opportunity of a lifetime for many, and we use our 28 years of North Korea experience to ensure you get the most out of your time there. We have classic , speciality , and budget North Korea tours scheduled throughout the year. Get in touch for help on deciding which North Korea tour is best for you. Our experts are happy to answer all your questions. Unsure if a North Korea group tour is for you? Read Why Choose a Koryo Tours Group Tour or contact us. Alternatively, head to our North Korea Private Tours and get in touch for a bespoke North Korea tour itinerary. North Korea Country Profile North Korea FAQs North Korea Map NOTICE: The North Korea border is currently closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please check COVID-19 & North Korea for updated information. N0 Tours to North Korea (DPRK) will be taking place until the border is open again - the tours below are planned departure dates but until the country is open to tourists again all tours will remain suspended

Use the search function below to find tours. Please note that our tours for May Day start in April and tours for China National Day (1 October) start in September.

• Pyongyang Marathon

Budget Tours

April 2024 — 4 tours, april 9 - april 16/17 2024.

The Kim Il Sung Birthday Tour

7 nights in North Korea + travel time between Beijing and Pyongyang

Be in Pyongyang for one of North Korea’s biggest national holidays + highlights of North Korea beyond just Pyongyang From 1495 EUR per person

Please apply by 27th March, 2024 .

Just like every country, North Korea has much more to offer than just its capital. This week Korea tour package will take you to cities and places outside of Pyongyang that many consider as the highlights of North Korea beyond Pyongyang! Tick off must-see sites such as the Juche Tower , Kim Il Sung Square , and the Mansudae Grand Monument statue of the Great Leaders, as well as other highlights; Kaesong ,  DMZ ,  Nampo , and  Mt. Myohyang  We will also go off the beaten track for a short visit to Anju , an industrial city between Pyongyang and Mt. Myohyang and hardly ever on offer by other tour companies.

You'll also be in the city for the amazing Pyongyang Marathon , one of the most unique marathons in the world. Run alongside local Korean runners as you power through the streets of Pyongyang which will be lined with thousands of Koreans cheering you on as you go.

Running through the streets of Pyongyang is one of the most unique ways to explore the fascinating and unique capital. 

More importantly, joining us on this tour means you’ll get to join the local North Koreans in celebrating one of the most important dates in the Korean calendar; Kim Il Sung’s Birthday. Officially known as the ‘ Day of the Sun ’. Expect mass dances and even the possibility of a military parade and a firework display over the Taedonggang river. We will also get a chance to see the orchid named after the President, the Kimilsungia .

Only got a few days to spare? Strapped for cash? See our Kim Il Sung Birthday Short Tour !

Scroll down for an overview of the full Kim Il Sung Birthday Tour highlights, tour itinerary, transport options , DPRK tourist visa information, and extra add-ons.

• The Day of the Sun, the birthday of Eternal President Kim Il Sung: join in the celebrations on the biggest national holiday of the year.
• International Friendship Exhibition in spectacular Mt. Myohyang
• Pyongyang Marathon!

Briefing Day

April 8 | monday.

*Pre-Tour Briefing | We require all travellers to attend a pre-tour briefing that covers regulations, etiquette, safety, and practicalities for travel in North Korea. The briefing lasts approximately one hour followed by a question and answer session. Please be punctual for the briefing. You can come early, meet your fellow travellers, and pay any outstanding tour fees. A proper briefing is an essential part of travel to North Korea. For this tour, we will hold two briefings. One in the morning for those departing by train this afternoon and the other in the afternoon for those departing by flight the next day.

• Recommended latest arrival in Beijing.
• 10:00   | Briefing for those departing by train.
• 16:00   |   Briefing for those departing by flight.  
• 17:26   |   Train travellers depart Beijing Station by Chinese domestic sleeper train to Dandong , the Chinese city on the border with North Korea. Please arrange independent travel to the train station and arrive at least an hour and a half early for the train departure.

Overnight   |   Hotel in Beijing not included in the tour for those taking the flight the next day. Contact us for recommendations near our office! Those travelling by train will spend the night on the train.

April 9 | Tuesday

Arrival day in Pyongyang

• Train transfer at Dandong Station from overnight sleeper train to Dandong-Pyongyang local. Our local representative in Dandong will assist with the transfer. Train crosses the China-North Korea border followed by North Korean customs and immigration.
• Flight departure from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 13:05. A 1.5-hour flight with basic lunch ( vegetarian option is subject to availability). Check-in starts 3 hours prior to departure.
• Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 16:05. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
• Kim Il Sung Square   | Pyongyang’s central square lined with government ministries, museums, and The Grand People’s Study House.  
• Train arrival to Pyongyang Railway Station at 18:45.  
• Walk on Future Scientists' Street | An evening stroll through one of Pyongyang's newest neighbourhoods.

Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel , Pyongyang. Home away from home for most (but not all!) foreign visitors to Pyongyang, this 47-story hotel is located on an island in the middle of the Taedong River and offers great views of the city. Comfortable rooms and comprehensive leisure facilities: swimming pool, spa, billiards, bowling, gift shops, tea houses, beer brewed on-site, and a Chinese-run casino.

April 10 | Wednesday

Pyongyang City Tour and Drive to Mt. Myohyang

• Chilgol Revolutionary Site  | The native home of Kang Pan Sok, mother of President Kim Il Sung. A Statue of ‘the Mother of Korea’ sits outside. You can also visit the school where her husband and father-in-law once taught.  
• A ride through Pyongyang from Kwangbok Street to Pyongyang Station on one of the city’s municipal trams .
• Drive to Anju , a mid-sized industrial city located on the road and rail line north of Pyongyang on the Chongchon River. During the Korean War, major battles were fought near here between North Korean-Chinese forces and UN-South Korean forces. Coal is mined nearby.  
• Paeksang Pavilion and Anju City Walls  | The greatest pavilion in Kwanso (Pyong’an Province,) which overlooks the Chongchon River. Rebuilt after destruction in the Korean War.  
• Continue driving to Mt. Myohyang .  
• Manpok Valley Hike   | Various options for hikes of a range of distances/difficulties. Passing waterfalls, hermitages, interesting rocks, lovely wooded areas, and viewing points.

Overnight | Huichon Hotel , Mt. Myohyang  | Basic but clean hotel located 30 minutes north of Mt. Myohyang. Very good local food much different from the lowlands, on-site sauna, and limited electricity.

April 11 | Thursday

Mt. Myohyang

• International Friendship Exhibition |  A semi-subterranean exhibition hall displaying gifts of all kinds given to the DPRK leaders by foreign states, leaders, and organizations. The exhibition is a fascinating look into material culture in the second half of the 20th century. Highlights include a plane given by the Soviet Union, basketball signed by Michael Jordan from the US State Department, and vodka given by Dennis Rodman. The visit takes most of the morning. Presentable dress required .  
• Pohyon Buddhist Temple | A peaceful temple dating back to 1042 CE with stone pagoda and repository of print blocks and historic text of the Tripitaka Koreana , Buddhist scriptures first produced to invoke divine assistance from foreign invasions during the Koryo Dynasty.

Drive back to Pyongyang ( 2.5-3 hours ) with a stop at Ryongmun Caves | A subterranean complex of limestone caves and grottoes. Led by an experienced local guide, you will see weirdly (and suggestively) shaped rocks and stalactites/stalagmites and hear a wealth of stories and legends about each - some not appropriate for young audiences.

June 9th Middle School | Some of the classrooms can be visited; here they teach the normal curriculum so there is science and maths, foreign languages (if a class is going on tourists can sometimes join in), revolutionary history, and so on. If students are doing sports classes at the time of the visit then a kick-about on the football pitch can sometimes be arranged, but usually, the visit ends with a performance in the auditorium.

Pizza Restaurant | Dinner at one of Pyongyang’s Italian eateries.

Overnight |  Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang

April 12 | Friday

Historic Kaesong and the Joint Security Area

• Drive south to Kaesong , historic capital of the medieval Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). Once located in South Korea, the city changed hands during the Korean War. It is now located just north of the DMZ.  
• Panmunjom Armistice Village and DMZ  | The site of the signing of the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War and demarcation line between north and south. On some days it is possible to visit the hut straddling the line, where negotiations between both sides once took place. Here we will be accompanied by military guides from the Korean People's Army.  
• Kaesong Koryo Museum   | Once the Songgyung Academy, a Confucian school, and now a museum on the Koryo Dynasty exhibiting historical objects, statues, pagodas, and porcelain from that era. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• Kaesong Korean Stamp Exhibition Hall   - Store selling stamps, postcards, local ginseng , souvenirs, art, and more! One of the best postcard collections in the country and friendly staff.  
• Traditional Royal Korean Lunch ( pangsanggi )   |  A meal made of 12 dishes served in brass bowls fit for the kings of old. The more dishes, the more distinguished the guest! Traditional Korean 'sweet meat soup' is an option here ( 5 EUR ).
• Janam Hill  | Statues of the DPRK leadership on a hill overlooking Kaesong city and historic pavilion used for archery demonstrations in days of yore.  
• Old City Walk and South Gate | A stroll from the hotel through Kaesong’s historic district lined with homes dating back to the Ri Dynasty from the city’s historic South Gate.  
• Drive back to Pyongyang with a stop at the Monument to the Three Charters of Reunification , a large stone archway over the highway memorializing joint agreements between north and south. A 3-hour drive.  
• Dinner at Pyongyang Duck Barbeque Restaurant | South Pyongyang’s famous grilled duck restaurant

Overnight | Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

April 13 | Saturday

Nampo and the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum

• Drive west along River Taedong  t o Nampo , the port city of Pyongyang at the mouth of the Taedong River on the West Sea.  
• West Sea Barrage  | An 8 km concrete, steel, and earthen barrage constructed between the Taedong River estuary and the West Sea for land reclamation, irrigation, flood prevention, and power generation. It also acts as a ship lock and fish ladder. One of the DPRK’s greatest engineering feats.  
• Chongsam-ri Co-operative Farm  | The DPRK’s most famous and iconic model farm. Visited hundreds of times by Kim Il Sung, the place where the ‘Chongsam-ri Method’ was developed (they will explain on-site). See how the farming system works, visit a farmhouse, the local shop, and kindergarten, see the fields and greenhouses.  
• Drive back to Pyongyang along the ‘ Youth Hero Highway ’ .
• Mt. Ryonggak picnic and hike  | A popular local picnic spot in a scenic valley with an interesting and huge concrete dragon winding through the area. Also a 45-minute walk to the top for a view of Pyongyang City.  
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and USS Pueblo  | We’ll tour this world-class museum led by local guides. Renovated in 2012 and its exhibits of Korean War from the DPRK perspective containing artifacts, documents, photos, and lifelike dioramas. The exterior grounds house the War Victory Monument and displays of Korean People’s Army Hero Equipment and captured equipment from the US military, including the spyship USS Pueblo . Central to the understanding of the country today and highlight of the trip.  
• Foreign Languages Bookshop  | Store selling Korean publications translated into English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. Also pick up DVDs, postcards, and small works of art.  
• Mansugyo Beer Bar | A beer bar serving seven types of beer. Popular with locals after work and on weekends. Best place to drink pints with local people.

April 14 | Sunday

The big event! The Pyongyang Marathon 2024!

• The 2024 Pyongyang Marathon  |  this is your chance to run the streets of Pyongyang in the DPRK’s largest annual sports event! Join the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km or 5km race — all of which follow a return course that starts and ends in Kim Il Sung Stadium in front of a 50,000-strong capacity crowd of local Koreans. ( runner's guide to Kim Il Sung Stadium )

The full route, which has been certified by both World Athletics and AIMS, leads right through the city centre, past a number of iconic landmarks, and then out into Pyongyang's less urban districts. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see more of the capital and interact with people along the course. Prizes are available for the winners of each race.

• Shower, resting time and lunch | After the marathon's closing ceremony, we'll be heading back to the hotel to recharge, shower and rest
• Kwangbok Department Store  | Opportunity to use Korean currency and shop with the citizens of Pyongyang! Try the snack stand on the first floor for some of Pyongyang’s best local eats.
• Tower of the Juche Idea   | Iconic tower dedicated to the DPRK’s guiding philosophy on the Taedong River. Take the elevator to the top for great views of the city ( elevator ticket is 5 EUR ).
• Party Foundation Monument  |  Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle & writing brush which make up the emblem of the Worker’s Party of Korea and represent workers, farmers, and intellectuals.
• Local Beer Bar |  Relax at one of Pyongyang’s local bars to wrap up an exciting day.

Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang.

April 15 | Monday

The Day of the Sun  – one of the DPRK's largest holidays. April 15, 2024, is the 112th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's birth

On April 15th there may be large-scale celebrations in Pyongyang. A Military Parade is possible, in which case the itinerary for the day will be subject to change. Foreign travellers are typically allowed to view military units as they exit the city from the parade course and the city's residents come out en masse to greet them. Be prepared to potentially wait around for a few hours, but it will be well worth it. For The Day of the Sun we also expect student-organised mass dances at prominent locations throughout the city and the possibility of evening fireworks. Whatever happens this holiday, it will be impressive and unforgettable. Not to be missed!

Mangyongdae Native House  | Birthplace and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in a beautiful natural surrounding.

• Pyongyang Metro Tour  | One of the deepest metro systems in the world with stunning artwork reflecting the name of each station. Ride six stations on the Chollima Line.  
• Arch of Triumph  | A 60-m archway commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule and larger than its counterpart in Paris.
• Mansudae Fountain Park |  The historic centre of Pyongyang popular with local citizens after school and on weekends. Flanked by examples of ancient and modern architecture from different eras.  
• Mansudae Grand Monument  | Enormous bronze statues of the DPRK leadership overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here. Visitations are by special request only and decent dress is required. No shorts or flip-flop sandals allowed here.  
• Moranbong Park with picnic lunch |  We’ll take a stroll and have picnic lunch in Pyongyang’s central park popular with locals for picnics, dances, and sports. The park is filled with historic pavilions, walls, and monuments- modern and ancient, a few of which are among the traditional ‘Eight Great Sights of Pyongyang’.
• Tower of the Juche Idea  | Iconic tower dedicated to the DPRK’s guiding philosophy on the Taedong River. Take the elevator to the top for 5 EUR for great views of the city.  
• Kimilsungia and Kimjongillia Flower   Exhibition |  Exhibit of the two flowers named after the DPRK’s leaders and held on the occasion of their respective birthday anniversaries in February and April. See organizations and groups from across society compete to put on the best floral display.  
• Monument to the Party Foundation | Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle, writing brush which make up the emblem of the Worker’s Party of Korea and represent workers, farmers, and intellectuals.  
• Mass Dance |  Large student organised dances held around Pyongyang on major holidays ( weather dependent ). Join in the fun!  
• Pyongyang Circus (or other available performance) | We will leave time this afternoon to try and catch a local performance — either of the Pyongyang Circus, theatre, or a revolutionary opera. Schedules are typically announced only a few weeks before the trip. If no performances are available, we will find an alternative activity in the city. Tickets to be paid on the spot (from 5-25 EUR) depending on the available performance.  
• Dinner and sunset boat cruise along the Taedong River |  We will take a cruise on the Taedong River while having dinner with live music performance and waiting for the fireworks.

April 16 | Tuesday

Departure Day from Pyongyang and Return to Beijing by flight or train. Please confirm your preferred transport method upon booking.

• Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS251  at 10:15 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 11:35.
• Train departure by  train to Beijing  at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to  Beijing Station  on Wednesday, April 17 at 08:40.  For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).

End of Tour

Transport | Train and Flights to North Korea (High-season)

This tour travels between Beijing-Pyongyang by train each way in a hard-sleeper carriage (6 bunks per compartment). The train journey takes 24 hours with a transfer at the city of Dandong. One-way or round-trip flights are also available. The flight takes around 90 minutes. For an extra 265 EUR you can upgrade to a one-way flight. A round-trip ticket costs an additional 435 EUR. We recommend flight entry with a train return for the best overall experience on your trip.

Visit the DPRK border town of Sinuiju

If you're heading back to Beijing by train this option lets you get off for an overnight in Dongrim before the next day's tour of Sinuiju — the border city with China. Spend an extra 24 hours in the DPRK seeing the sites of North Pyongan province. You will then continue on through to Beijing.

Visit Dandong — the Chinese gateway to the DPRK

Instead of immediately returning to Beijing when your tour ends you can take some extra time to visit this fascinating border city, which directly faces the DPRK town of Sinuiju, but lies on the Chinese side of the Yalu River. We offer both one-night and two-night fully guided extensions that take in all the sights of Dandong, with a special North Korea theme.

Upgrade to your own room

All hotel rooms on our all-inclusive group tours feature twin beds, and will be shared. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra 40 EUR per night.

Insurance (7 to 9 nights)

We're unable to take you on one of our tours if you do not have medical insurance that covers the destination in question. Issues of isolation and infrastructure where we go mean it would be irresponsible of us to do so. We can provide this if you do not have it — or you can use your own.

What is / is not included?

• Train Beijing – Pyongyang - Beijing
• All meals on the tour except for meals on the train and the farewell dinner at the Pizza Restaurant
• Hotel accommodation
• Two local Korean guides, and a driver per group
• A Koryo Tours tour leader
• All transportation in the DPRK
• Marathon race fees - to be paid in cash (clean USD notes only) before the race in Pyongyang, amounts are 5 km: $50 USD / 10 km: $70 USD / Half Marathon: $100 USD / Full Marathon: $150 USD
• DPRK visa fee 60 EUR
• Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 265 EUR; return: 435 EUR)
• Optional single room supplement of 40 EUR per night
• Tips for the local Korean guides and driver (approx 10-15 EUR per day)
• Optional activities such as the lift up the Juche Tower (5 EUR) or a visit to the funfair (approx. 2 EUR entrance fee per person)
• Entry tickets for special events if applicable – for example Pyongyang Circus (approx. 20 EUR per person)
• Meals include a complimentary beer and water, but you will need to purchase extra drinks if needed
• Farewell dinner at the Pizza Restaurant
• Spending money for souvenirs
• SINUIJU EXTENSION: RMB 50 for the bus across the bridge to Dandong to be paid on the spot to the local guides

Groups will be in the experienced hands of two or three local Korean guides and an experienced Koryo Tours tour leader . Please note that when on tour your day-to-day itinerary may differ to what is advertised above. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed. We will also add in extras when there is time (such as a visit to a local bar or amusement park). We visit the DPRK regularly so know all the best places to go, and how to make the most of your days there to guarantee the experience of a lifetime. After the tour, we will send out a list of all participants' emails so you can keep in touch, swap photos etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

April 11 - April 16/17 2024

Kim Il Sung Birthday Short Tour

5 nights in North Korea + travel time between Beijing and Pyongyang

Be in Pyongyang for one of North Korea’s biggest national holidays in years & see North Korea beyond just Pyongyang From 1205 EUR per person

Just like every country, North Korea has much more to offer than just its capital. This 5-night Korea tour package will take you to cities and places outside of Pyongyang . Tick off must-see sites such as the Juche Tower , Kim Il Sung Square , and the Mansudae Grand Monument statues of the Leaders, as well as other highlights; Kaesong ,  DMZ , and Nampo .

You'll also be in the city for the amazing Pyongyang Marathon , one of the most unique marathons in the world. Run alongside local Korean runners as you power through the streets of Pyongyang that will be lined with thousands of Koreans cheering you on as you go.

More importantly, joining us on this tour means you’ll get to join the local North Koreans in celebrating one of the most important dates in the Korean calendar; Kim Il Sung’s Birthday. Officially known as the ‘ Day of the Sun ’. Expect mass dances and even the possibility of a military parade and firework display over the Taedonggang river. We will also get a chance to see the orchid named after the President, the Kimilsungia .

Want a longer option? try The Kim Il Sung Birthday Tour for a one week adventure including all of the above and more!

• Panmunjom and the Demilitarized Zone: Signing hall of the 1953 armistice and Joint Security Area, patrolled by soldiers from both sides.
• Pyongyang Marathon - run the streets of the DPRK capital.
• 17:27 |   Train travellers depart Beijing Station by Chinese domestic sleeper train to Dandong , the Chinese city on the border with North Korea. Please arrange independent travel to the train station and arrive at least an hour and a half early for the train departure.
• Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 15:05. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
• Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS151  at 08:35 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 09:55.

Insurance for up to six nights

• All meals on the tour apart from the meals on the train

April 26 - May 4/5 2024

The May Day Tour

8 nights in North Korea + Beijing-Pyongyang travel time

Join in the celebrations on May Day in North Korea, and travel widely around the country on this amazing tour. From 1645 EUR per person

Please apply by 10th April, 2024 .

May Day is one of the best times to visit North Korea during the calendar year for the fine weather and festivities. Also known as International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day, May Day is a day off and locals take to the outdoors for picnics, dancing, and sports.

Join in the celebrations as you experience North Korean culture like a local. In addition to the highlights of the North Korean capital Pyongyang and historic Kaesong on the Demilitarised Zone (the North/South border), we’ll have time for walks in the city, dining at some of Pyongyang’s most interesting restaurants, shopping at the Kwangbok Department Store , a picnic lunch, scenic Mt. Kuwol , crossing the West Sea Barrage . We will also go off the beaten track for a short visit to Anju , an industrial city between Pyongyang and Mt. Myohyang and hardly ever on offer to visitors

If time isn’t on your side, take a look at our 6-night  May Day Short Tour .

Scroll down for an overview of our May Day Long Weekend Tour package highlights, tour itinerary, transport options , DPRK tourist visa information, and extra add-ons.

Koryo Tours International Tours

Mongolia | Turkmenistan | Kazakhstan | Bhutan | Russia | Tajikistan  

• Pyongyang on the May 1st national holiday.
• Kaesong and the infamous DMZ.
• Mt. Kuwol - scenic mountain area interspersed with temples.

April 25 | Thursday

April 26 | friday.

• Flight departure from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 12:20. A 1.5-hour flight with basic lunch ( vegetarian option is subject to availability). Check-in starts 3 hours prior to departure.
• Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 15:20. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
• Grand People’s Study House  |  Huge national library and public university housed in a large neo-traditional Korean building overlooking Kim Il Sung Square and the downtown Pyongyang.  

April 27 | Saturday

Pyongyang City Tour

• Foreign Languages Bookshop   | Store selling Korean publications translated into English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. Also pick up DVDs, postcards, and small works of art.  
• Mansudae Fountain Park | The historic centre of Pyongyang popular with local citizens after school and on weekends. Flanked by examples of ancient, socialist, and modern architecture.  
• Mansudae Grand Monument  | Enormous bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here ( 5 EUR ). Please note this is a government-administered sight and visits are subject to cancellation. Visits are optional and require a certain dress code (close-toed shoes and covered legs and shoulders).  
• Mt Ryonggak | Enjoy a picnic lunch in this park on the outskirts of Pyongyang and popular with locals. Stretch your legs after lunch witha short hike to the top of Mt Ryonggak itself.
• Mangyongdae Native House  | Birthplace and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in a beautiful natural surrounding.  
• Kwangbok Department Store   |  Exchange for Korean currency and shop with the citizens of Pyongyang! Try the snack stands for some of Pyongyang’s best local eats.  
• Munsu Water Park | We’ll take a break at this outdoor and indoor water park with water slides, lap pools, and hot tubs. Bar, coffee shop, and shops for non-swimmers ( Entry fee 2 EUR; swimming fee 10 EUR with suit rental )  
• Pyongyang Metro Tour  | One of the deepest metro systems in the world with stunning artwork reflecting the name of each station. We’ll ride six stations on the Chollima Line.  

April 28 | Sunday

Pyongyang, Mt. Myohyang

• Kumsusan Palace of the Sun  | Mausoleum of the DPRK leadership where President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il lie in state and the most solemn location on the itinerary.  Please note formal dress is required. Men require collared shirt with tie, dark non-jean pants, and dark shoes. Women require covered shoulders, knee-length dress or pants, and closed toed shoes. The visit will take most of the morning and visitors are asked to bow a number of times inside. This is a state-administered site and visits are subject to local conditions. Cancellations are rare but possible.  
• Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery  |   Hilltop cemetery with dozens of bronze busts of those who took part in the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule. It is customary to present flowers here.  
• Golden Lane Bowling Centre | Where Pyongyang locals go for their ten-pin fix ( 2.5 EUR per person per game ). Also has billiards and arcade games. Non-bowlers can head next door to the Kumrung Leisure Centre for an air gun shooting range ( approximately 6 EUR per 20 round cartridge ) and some of the best coffee in Pyongyang.

April 29 | Monday

• Drive back to Pyongyang ( 2.5-3 hours ) with a stop at Ryongmun Caves | A subterranean complex of limestone caves and grottoes. Led by an experienced local guide, you will see weirdly (and suggestively) shaped rocks and stalactites/stalagmites and hear a wealth of stories and legends about each - some not appropriate for young audiences.  
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and USS Pueblo  | We’ll tour this world-class museum led by a local museum guides. Renovated in 2012 and its exhibits of Korean War from the DPRK perspective containing artifacts, documents, photos, and lifelike dioramas. The exterior grounds house the War Victory Monument and displays of Korean People’s Army Hero Equipment and captured equipment from the US military, including the spyship USS Pueblo . Central to the understanding of the country today and highlight of the trip.  
• Kaeson Funfair | Take on the rides of Pyongyang’s small but excellently located central funfair with the locals: pirate ship, ‘vominator’, rollercoaster, bumper cars, arcades, and more. Entry and ride tickets purchased on the spot .

April 30 | Tuesday

Kaesong, Panmunjom, DMZ

• Drive south to Kaesong , historic capital of the medieval Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). Once located in South Korea, the city changed hands during the Korean War. It is now located just north of the DMZ. 3 hours by road.  
• Panmunjom Armistice Village and DMZ  | The site of the signing of the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War and the demarcation line between north and south. On some days it is possible to visit the hut straddling the line, where negotiations between both sides once took place. Here we will be accompanied by military guides from the Korean People's Army.  
• Kaesong Koryo Museum  | Once the Songgyung Academy, a Confucian school, and now a museum on the Koryo Dynasty exhibiting historical objects, statues, pagodas, and porcelain from that era. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• Kaesong Korean Stamp Exhibition Hall   | Store selling stamps, postcards, local ginseng , souvenirs, art, and more! One of the best postcard collections in the country and friendly staff.
• Concrete Wall and view of DMZ  | View of a complex fortification system erected on the southern boundary of the DMZ accompanied by a military guide. The wall is seen as evidence of intent to permanently divide the nation. A 45 minute drive each way from Kaesong through scenic countryside.  
• Janam Hill and Old City View | Statues of the DPRK leadership on a hill overlooking Kaesong city and historic pavilion used for archery demonstrations in days of yore.  
• Drive to Pyongyang with a stop at the Monument to the Three-Charters of National Reunification , Iconic arch over the Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway dedicated to joint meetings between Koreas, north and south. Also known as the ‘Arch of Reunification’. A 3-hour drive.

May 1 | Wednesday - International Labour Day

Pyongyang for the national holiday celebrations - exact events confirmed nearer the date itself

• Taesongsan Folk Festival l Large park/funfair at the edge of the city, locals flock here on May Day for games, picnics, and general celebrations. Join them and wander freely in the crowds. the single best time of the year for mingling with the Pyongyang populace and an unforgettable experience!  
• Moranbong Park with picnic lunch |  We’ll take a stroll and have picnic lunch in Pyongyang’s central park popular with locals for picnics, dances, and sports. The park is filled with historic pavilions, walls, and monuments- modern and ancient, a few of which are among the traditional ‘Eight Great Sights of Pyongyang’
• Monument to the Party Foundation  | Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle, writing brush which make up the emblem of the Worker’s Party of Korea and represent workers, farmers, and intellectuals.  
• Tram Ride  | A ride through Pyongyang on one of the city’s trams from Kwangbok Street. A Koryo exclusive!  
• Mass Dance  | We'll watch as hundreds of locals, many in brightly coloured national dress, join together in a beautiful choreographed dance in the heart of the city (and maybe even join in ourselves!)

Pyongyang Circus (or other available performance) | We will leave time this afternoon to try and catch a local performance — either of the Pyongyang Circus, theatre, or a revolutionary opera. Schedules are typically announced only a few weeks before the trip. If no performances are available, we will find an alternative activity in the city. Tickets to be paid on the spot (from 5-25 EUR) depending on the available performance.

Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang

May 2 | Thursday

Pyongyang, Nampo

• A walking tour of some of the main streets of Pyongyang as well as some of the lesser-known monuments, markers, and famous local spots - try some street food, do some shopping, mingle with local pedestrians. This is a fantastic way to see the city at the end of an adventurous tour and will see you get much more access to the North Korean capital and people than almost anyone else!  
• Okryugwan  | A meal at Pyongyang’s most famous restaurant. Housed in a huge traditional building on the banks of the Taedong River. Okryugwan specialises in Pyongyang Cold Noodles.

Pyongyang International Football Academy |   Premier football school for young and promising athletes. Tour the facilities and learn about the history of football in the DPRK. Has multiple training pitches where you can test yourself against some students here.

• May Day Stadium |   Largest in the DPRK, this massive structure plays host to the amazing Mass Games as well as other mega-scale events. One of Pyongyang's most iconic buildings.  
• Helmut Sacher Coffee Shop | Opened in 2012, A branch of the famed Viennese Coffee and Cake merchant Helmut Sacher’s empire in Pyongyang on Kim Il Sung Square.  
• Drive to Nampo   (approx. 1.5 hr drive, depending on road conditions)

Overnight |   R yonggang Hot Spa Hotel , Nampo. Compound with holiday houses and the main building for dinner and entertainment. Spa bath in every room with mineral water from the Sindok Spring - the most famous mineral spa in the DPRK. Billiards, karaoke, and ping pong. Bring a torch! Optional Petrol Clam BBQ  ( approximately 5 EUR ).

May 3 | Friday

Nampo, Pyongyang

• Woljong Temple   |  Buddhist temple established in the middle of the 9th century and later rebuilt at the start of the Ri Dynasty.  
• Mt. Kuwol | A scenic mountain area on the West Coast of Korea. Picnic lunch here before crossing the West Sea Barrage once again
• Tae’an Glass Factory | Factory producing glass and glass products for the domestic market. Watch the glass-making process from smelting to sheet-cutting and even try to break a sheet of strengthened glass.  
• Drive east along the ‘ Youth Hero Highway ’ back to the capital.  
• Mansugyo Beer Bar | A beer bar serving seven types of beer. Popular with locals after work and on weekends. Best place to drink pints with local people.  
• Dinner at Potonggang Lamb BBQ Restaurant | One of our favourites, excellent Korean Barbeque joint, popular with many of our local friends.

May 4 | Saturday

Departure Day from Pyongyang and Return to Beijing by flight or train. Please confirm your preferred transport method upon booking*

• Train departure by train to Beijing  at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station  on Sunday May 5 at 08:40. For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).
• Train Beijing – Pyongyang with transfer at Dandong Train Pyongyang – Beijing with transfer at Dandong

NOT INCLUDED

• North Korean (DPRK) visa fee 60 EUR
• Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 265 EUR; round-trip: 435 EUR)
• Sinuiju Extension: RMB 50 for the bus across the bridge to Dandong to be paid on the spot to the local guides

Groups will be in the experienced hands of two or three local Korean guides and an experienced Koryo Tours tour leader . Please note that when on tour your day-to-day itinerary may differ to what is advertised above. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed. We will also add in extras when there is time (such as a visit to a local bar or amusement park).

We visit North Korea regularly so know all the best places to go, and how to make the most of your days there to guarantee the experience of a lifetime. After the tour, we will send out a list of all participants' emails so you can keep in touch, swap photos etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

April 26 - May 2/3 2024

May Day Short Tour

6 nights in North Korea + Beijing-Pyongyang travel time

Join in the celebrations on May Day in North Korea, Pyongyang, the DMZ, + Nampo and Rarely Visited Haeju City From 1305 EUR per person

Join in the celebrations as you experience North Korean culture like a local. In addition to the highlights of the North Korean capital Pyongyang and historic Kaesong on the Demilitarised Zone (the North/South border), we’ll have time for walks in the city, dining at some of Pyongyang’s most interesting restaurants, shopping at the Kwangbok Department Store . We will also go off the beaten track for a short visit to Anju , an industrial city between Pyongyang and Mt. Myohyang and hardly ever on offer to visitors.

Want more? For a longer trip check out The May Day Tour (8 nights) .

• May Day - National Holiday and best day of the year to mix with DPRK locals.
• The International Friendship Exhibition: Cavernous halls displaying all manner of foreign gifts to the DPRK's leaders.

Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang. Home away from home for most (but not all!) foreign visitors to Pyongyang, this 47-story hotel is located on an island in the middle of the Taedong River and offers great views of the city. Comfortable rooms and comprehensive leisure facilities: swimming pool, spa, billiards, bowling, gift shops, tea houses, beer brewed on-site, and a Chinese-run casino.

PMt. Myohyang

• Train departure by train to Beijing  at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station  on Friday May 3 at 08:40. For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).
• All meals on the tour except for meals on the train

June 2024 — 2 tours

July 2024 — 2 tours, august 2024 — 3 tours, september 2024 — 6 tours, october 2024 — 2 tours, november 2024 — 1 tour, december 2024 — 2 tours, january 2025 — 2 tours, february 2025 — 2 tours, march 2025 — 1 tour, next tour departure dates, east pyongyang.

As seen from the top of the Juche Tower - this is a mainly residential district

Mass Dance - Pyongyang

Mass Dances are held on all major holidays. particpants number from 3000 to 50,000. Tourists can even join in!

Ryugyong Hotel - Pyongyang

Iconic 105-storey building towering over the capital. Koryo Tours have even been to the top of this!

Farming - East Coast

Korea is mainly mountains but has farmland too - a trip to the countryside gives a sense of what rural life is like

Youth Funfair - Pyongyang

A great place to visit in the evening, popular with locals and with all Italian-made rides

Fishing Village - East Coast

Bounded by seas to east and west the villages along the coasts are mainly populated by fishermen catching all manner of seafood

Kwangbok Street - Pyongyang

One of Pyongyang's famous mega-highways. with a dozen lanes accommodating far more cars than ever need to use it

Reunification Monument

On the road from the capital heading south - this monument symbolises ongoing hopes for peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula

People's Theatre - Pyongyang

Home of the famous Moranbong Band - the DPRK's iconic rock/pop/ensemble

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How to Visit North Korea’s DMZ Border (Updated 2023)

A s controversial a place as North Korea is, it's swiftly gaining attention from the curious tourist eye. Our intrigue to see it was piqued during a visit to Seoul with friends. Having now taken the DMZ tour ourselves, this highly informative if not haunting experience is one we would highly recommend . So, if you've got guts and a desire to get a snippet into one of the most closed countries on earth, here's how to do it!

Getting there & where to stay

First, you need to get yourself to Seoul, which is the nearest major city to the DMZ border. South Korea is only reachable by flight, with most planes flying into Incheon International Airport. Use Skyscanner and search by entire month to see the cheapest dates to fly. Be sure to check our flight booking hacks here to get yourself the best price. And don't forget to book your airport transfer and a 4G Data SIM card before you land!

A fast way to get a big discount on your flight is to sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. This card offers a massive sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points (worth $750 ) after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. United and Singapore Airlines are both partner airlines of this card, and both offer flights to Seoul, meaning you can convert your points to these airline loyalty programs, or just book directly through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Seoul is a buzzing megacity with plenty of enticing accommodation options. There are plentiful  AirBNBs  and  hotel  selections, but be sure to reserve ahead in peak season. Some convenient neighbourhood options include Hongdae, Itaewon, Myeongdong, Gangnam, and Jamsil. Check  TripAdvisor  for more local tips and advice.

There is plenty to explore in Seoul itself, and a local guide can help ensure you catch the best of the best. Be sure to check out the Gyeongbok Palace & Temple , or grab the Seoul Pass , which grants free entry to 65 attractions and discounted entry to 101 more.

How to visit North Korea's DMZ Border:

Step 1. choose your points of interest.

There are several companies that operate DMZ tours. As much as I despise group tours, you can only visit the DMZ with a tour , as it has restricted civilian access and requires a mandatory military escort.

No two tours are the same, but you should choose one based on your budget, customer reviews, and points of interest that are included. Tours can be browsed with reviews, prices, and instant confirmation through Klook , GetYourGuide and Viator . The main highlights to select from are as follows:

The Joint Security Area (JSA)

Located in Panmunjom, the JSA is the closest point a tourist can get to North Korea . At this spot, you'll have a chance to physically stand in North Korea itself and take a photo as proof (more on that below). This area is occupied by the South Korean and US military, and is complete with a gift shop selling original items from North Korea, including stamps, money, and wine (which in our experience tastes like nail polish remover and turpentine but hey, at least you can say you tried it).

NOTE: As of 2023, the JSA is still closed to visitors due to COVID, and is not included in any tours.

Odusan Unification Observatory

One can safely view day-to-day life in North Korea without setting foot in the country at Mt Odu Observatory. Binoculars (free of charge) provide ultra zoomed up views of North Korea opposite the Han river below. On our visit we were able to see civilians walking around on the other side.

Infiltration Tunnels

Scarily enough, around the time that the North and South were having peace talks, North Korea began digging underground tunnels to infiltrate the South. They were never completed, but were discovered in 1984. The longest tunnel is 1,082 metres. The 3rd tunnel is the closest to Seoul (only 44km away) and could move ~30,000 troops and artillery per hour.

Dora Observatory

This observatory offers binocular views of North Korea's fake town, Kijong-dong. The town was first built in the 1950's to lure South Koreans to defect and move across the border. From visual observations from the South, it has been uninhabited with windowless, incomplete buildings since its construction.

Dora Observatory is so named after Dorasan the mountain on which it sits. The nearest train station has a fully completed train line that runs to Pyongyang. Though the North cooperated in its completion, it was never used. It is hoped that when re-unification is reached, the train line will be used to connect the two Koreas.

Freedom Bridge

The Freedom Bridge connects North and South Korea, though a massive barricade blocks entry to the connecting point over the river. If the two sides are ever connected, this bridge could be used to enter and exit North Korea.

Step 2. Select a tour

Once you've decided on your must-see highlights (as listed above), you can select a tour.

There are traditional tour companies to choose from, which are listed at the end of this article along with prices and contact information, but it's much easier to book tours online with Klook , GetYourGuide  and Viator . You pay in advance and get fast confirmation, so all you need to do is bring your voucher to the tour. There are reviews, photos, and videos that make choosing the right tour simple. The traditional companies require back and forth e-mail or phone communication when booking direct, so Klook , GetYourGuide  and  Viator are convenient ways to avoid all that hassle.

One of the most popular tours is this day tour on Klook , with more than 50,000 bookings. This is the tour most of our readers have chosen, and is the tour we would select today. Our trip was now several years ago, and at the time we took the Special Panmunjom Tour by Panmunjeom Travel Center  which does not visit the tunnels but goes to Odu Observatory and the JSA. This tour offered the chance to speak with a North Korean refugee (defector). This allowed us to learn about how people escape the North, how they adapt to life afterwards, and what knowledge they have of the outside world living in North Korea.

Get $10 USD off your first Klook purchase with coupon code THRIFTY10 (minimum spend $120 USD, new users only)

Here are some of the top-rated tours that can be booked online:

South Korea Demilitarized Zone Half-Day Tour (Bestseller)

From Seoul: Half-Day Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Tour

DMZ Past and Present: Korean Demilitarized Zone Tour from Seoul

Step 3. take ( lots of ) photos of north korea.

Much of the road towards the JSA border runs parallel to the Han River, which separates the two countries. It's nothing short of unique to be sitting in a bus with views of North Korea passing by out your window.

The binoculars at the Dora and Odu observatory provide ultra zoomed views of North Korea. One can even see North Korean civilians walking around on the other side, as we did during our visit at Odu . At Dora Observatory, North Korea's fake town, Kijong-dong, is viewed.

Step 4. Cross the border into North Korea

On a tension-free day at the JSA, one can legally take a step into North Korea. But how and why ?

The blue buildings pictured below are UN Command neutral zones. Midway, the inside of these blue buildings cross the North/South Korea border. Inside the building on the right (UNCMAC) is where meetings between the two countries are housed.

If you want photo evidence that you physically stood in North Korea, this can be done . You can pose with a South Korean soldier within  North Korea at the back of the UNCMAC room. Be warned though (and you will be), if you cross through the door behind you, no one is responsible for your safety as you'll be alone and in North Korea.

Important Points About DMZ Tours

• Many tours require reservation 2-5 days in advance , so check ahead.
• If visiting the JSA, you must sign a waiver agreeing that no one is responsible for accident, injury, or even death . Take comfort in the fact that these tours are done every day and you are accompanied by military escorts at the border!
• You must bring your passport for most tours , and it is checked by army personnel on arrival at the JSA.
• You must adhere to the specified dress code (e.g. no ripped jeans, sandals, or unkempt hair). These rules are strictly enforced as North Korean soldiers take photos and produce false propaganda that other countries are too poor to afford proper clothing.
• Tours can end unexpectedly at any time if tensions rise at the border . That means you are not be guaranteed to step into the UNCMAC at the JSA, nor is it certain you'll get a photo across the border.

In Summary…

Partaking in the DMZ tour allows yourself to gain much more depth on a humanitarian crisis that the world does not know enough about. If you have the chance to do this trip, I'd highly recommend it.

Tour Companies & Pricing

Alternatively, you can contact one of the tour companies below directly and book with them.

Panmunjeom Travel Center Website : www.panmunjomtour.com Telephone : +82-2-771-5593 (Korean, English, Japanese) Price : 80,000-77,000 won (~$60-$77 USD). All tours include lunch. Note : Tours offered in Korean, English, and Japanese. This is the only company that allows you to meet a North Korean defector/refugee, ask them questions, and better understand the human rights issues of North Korea.

VIP Travel Website: http://www.vviptravel.com/eng/ Telephone: 02-739-3501 ext. 4 Price: 55,000-135,000 won ($48 – $120 USD). Most tours include lunch. Notes: Tours offered in English, Japanese, Chinese. None of the tours include any forced shopping stops.

Koridoor Website :  www.koridoor.co.kr Telephone : 02-6383-2570 ext. 2 Price : 43-89,000 won (~$41-$80 USD). Most tours include lunch. Notes : Tours offered in English.

JSA Tour Website : www.jsatour.com Telephone : +82-2-2266-3350 Price : 85,000-120,000 won (~$85-$120 USD). All tours include lunch. Notes : Tours offered in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese.

DMZ Spy Tour Website : www.dmzspytour.com Telephone : +82-10-3950-8350 Price: 88,000-114,000 won (~$88-$114 USD). Tours include lunch. Notes : Tours offered in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese.

International Culture Service Club Website : www.tourdmz.com Telephone : +82-2-755-0073 Price : 65,000-85,000 won (~$65-$85 USD). All tours include lunch. Notes : Tours offered in Korean, English and Japanese. This is the only company that does Saturday tours.

Seoul City Tour Website : www.seoulcitytour.net Telephone : +82-2-774-3345 Price: 40,000-125,000 won (~$40-$125 USD). Only some tours include lunch. Notes : Tours are offered in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese.

KTB Tour Website : www.go2korea.co.kr Telephone : +82-2-778-0150 Price : 65,000-130,000 won (~$65-$130 USD). All tours include lunch. Notes : Tours offered in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese.

DMZ & JSA Tour (Professional Guide Service / Celebrity's choice Agency) Website : www.cosmojin.com Telephone : +82-2-318-0345 (Korean, English, Japanese), +82-2-318-0425 (Chinese) Price : 46,000 won (~$46 USD) for half-day tour, 87,000 won (~$87 USD) for full day tour. Lunch included on full day tour. Notes : Tours offered in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese.

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You guys are so brave! This makes me a bit nervous and I’m not sure I would be able to do it!

The link to the GetYourGuide tour you provided doesn’t work. Do you have an updated link by any chance? Thank you!

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Disclosures Many of the listings that appear on this website are from companies which we receive compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). The site does not review or include all companies or all available products. Thrifty Nomads has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Thrifty Nomads and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Roaming Around the World

Travel Guides, Tips, and Tales

The DMZ Train: How To Travel from Seoul to North Korea Border

September 22, 2018 By John Widmer 60 Comments

It may sound like a crazy proposition to venture into what is a buffer zone to a lingering war. Yet while roaming around South Korea, we were intrigued by the possibility to visit the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea.

DMZ tours are actually somewhat of a popular pursuit for curious travelers in South Korea. Yet instead of taking one of the many DMZ-bound tours directly from Seoul, we wondered if it was possible to travel from Seoul to the DMZ without a tour.

That’s when we learned about the DMZ train .

Turns out, you can take a trip out to the DMZ on your own by catching a train from Seoul.

There is an official DMZ Peace Train that runs directly from Seoul to DMZ, Wednesdays through Sundays. This special train to the DMZ began operating in 2014 and continues making trips out to the North Korea border today. Once arriving by train into the DMZ, you must then transfer onto a planned bus course to fully experience and explore the many sites within this heavily restricted area.

So that’s exactly what we did!

This post now recounts this DIY day trip on the DMZ train and reviews the details of exactly how to get from Seoul to the DMZ with public transportation. We’re always looking for the best values in travel and we found this DMZ train to be the cheapest way possible to reach the notorious demilitarized zone from Seoul.

So what’s it like to ride into the DMZ by rail?

The DMZ train turned out to not only be a very interesting trip, but also the most bizarre rail journey we’ve ever taken !

Even as we stepped foot onto the train, we realized this would be a strange journey ahead . Adorning the DMZ train walls are an odd mix of symbols, showing peace along with harsh signs of war. For example, an empty military helmet is surrounded by words like “harmony.” It’s all quite a contrast that sets the tone for the journey ahead.

The entire day in the DMZ was filled with this odd mix of war and peace. There were laughable oddities intermixed where horrible tragedies have played out. The DMZ is part war zone, but also part tourist attraction .

These perplexing contradictions were themes that ran on throughout the entire day. The DMZ is a weird place in the world and taking the DMZ Train from Seoul to the North Korea border perhaps made it all the more odd of an experience.

DMZ Train from Seoul to North Korea Border

To prepare for this rail adventure to the DMZ, we made sure to dress accordingly for the day straddling the North Korea border. There’s a strict dress code at the DMZ . Attire such as ripped jeans or skimpy outfits is not permitted here.

The reason for this goes beyond a simple show of respect. It’s been reported that North Korea films DMZ tourists on the other side of the border. The purpose of this is to use such footage of people in poor apparel as propaganda to show how inferior the world is outside of North Korea. So that’s why it’s important to dress up a bit while at the DMZ.

We made sure to dress the part. Our journey on the DMZ train was during a cold early-January day in Seoul, so it was an effortless task to ensure we were covered up. With winter jackets on and our passports in hand, we set off to Yongsan Station for this DMZ train day trip!

When we arrived at the station to take the DMZ train, we were literally the only people who boarded . The empty train car made us a little nervous and uneasy, as we chugged toward the North Korea border.

What the heck were we getting ourselves into? Where was everyone?

Perhaps the empty train car was due to people not knowing about the DMZ train, as most DMZ-bound visitors opt for tours directly from Seoul.

We also suspect the lack of passengers may have partly been due to heightened tensions during the time of our visit. It was around this time of escalations in early 2018 when a North Korea soldier had recently defected, while Trump and Kim Jong-Un were trading insults about who has a bigger button.

It sure was an interesting time to take the DMZ train!

But as we write this post now, tensions have eased significantly to a point that peace negotiations are even resuming between the two Koreas. It’s all encouraging positive signals of peace between North and South Korea. Who knows, maybe one day in the not-so-distant future the train line will continue all the way through the DMZ, from Seoul to Pyongyang by rail. That is what the Gyeongui Line was intended for after all.

As our northbound rail journey continued, we were relieved to see a few more passengers board the DMZ train at the next stop. When arriving at Seoul Station, it was an almost entirely local Korean crowd joining us on the DMZ train.

This trip to the DMZ by rail was an intriguing travel curiosity for us to explore. Yet for the other Korean passengers venturing North, the journey to their country’s border holds much more weight.

After leaving Seoul Station, it was a nearly direct route on the DMZ train without stops. The highrises of Seoul soon faded, as the Gyeongui Line tracks wound through the Korean countryside.

Taking the DMZ train was a pleasant yet uneventful rail journey that lasted a bit more than an hour. But once we neared North Korea, that all changed.

We arrived at Imjingang Station. This is the final train station before entering the DMZ. The Imjingang Station was formerly the final stop on the Gyeongui Line before the DMZ train began allowing visitors to go beyond it, once it began operating in 2014.

Before arriving at Imjingang Station, we were required to complete an application to gain entry. But given our inability to read Korean, we had no idea what we were agreeing to .

We signed anyways and stepped off the train with our passports in hand.

We waited in a short queue at this military checkpoint and were processed in as if we were entering another country. But this DMZ train to North Korea stops just short of the border with North Korea. So there are no immigration procedures or passport stamps issued.

This is when the train actually enters the civilian-restricted area known as the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which separates North and South Korea.

The train crosses the Imjin River and the train’s big windows allow passengers to watch this transition unfold, as it slowly travels on a bridge over the river. It’s eerie to see remnants of the former bridge that had been destroyed during the Korean War .

The prevalence of barbed wire fencing and minefields is a clear indication that we just entered a war zone .

Dorasan Station: A Train Station To Nowhere

The final destination aboard the DMZ train is Dorasan Station.

So we disembarked the DMZ train to explore Dorasan Station, which is an oddity on its own merits. Many of the DMZ bus tours even stop at Dorasan Station because it is a point of interest on their tours. Yet for us, it was our departure point arriving on the one and only train that currently pulls into Dorasan Station nearly every day. This little-used train station sits a bit more than a mile from the actual border of North Korea. We were close!

Given this is the only arrival each day, Dorasan Station sure is a large and grand station.

Dorasan Station was constructed in the early 2000s and the rail lines actually do connect North Korea and South Korea . But, of course, the border remains closed today. There have been some freight trains between the two Koreas that have been permitted to pass on occasion. But there are absolutely no passenger trains in South Korea that can continue on to North Korea.

Dorasan Station is the final stop. As a result, this big and immaculate station remains largely symbolic rather than a functional transit point between North Korea and South Korea.

Yet there are visions of Dorasan Station to one day link North and South Korea by rail. With Seoul located 56 kilometers to the South and Pyongyang 205 kilometers to the North, perhaps one day a train between the two Koreas’ capitals may be a reality. Upon peace between the two feuding nations, unification by rail and otherwise is the dream.

Having North Korea and South Korea connected again by trains may not be so far off. Dorasan Station actually appears completely ready for the next departure to Pyongyang .

The station is part propaganda, which makes a bold statement. Yet it shows South Korea’s clear vision and readiness for unification.

There’s an empty arrivals hall, a full customs & immigration area, and even an Inter-Korean transit office.

South Korea appears all set to resume passenger service to North Korea. It looks as if it could begin operation for train service to North Korea tomorrow if needed. Dorasan Station proudly flaunts that this infrastructure is in place.

While it may be the last station from South Korea, many signs throughout Dorasan Station acknowledge it’s “ the first station towards the North. ”

Exploring the Demilitarized Zone: from Train to Bus

From Dorasan Station, passengers are not permitted to tour the various sites throughout the DMZ on their own. So we transferred onto a bus that is timed perfectly to connect with the DMZ train.

This special bus for DMZ train passengers goes on to visit many curious sites scattered throughout this buffer to war. The alternative is to hang around Dorasan for five hours, when the DMZ train returns back to Seoul. Therefore, everyone from the DMZ train takes the bus.

This bus is timed to connect with the train and the bus tickets are easily purchased while on the DMZ train. From Dorasan Station, the bus includes four stops throughout the DMZ:

• Dorasan Peace Park
• lunch stop at a military cafeteria
• Dora Observatory, and
• 3rd Tunnel of Aggression + the DMZ Pavillion Museum.

Dorasan Peace Park: A Curious Park Full of Hope and Oddities

Our first stop was the Dorasan Peace Park. This park, completed in 2008, was developed to help youths better understand the history of the DMZ. Funded by donations from people living in the local area, the park is chock full of a strange assortment of curiosities!

There are sculptures, history plaques, a small ecology museum showing the DMZ’s wildlife, decommissioned army tanks, an enclosure with deer, a tall looming cone tower, a frisbee golf course, a look-out point, and even something called the Paul McCartney Forest to commemorate the former Beatles singer’s first concert in South Korea.

Who knew you could play a round of frisbee golf amongst killing machines in the middle of a “peace park” inside this war zone?

We were given about a half-hour to wander all around the Dorasan Peace Park, unescorted and on our own, to explore these many novelties.

It was uplifting to step through the colorful pinwheels, a bright symbol of peace within the DMZ.

Yet perhaps most notable are the portions of the Berlin Wall that have been reassembled in the park as a sign of encouragement by Germany’s reunification.

Lunch at a Korean Military Cafeteria in DMZ

The next stop was for lunch at a military cafeteria.

It’s a bare-bones dining hall with a buffet of Korean staples.

Of course, there would be rice and kimchi on the buffet line in addition to some stewed meat, veggies, beans, and soup. Overall the meal wasn’t great. But it wasn’t bad either.

Rather than focusing on the food itself, this lunch stop provided a unique and interesting experience to dine in a military mess hall within the DMZ .

Dora Observatory: Spying Into North Korea

The Dora Observatory is located about a mile from the border of North Korea. Our GPS confirmed just how close we were getting to North Korean.

The Dora Observatory is so close to North Korea that it allows visitors to gaze down into North Korea . The Observatory is perched up atop a mountain and you can clearly see into North Korea down below.

Binoculars are provided to further assist visitors to spy on the northern neighbor.

So what is there to see on the other side of the Korean border?

Take a look! 👇

We gazed right down into the industrial North Korean town of Kaesong . The factories appeared active with the industrial plants producing exhaust from the rooftops and perhaps adding to the heavy haze in the air. Yet there wasn’t much life visible in the empty streets.

Also of interest in North Korea is the gigantic flag poll that almost resembles a skinny Eiffel Tower. This is the result of what is known as the “Flagpole War.” In the 1980’s South Korea had erected a 98-meter tall pole waving the South Korean flag. So North Korea retaliated by building what became the tallest flagpole in the world at the time, soaring 160 meters (525 feet) high.

This towering flagpole is still flying high today in Kaesong, although it’s now the fourth tallest flagpole, as taller flagpoles have since been erected.

While gazing across the border, we could clearly hear South Korean audio recordings blasting over loudspeakers. These recordings are aimed at anyone within earshot on the other side. The audio propaganda is said to have since ceased at the time of writing amidst current peace talks.

The 3rd Tunnel of Aggression: An Underground Passage to North Korea

The final point of interest on the bus circuit from the DMZ train is what’s known as the 3rd Tunnel of Aggression. This secret passageway was built by North Korea as a potential entryway into South Korea. Although North Korea will tell you that they were simply digging a coal mine, in this contested area that holds no known coal. This was the third such tunnel along the DMZ to be discovered by South Korea, hence the name.

Yet a few decades after the tunnel’s discovery, South Korea has transformed this sign of aggression from the North into yet another bizarre touristic site to now explore within the DMZ.

We were armed with hard hats and then allowed to venture on our own, over a quarter-kilometer down into the deep and dark tunnel in the DMZ on our own. There are strictly no cameras allowed , hence we could not take any photos from within the third tunnel. Although we were unescorted inside the tunnel, inching closer to North Korea, there was closed-circuit surveillance monitoring us each step of the way.

It’s a claustrophobic space of only about 2 meters (~6 feet) wide and high. We soon learned why hard hats were required to enter as we bumped our heads many times along lower-lying sections of the tunnel until we reached an armed blockade which we could proceed no further.

This would be the closest point to North Korea during our day in the DMZ. It was here deep in the 3rd tunnel that we were a mere few hundred meters from the border of North Korea .

Back up into the daylight, we found that the grounds surrounding the once-secret tunnel between warring countries is now strewn with strange photo ops.

It’s here where you can show your friends how you crossed the border from South Korea into North Korea!

Except, in reality, this all still is entirely within South Korea. We were extremely close to North Korea. But this is not the actual borderline.

Nor were we actually behind the DMZ fence in North Korea.

It’s just for fun. And it felt a little strange to be goofing around with these funny props in this otherwise extremely serious place in the world.

The onsite DMZ Pavillion museum gives a stark contrast by reminding visitors of the somber realities of the divided nations.

The bus ultimately brought us back to Dorasan Station for the return DMZ train journey back to Seoul on the same Gyeongui Line we had rolled in on. The hour and a half train ride gave us time to try and reflect on this strange day that we just spent within one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.

Travel Tips & Info If You Take the DMZ Train

🆔 Don’t forget to bring your passport. Very important!

🕙 Plan to arrive at the train station early to ensure time to deal with any Seoul traffic, buy tickets, locate the train’s departure platform, and catch the DMZ train. We suggest planning to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure time to be on the safe side.

👖 Dress nicely. No ripped jeans. No revealing clothing.

💵 Be sure to have cash for the DMZ train tickets, bus, lunch, drinks, souvenirs, snacks, and any other incidentals. (More on DMZ train prices below.)

ℹ️ While on the bus, touring the DMZ, everything was explained in Korean during our visit. Therefore it can be worthwhile to research some of the sights you’re visiting in advance. We also suggest a visit to the expansive War Memorial of Korea , which houses a plethora of exhibits related to the Korean War and the DMZ. It can prove to be a good idea to go to this War Memorial museum before a trip to the DMZ, to gain a deeper understanding of this area and the ongoing conflict.

DMZ Train Schedule

DMZ train departs from only two stations in Seoul:

• Yongsan Station and
• Seoul Station.

Days of operation of the DMZ train are:

• Wednesdays,
• Saturdays, and

The DMZ train does not operate on holidays, Mondays, or Tuesdays.

The DMZ train runs on a strict time schedule, so don’t be late. The times below are when the train departs the station. Arrive early.

DMZ Train Timetable from Seoul to DMZ (Outbound) :

🕙 Departure from Yongsan Station: 10:08 am 🕙 Departure from Seoul Station: 10:15 am 🕚 Arrival to Imjingang Station: 11:24 am 🕛 Arrival to Dorasan Station: 11:43 am

DMZ Train Timetable from DMZ to Seoul (Return) :

🕓 Departure from Dorasan Station: 4:27 pm 🕕 Arrival to Seoul Station: 5:47 pm 🕕 Arrival to Yongsan Station: 5:54 pm

DMZ Train Ticket Prices, Costs, and Entrance Fees

To get from Seoul to the DMZ you must purchase two one way tickets to form the roundtrip journey. DMZ train prices differ slightly depending on which of the two stations are the departure point.

DMZ Train Ticket Price from Seoul Station: ₩17,800 roundtrip (₩8,900 each way) DMZ Train Ticket Price from Yongsan Station: ₩18,400 roundtrip (₩9,200 each way)

+ DMZ bus trip from Dorasan Station, visiting Peace Park, Observatory & Third Tunnel: ₩13,000 (update: As of Oct 2019, a reader has commented the price is now ₩18,000)

+ Buffet lunch : ₩7,000

How to Buy DMZ Train Tickets

It is possible to purchase DMZ train tickets directly on the Korail website . However, it’s a bit of a clunky interface in which you must make two separate purchases of one-way tickets in order to secure the roundtrip passage that’s needed. But the site does work and you can secure your tickets in advance using the site. Just be absolutely certain you have purchased both your outbound and return DMZ train tickets.

To avoid any complications, consider booking your DMZ train tickets at the ticket counter at either Seoul Station or Yongsang station. Note: there are automated machines to purchase DMZ train tickets at these stations, but we found they did not accept foreign credit cards . Therefore we suggest it’s best to secure your DMZ train tickets at a counter with a ticket agent.

The bus tickets to tour the DMZ sites from Dorasan Station are sold separately. Those bus tour tickets can be purchased while on the DMZ train as an usher comes by to sell them. Both cash and credit card are accepted for this separate ticket purchase while on the DMZ train.

DMZ Train vs Taking DMZ Tour from Seoul

We enjoyed our experience of taking the DMZ train. It was unique to arrive into the DMZ by train and overall our DMZ train review is definitely a positive one! The trip was somehow both fun yet sobering, and extremely interesting every step of the way. The DMZ train is also among the cheapest ways to reach the DMZ.

Despite this positive DMZ train review, we’d be doing a disservice by not pointing out a few advantages in joining a proper tour from Seoul instead of taking the DMZ train. The DMZ train does have a few shortcomings when compared to a tour from Seoul.

Below are some considerations to keep in mind to help decide between the DMZ train and a DMZ tour from Seoul. Whichever way you arrive to the DMZ is largely based on personal preference.

English May Not Be Spoken : During the bus portion of touring around the DMZ, all narration, guide service, and even simple announcements were entirely in Korean. During our tour, there was no English spoken at all. As a result, we had no clue about the significance of the many sites we were touring around. Some friendly bilingual Korean passengers politely whispered to clue us in on critical information, such as how much time we were allocated at a stop. But we largely missed out on learning about this unique place in the world while we were there.  Update : Readers have reported that their bus tour did provide some limited English commentary.

Meanwhile, most all DMZ bus tours from Seoul guarantee bilingual tours and are geared towards English speakers.

No JSA : Visits to the JSA (Joint Security Area) are not possible when taking the DMZ train. The Joint Security Area, also known as Panmunjom, is the actual border between North and South Korea where soldiers between both countries face each other. It’s also where visitors can actually be permitted to slightly cross the border and briefly step foot into North Korea while within the buildings of a special neutral zone. This famous Panmunjom truce village in the JSA can only be visited as part of a tour from Seoul, like this one . Those who visit the JSA tend to vouch that it’s an immense highlight of their DMZ experience. Read reviews and book JSA tour here .

Timing : There are DMZ tours that depart 8:00 am and return to Seoul around 2:30 pm, allowing the remainder of the afternoon to explore the capital. Meanwhile, the DMZ train tour returns to Seoul just before 6:00 pm.

Hotel Pick-Up : Most all DMZ tours from Seoul offer free hotel pick-up, making for a more seamless experience and saving on transit expense on getting to the train station.

What’s the Cheapest Way to DMZ? The DMZ train is the cheapest way to tour the DMZ from Seoul. Yet once all the costs of the DMZ Train are tallied, the DMZ Train roughly costs the same as the DMZ tours from Seoul. English-speaking DMZ tours from Seoul run as low as only ₩44,000 , like this inexpensive tour from Seoul that receives excellent reviews , includes hotel pick-up and a nearly identical DMZ itinerary to the one we went on from Dorasan Station. Book this DMZ bus tour from Seoul here .

For the DMZ train, once you factor in the costs of getting to the train station (taxi, subway), the bus tour, and lunch, the price of the DMZ train becomes roughly the same as a tour from Seoul. So we advise choosing between the DMZ train and a tour from Seoul based upon the other factors mentioned above, rather than price.

Taking the DMZ Train To North Korea

The DMZ train from Seoul to the North Korea border was certainly the most bizarre rail journey of our travels. It was such a unique experience that made for a memorable day.

This rail journey left us sharing South Korea’s vision of unification. We can only dream of one day potentially taking an epic rail trip from South Korea through North Korea and beyond to China and even connecting to Europe! Maybe one day.

Yet for now, it remains an interesting novelty to take the DMZ train to its final stop of Dorasan Station. Next stop, Pyongyang!

Related Posts

November 11, 2021 at 1:57 PM

It was such an interesting experience to read about your trip to the DMZ. I think that’s the closest one can get to N.Korea, though it might be opening up to tourists off late, for those who would give a positive note on N. Korea. I missed this visit to DMZ when I was on a brief visit to Seoul, couple of years back. I had about only half a day left before my return flight, and now after reading your article, feel convinced that it could’nt have been possible in half a day. Maybe sometime again.

July 14, 2021 at 4:24 PM

Thank you for this detailed report! I love doing things on my own instead of going on a tour but I read everywhere that it’s not possible for the DMZ, so I’m really glad I found this blog. I’m hoping to go to SK next year if the situation allows it, for now it’s just dreaming and planning. The only thing I wondered though was, what if there are more people on the train than seats on the bus? Even though it doesn’t seem like a very known thing to do, you never know, right? Especially when things will open up again and everyone will want to travel again at the same time. Anyway, I’ll do it this way definitely, so we’ll see! 🙂

October 29, 2019 at 10:37 PM

I contacted the Viator tour company asking if they can go to DMZ, and they told me this:

“Due to African Swine Fever, all the DMZ tour has been cancelled from Oct 2. DMZ Tour Zone is officially closed by government. We don’t get any notice when the DMZ Twill be open again.”

So unfortunatly, right now it is imposible to visit DMZ, with or without a tour company.

January 9, 2020 at 5:06 AM

Same here, we tried to visit on 11th of January 2020.

October 29, 2019 at 8:31 PM

Im right now at Yongsan Station. Sorry for write this, (and sorry specially for me since Im here now), but I have to inform that the DMZ train doesnt work anymore (until some change in the future) due to some kind of crisis. The guy at the ticket office didnt know how to explain me that “crisis” with his English, but I think is some epidemic issue.

Lets see if the tour operators can make the trip or they are affected too.

September 30, 2019 at 11:14 AM

Hola from Spain. God, I´m so happy I have found this post… I was checking all the possible tours to visit the DMZ, and I was like “Hell, isn´t there a way to go on your own way?”. And then I found this. I will be in Seoul in less than a month, and of course, I will do exactly what you did, thank you very much for all the detail information.

October 3, 2019 at 11:58 PM

So glad it was helpful and thanks for dropping a comment! Hope you have a great trip. ¡Buen viaje!

October 27, 2019 at 10:24 AM

I’d just like to boldly endorse that comment: I’ll be in Seoul next week-end and will definetly try out the train option. Many thanks for the comprehensive report. I’ve been living in West-Berlin (Germany) at the time the wall existed and witnessed its disappearance – allmost exactly 30 years ago. So, I will be particularly thrilling to see this kind of a wall and I do hope holes can be drilled in it (politically) so that more trains wuill pass Dorsan station in the future

September 29, 2019 at 3:27 AM

We did this trip on Friday and it was exactly like you said. The bus trip ticket is now 18000 won. We paid for this on the train. The guide in the bus read out the basics in English like our stops, what we were doing and what time we needed to be back. Clearly she gave a good commentary in Korean because everyone was laughing and clapping. Thanks again for your information. It was a really bizarre and fun day

October 4, 2019 at 12:05 AM

Thanks so much for the update on the bus ticket pricing. I’ve just edited the post to reflect this change and help other travelers to be prepared for the increased rate. We really appreciate when people take the time to come back and comment with changes in this information so we can do our best to keep this up-to-date. 🙂 And so glad the info proved helpful for a fun and bizarre day that the DMZ train certainly is!

August 15, 2019 at 1:30 PM

Hi, does the bus has a circle route? you can down in a different stop and spend some time there and take the bus again to go to another stop?

August 15, 2019 at 1:58 PM

Yes, the bus goes in a loop. It has the 4 designated stops mentioned in this guide, in which everyone gets off to spend time at each stop. Then everyone gets back on again for the next stop. After leaving Dorasan Station, the stops are (1) Dorasan Peace Park, (2) lunch stop at the cafeteria, (3) Dora Observatory, and (4) 3rd Tunnel of Aggression + the adjacent DMZ Pavillion museum.

July 9, 2019 at 8:45 PM

Thanks so much for inspiring us to take the Train and Bus tour to the DMZ – it was well organized with everything exactly as you posted. We booked our DMZ train tickets before we left Aus using the Korail website – no problems. We purchased the bus tour tickets on the train using MasterCard – a lady came around with the forms etc. As you said the lunch in the ex military canteen was nothing spectacular and not much choice but overall better than expected. We paid for this in cash to avoid the queue for those paying by card. We had to wait for a long time at the Dorosan observatory as one guy on the tour got lost somehow and the bus was not allowed to leave unless all passengers were accounted for as it’s in a restricted area. He eventually turned up but that left time at the tunnel a bit short – Actually we didn’t go all the way in – just a few feet into to rock hewn bit at the bottom of the slope – and yes it is a climb to get back up if you are ancient like us!. Overall a good and informative day trip. Your post was most valuable so thank you – Now we must look at where else your travels have taken you and see if we can follow in your footsteps – or at least some of them. Thanks again – Dave and Anita

July 11, 2019 at 8:28 PM

So glad to hear it helped! Thanks so much for stopping back by with feedback and an update on your experience. Nice to hear you were able to purchase train tickets using the website too. That’s so strange/funny/weird to hear someone got lost at the observatory. That is definitely not a place to wander off. Yikes! Too bad his actions led to everyone else being delayed. But glad you were able to still duck a bit into the 3rd tunnel. Happy travels ahead! 🙂

July 8, 2019 at 11:52 PM

This is a very helpful post! We are planning to take DMZ peace train along with the 2 days flexi Korail train pass, can I check if the bus ticket is readily for sale in the train ride so long we are on board the train? I am worried to end up waiting for return train if we didnt manage to get any bus ticket in advance. Appreciate if there is any advise?

July 11, 2019 at 8:22 PM

Yes, the bus ticket is readily available by an usher on the train. Everyone on the train buys the bus tour ticket. There is no way to do so in advance. But rest assured that you’ll be able to buy that bus tour ticket. They’re synced up, just separate purchases. Have a great trip!

June 7, 2019 at 10:34 PM

Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. We are going to SK in September and your article has been so helpful. I think we (2 adults and 12 year old) will definitely take the train trip. It seems that visiting the JSA of late with an organised tour is hit and miss as to whether it’s even open to visit. So I don’t mind missing it. The train and bus tour sounds like lots of interesting fun and so much cheaper for the 3 of us. Looks like we still get a binocular look into NK that will be interesting.

June 11, 2019 at 2:42 PM

Glad to hear this proved helpful! Yeah, the tours including the JSA can be a bit of a gamble, particularly if booking months in advance. Never know if tensions could flair or ease entirely. The DMZ train with the bus can certainly be an economical alternative and really quite fascinating. You do indeed get to gaze down into North Korea with binoculars, which is interesting to see in person. Hope you have a great trip to Seoul!

May 23, 2019 at 9:04 AM

John – I absolutely LOVED this blog post on using Korail to get to DMZ! We (husband, 10-year old daughter and I) currently have a Koridoor tour booked for early June 2019, but were considering this method instead based on what I read in the “Lonely Planet Seoul” guide book; this way seems like quite an experience! As we can’t do a full DMZ tour these days, this appears to be a great alternative. After reading your post, we have decided to take the DMZ train instead of the Koridoor tour – starting/ending at Seoul Station.

Thank you so much for your incredibly informative post with all the fantastic photos! What a treasure for those looking to go to the DMZ!

Adventure awaits – we can’t wait!

May 23, 2019 at 5:43 PM

Thanks so much! It always puts big smiles on our faces to learn people are finding our posts and making use of the info! 🙂 Hope you have a great trip to Seoul and a positive experience of taking the DMZ train next month. Let us know how it goes. Adventure awaits!

May 10, 2019 at 11:21 AM

Hi there, we would like to go to Paju outlet after DMZ. What is the easiest way to go there and to go back to Seoul? Thanks!

May 14, 2019 at 4:58 PM

This DMZ tour includes a few hours of shopping at the Paju Outlets and sounds exactly like what you’re looking for. Check it out here: https://www.getyourguide.com/seoul-l197/dmz-korean-war-paju-outlet-shopping-full-day-tour-t187710/?partner_id=03EQULS

April 18, 2019 at 1:49 PM

I enjoyed reading this article so much! Gave me an idea of what else I should do in my SK trip this year. I understand that DMZ bus tours from Seoul already include going to the DMZ and back to Seoul transportations, however, I’d like to experience the DMZ train too. Do you have any idea if it’s possible to go to the DMZ on a tour bus and experience the JSA and come back to Seoul using the DMZ train?

April 18, 2019 at 4:34 PM

You can inquire with the tour companies to be certain, but I really don’t believe that would be possible. Those JSA tours are very highly regulated, given the restricted area that is visited. It’s doubtful they’d drop you off unaccompanied to take the train back. Most JSA tours do include a visit to Dorasan Station, so that would still give you some idea of train travel in the DMZ. The Dorasan Station itself is pretty interesting. You simply wouldn’t have the experience of actually riding on the train. Doing both experiences on two different days wouldn’t be practical either, as most all the same places would be visited on both tours, with the exception of the JSA itself. It would be a great idea to be able to do the train and the JSA together, but it’s currently not a tour/route that is offered. I’d suggest trying to decide what’s more important to you, the train ride or a visiting the actual border at the JSA. Either one is a good option, really.

March 14, 2019 at 6:47 PM

Thanks for this! I did the same trip yesterday (March 2019) with the help of this page. Happy to share that things have got even easier since – the bus tour is now in dual Korean/English, and the time in each location is shown clearly on an LED screen held by the guide as you exit each stop. Also at Dora Observatory all binoculars are now completely free to use, and I think I only paid 7,000 for the buffet which would be a decrease in price.

The attractions remain the same but the peace park and Dorasan station now have many photos of the historic meetings between the North and South leaders last year, giving the day a lot of recent optimism for the future. On a Thursday in March there were about 15-20 of us on the train, only three of which non-Korean (me & two others) – so it’s still something that remains a little-known secret way of seeing the DMZ!

March 18, 2019 at 3:06 PM

Thanks so much for this update! It’s really helpful to help keep this post up-to-date and help other travelers partake in this interesting experience. Gamsahamnida! In fact, I’m going to update some of this in the body of the post right now. It’s so great to hear they now do the bus tour in English. And free binoculars too – fantastic! I’ve been wondering how the DMZ area may have changed since the inter-Korean summit occurred, so it’s quite interesting to hear about the added features documenting this bit of recent history and further spreading that hopeful and optimistic outlook. Am still surprised that so few people embark on the DMZ train. It was about the same when we went too. Perhaps this post may help others to embark on this unique adventure without totally letting the secret out. 🙂 Thanks again for the update!

March 26, 2019 at 12:14 PM

Any tips to eating in Seoul, like best places/worst places? Traveling in the summer with my wife and kids.

April 3, 2019 at 9:26 PM

We loved absolutely loved the samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) at Tosokchon Samgyetang. It’s our favorite meal we ate in Seoul. You can find a small write-up we did about it on an FB post here => https://www.facebook.com/roamingaroundtheworld/photos/a.402455959898551/1261853433958795/

Korean BBQ is a must, of course. Bibimbap is one of our favorite Korean foods. Bindae-tteok (mung bean pancakes) washed down with makgeolli was another favorite of ours in Seoul. Lots of great food in the city and we only scratched the surface!

April 18, 2019 at 7:52 AM

Endore Billy’s remarks, the buffet is 7000 won and the tour 16000 if you are an ‘elder’ or 18 000 if you are younger and 17200 for children. Train pretty full yesterday, our carriage containing Indonesians, Thais, Swedes, Germans and English as well as a good few Koreans, in a way, our own little United Nations on our way to see the disunity of Korea. Now a little snack bar on the train so an 11 o’clock beer before Imjingang Station was very welcome. Overall feeling of great sadness, I think there is no hope of reunification and the short movie of the madmens continued and relatively recent aggression before the tunnel visit showed, despite all the hope that the peace park and the aspirations on the giant tapestry in the Dora observatory floor showed – a tapestry that one is free to sign and as far as I could see had been endorsed by folks from virtually every country in the world. How a madman can single handedly deny the aspirations of the entire world as well as the Korean people is beyond me. John – many thanks for your brilliant blog, it must have taken a lot of time and effort and was an inspiration for the wife and I to go take a look. Good luck man.

April 18, 2019 at 4:42 PM

Thanks so much for the update and kind remarks! So glad to hear this proved helpful in pursuing the DMZ Train. Also love hearing you had your own little UN plying the rails into the DMZ. That is in of itself is a nice little message of peace and unity. 🙂 Oh, and beer too, hehe!

February 28, 2019 at 8:35 PM

Hi. Where and when did you pay for the bus tour. Was it before you got on the train or when you got to dorasan station. Thanks

March 3, 2019 at 12:42 PM

“The bus tickets to tour the DMZ sites from Dorasan Station are sold separately. Those bus tickets can be purchased while on the DMZ train as an usher comes by to sell them. Both cash and credit card are accepted for this separate ticket purchase on the DMZ train.”

January 13, 2019 at 6:45 PM

Thanks very much for putting all this information together! Great breakdown of costs, timings and pros/cons of the train vs. tour options. Really, really thorough!

I’m returning to SK next month; I lived there ~25 years ago — LOOONG before the DMZ Peace Train was a thing.

Safe, happy travels to you from Sam in YYJ.

January 15, 2019 at 9:07 AM

Glad it helped and we hope you have an excellent return to South Korea!

December 27, 2018 at 3:30 PM

Great review! I’m brazilian and very interested in DMZ visiting. You have explained a lot about this half-day trip. Next time in Korea I’ll do it. Thanks and congratulations.

January 5, 2019 at 2:53 PM

Thanks and hope you have a great trip next time in Korea. Really such an interesting experience! 🙂

December 7, 2018 at 2:40 AM

Hi, may I know about the bus tour for DMZ train passengers? How much is it? When you mentioned that the bus tour is time perfectly with the DMZ train, does that mean once we arrived at Dorason station we can immediately hop on the bus? And the bus knows when to drop us off to catch train back to Seoul? Thanks. P,anning to visit next Tuesday .

December 7, 2018 at 8:54 AM

Hi Sharon, Be sure to review the costs section of this post which has all the details. The bus tour is ₩13,000 per person. The buffet lunch adds another ₩8,000. Yes, the train is timed to connect with the bus. Once you arrive at Dorasan Station, you’ll be ushered onto the bus. This bus is specifically for train passengers, so it does drop passengers off back at Dorasan Station to catch the train back to Seoul. During our trip, the bus dropped us off back at Dorasan before 4:00, so we had more than a half hour to explore Dorasan Station a bit before taking the DMZ Train back to Seoul. Hope that helps and you have good trip!

December 7, 2018 at 11:36 AM

Dear John, thank you for the valuable information.

January 29, 2019 at 12:00 PM

Hi John, do you have any information of which tour you took that was ₩13,000 per person?? Thanks!

January 29, 2019 at 12:05 PM

Yes, it is a tour offered whilst on the train. It’s a bus tour from Dorasan Station, visiting Peace Park, Observatory & Third Tunnel, as documented all throughout this post. Just let me know what else you’d like to know about it.

October 31, 2018 at 10:09 AM

Great guide, thank you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive guide to an unique place. Hope to be able to visit, or maybe to see the place when the normality returns… always hopeful!

October 3, 2018 at 12:02 AM

I have a lot of friends that served in Korea and I always kick myself for not going to visit them while they were there lol! I definitely would like to visit and see the DMZ for myself. I’m glad you guys were able to find a cheaper way to get there.

October 8, 2018 at 8:30 PM

It’s never too late to plan a trip to Korea! 🙂 There was still a decent US military presence stationed in and around Seoul when we were there. Met many at the bars, lol. If you ever do make it out that way, would definitely recommend taking a poke around the DMZ. We thought it was really interesting!

October 2, 2018 at 4:14 AM

What a bizarre trip! I really enjoyed living vicariously through this one as I doubt I’ll ever make it to Korea let along the DMZ. Even the train looks bizarre! I love your goofy shots with the props and the tunnel sounds fascinating.

The nearest I get is that I visited the USSR in the days back and enjoyed a tour of Yalta with a Soviet guide. We were in our early teens and being a little provocative. The minute we asked a political question, our guide just started her speech from the start again!

October 1, 2018 at 9:27 AM

Loved this post. I love trains, especially long train rides on the window seat. I did not know such a journey was possible, that too to the border of N Korea! And the train itself looks pretty sleek and futuristic. Someday I’ll do it too.

October 8, 2018 at 8:33 PM

Right, who knew you could roll up on a train right to the N Korea border? The train itself is quite interesting and colorful! And the windows are rather broad too. They also put cameras in the front and the back of the train, with closed-circuit TV so you can see where you’re heading through a TV monitor. It’s an interesting trip – hope you get a chance to go! 🙂

October 1, 2018 at 5:15 AM

Holy guacamole! I had no idea that is was even on the radar for tourists to visit the DMZ! I love the interior decorations of the DMZ train. And the fact that South Korea has a fully stocked station ready to go as soon as peace breaks out. I’ve seen North Korea from the Chinese side many years ago, it did not look anything like that! The barbed wire and fences are scary but it looks like you guys had a great time. I was wondering where all of those pieces from the Berlin Wall went! What an interesting part of the world to visit! Thanks for sharing!

October 8, 2018 at 8:37 PM

Right, we had no idea either! Kinda crazy to chug up in a train to what is possibly one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. That Dorasan Station seems fully ready for northbound service. I think it’s partly just trying to make a statement, but it truly does have all the facilities and it’s a nice station! It’s quite interesting and symbolic to have found that those large pieces of the Berlin Wall made their way to the DMZ. Gave me chills to see that there.

September 30, 2018 at 9:52 PM

I’m still floored that the most heavily guarded border in the world can be visited as a tourist. It must have been surreal with the remnants of war mixed in with cutesy kitsch and even the frisbee golf park! When you guys were looking down from the observatory did you see anyone looking back?

September 30, 2018 at 4:31 AM

This is really interesting! I didn’t know you could do the DMZ tour on your own. I always thought you had to go with an organised tour company. it looks like not many other people realise this either, judging by the empty seats!

October 8, 2018 at 8:39 PM

Yeah, we were also kinda surprised to find we could take a train into the DMZ. Then we were shocked when we found we were nearly the only ones on the train. But it all made for one of our most interesting days while roaming around South Korea.

September 29, 2018 at 6:23 PM

What an incredibly bizarre experience. Who knew there was a DMZ peace train and you could have the carriage all to yourself, what luck! But seriously, this is why travel is so important these days. You often never get a fair picture from the mass media of destinations. I think having a first-hand experience like this, documenting it and sharing it with others so they can also learn is so very important for today’s society.

September 29, 2018 at 4:15 PM

I never even considered the possibility that one could visit the border without a tour. How much cheaper is it? The tunnel between the two countries is very interesting – I supposed there’s a dead-end because North Korea blocked it up once South Korea found out?

September 29, 2018 at 4:39 PM

It’s definitely an interesting novelty! 🙂 Taking the train plus the DMZ bus circuit we did comes out to nearly the same price as the cheapest tours from Seoul, but ultimately the DMZ train proves to be a few thousand won (a couple dollars) cheaper than the absolute cheapest DMZ tours we saw from Seoul. Regarding the tunnel, from the furthest point we got to, it’s fortified with fencing, barbed wire, artillery, etc. Somewhere beyond that there is a series of three blockades that have been installed.

September 27, 2018 at 8:11 AM

More bizzare trip to the DMZ-had a friend who served a tour in Korea,on one alert he drove his Palladin(self propelled artillery,he was crew chief) to within a few Km of the DMZ and actually sighted in on targets across the border! He really liked Korea and was semi fluent before he rotated back. FYI, the “tank” in your photos is actually a “Amtrak” or amphibious assault vehicle that most fears apricots as the pit is perfectly sized to block the pumps that keep them from sinking,also the train was scheduled to start service in 2001 but derailed by pres bush in his axis of evil speech(falsely accusing Iraq,Afghanistan and North Korea of the US demolition of world trade center and missle strike on the Pentagon to war profiteer)

Wow! I’m sure that anyone who served a tour along the DMZ has some interesting tales to tell. I can understand how your friend liked Korea – we also really enjoyed it. Regarding the delayed 2001 start to the DMZ Train, it’s funny you mention that, as there are signs depicting this at Dorasan Station, with pics of Pres W Bush at the station doing ribbon cutting and everything.

September 26, 2018 at 11:58 PM

Now that’s interesting, Didn’t know DMZs can be open for tours. Got lots of questions swimming in my head that I don’t even know where to begin. Ah!

September 23, 2018 at 8:23 PM

Wow, what an adventure! Your post is super informative and now I want to visit Korea, just not sure about taking the train all the way to the DMZ!

September 25, 2018 at 1:57 PM

Overall found South Korea to be a great place to travel with lots to offer. The DMZ train was definitely an interesting adventure to consider if you ever do make it out this way. 🙂

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Young Pioneer Tours

North Korea Tours

North korea tours 2024 – 2025.

Are you ready to travel to North Korea? Below is our highly anticipated North Korean tour schedule. Our North Korean group tours are accompanied by a YPT guide and to encourage friendships and good times we cap our tour groups at a maximum of 24 people. Once we hit 25 we divide our North Korean tours into different groups, all accompanied by a YPT and North Korean tour guide.

Book your North Korea tour with the number one North Korean travel agency

As we like to say, “we do group tours for people who hate group tours” . All DPRK tours, unless otherwise stated, originate and end in Beijing. Our Ultra Budget tours to North Korea start and finish in Dandong – the border town of China to North Korea. All tour prices include entry and exit into North Korea by train, with optional flight upgrades available for selected tours. YPT charges an additional €50 to process your DPRK visa in Beijing or Dandong. Every facet of the visa process is taken care of by YPT. For more information on travelling to the DPRK head to our FAQ page .

Browse through our North Korean tour programmes below, and contact us to secure your visit to the DPRK!

• €895 / €1245 / €1445

Kim Il Sung Birthday Tour

Without a doubt the largest celebration of the year with a great chance to explore the country

• Start Date : April 11th 2024 End Date : April 17th / April 20th / April 22nd 2024
• Duration: 5 days / 8 days / 10 days
• Flight option: €245 flight one way or €395 return

• €995 / €1295

Pyongyang Marathon & Kim Il Sung Birthday Tour

Join us for the Pyongyang Marathon, a run of a lifetime!

• Start Date : April 11th 2024 End Date : April 17th / 20th 2024
• Duration: 5 days / 8 days
• Flight option: €285 flight one way or €395 return

Pyongyang Marathon Ultra Budget Tour

The cheapest tour for you to partake in the Pyongyang Marathon event!

• Start Date : April 13th 2024 End Date : April 15th 2024
• Duration: 2 nights, 3 days
• Train option: either way between Dandong and Beijing

Kim Il Sung Birthday Ultra Budget Tour

The most affordable way to partake in the massive birthday celebrations in Pyongyang

• Start Date : April 14th 2024 End Date : April 16th 2024

May Day Tour

Great weather has arrived and the largest Mass Dance performance is planned. Don't miss out!

• Start Date : April 29th 2024 End Date : May 5th / May 8th / May 10th 2024
• Flight option: €195 flight one way or €295 return

May Day Ultra Budget Tour

Music, dancing, sports, games, and the most incredible weather in Pyongyang.

• Start Date : April 30th 2024 End Date : May 2nd 2024

• €475 / €595 / €695

Spring Ultra Budget & DMZ with Pyongyang Trade Fair Extension tour

Experience Pyongyang in full bloom, and have the chance to visit the DMZ and Trade Fair.

• Start Date : May 10th 2024 End Date : May 12th / 13th / 14th 2024
• Duration: 3 days / 4 days / 5 days

Dragon Boat Festival Ultra Budget Tour with DMZ & Sinuijiu Extension

Escape the crowds in China and explore North Korea on a budget!

• Start Date : June 10th 2024 End Date : June 12th / 13th / 14th 2024

All Koreas Part 1: North Korea Borderlands

North Korea Borderlands - What we believe to be the most fascinating border ever.

• Start Date : June 14th 2024 End Date : June 21st 2024
• Duration: 7 nights, 8 days

All Koreas Part 2: North Korea Tour

Journey through the rural northeast down to Pyongyang and the DMZ

• Start Date : June 19th 2024 End Date : June 30th 2024
• Duration: 10 nights, 11 days
• Flight option: €195 flight out

June Ultra Budget Tour & Sinuiju Extension

See and do all the must-sees of Pyongyang and experience the border town of Sinuiju and Dandong

• Start Date : June 28th 2024 End Date : June 30th / July 1st / 2nd 2024

DPRK: Political Interest Tour – July 2024

A spectacular tour to learn about the history and politics between China and the DPRK.

• Start Date : July 1st 2024 End Date : July 7th 2024
• Duration: 4 nights, 5 days

July Ultra Budget Tour & Sinuiju Extension

Exploring Pyongyang is one thing. Seeing the bordertown of Sinuiju is another. Not to be missed.

• Start Date : July 12th 2024 End Date : July 14th / 15th / 16th 2024

• €895 / €1245

Victory Day Tour

The nation's most famous celebration! Join us as we explore Pyongyang, DMZ, Mt Myohyang & Nampo!

• Start Date : July 24th 2024 End Date : July 30th / August 2nd 2024

Victory Day & Mount Paektu Tour

Board a chartered flight to North Korea's most remote and stunning scenery - Mount Paektu

• Start Date : July 24th 2024 End Date : August 2nd 2024

Victory Day Ultra Budget Tour

The cheapest way to get involved in the Victory Day celebrations!

• Start Date : July 26th 2024 End Date : July 28th 2024

• €495 / €595

Pyongyang Bicycle Ultra Budget Tour & DMZ Extension with Mass Games

Ditch the bus and hop on your bike! There's no better way to explore Pyongyang.

• Start Date : August 2nd 2024 End Date : August 4th / 5th 2024
• Duration: 3 days / 4 days

Liberation Day Tour With Mass Games – August 2024

Join us for Liberation Day celebrations in Pyongyang and explore the DPRK borders

• Start Date : August 11th 2024 End Date : August 18th 2024
• Duration: 5 nights, 6 days
• Flight option: €195 flight in

• €1195 / €1445

Liberation Day & Summer Tour With Mass Games – August 2024

Visit Pyongyang and stay longer as you explore North Korea's best beaches and hiking treks

• Start Date : August 12th 2024 End Date : August 20th / 23rd 2024
• Duration: 7 days / 10 days

Liberation Day Ultra Budget Tour With Mass Games

The cheapest way to celebrate Liberation Day in Pyongyang

• Start Date : August 14th 2024 End Date : August 16th 2024

Mass Games Ultra Budget Tour

The cheapest way to explore Pyongyang and to watch the Mass Games!

• Start Date : August 23rd 2024 End Date : August 25th 2024

Grand National Day & North East Tour With Mass Games

Explore Pyongyang and head northeast to the rural region of North Hamgyong province

• Start Date : September 4th 2024 End Date : September 15th 2024
• Duration: 9 nights, 10 days

Grand National Day Tour With Mass Games – September 2024

One of the largest celebrations with mass dance, fireworks and lots more

• Start Date : September 5th 2024 End Date : September 11th 2024

Unseen DPRK & Entire Pyongyang Metro Tour With Mass Games – September 2024

Explore Pyongyang's complete Metro system and adventure to the east coast of Korea

• Start Date : September 6th 2024 End Date : September 15th 2024

Grand National Day Ultra Budget Tour With Mass Games

Celebrate national day with the locals and watch the mass dance with possible fireworks!

• Start Date : September 8th 2024 End Date : September 10th 2024

Pyongyang International Film Festival Ultra Budget Tour

Experience North Korea's pop culture in Pyongyang

• Start Date : September 13th 2024 End Date : September 15th 2024

Pyongyang Autumn Marathon Ultra Budget Tour With Mass Games

Take part in the Marathon of a lifetime and experience the sights and sounds of Pyongyang!

• Start Date : September 14th 2024 End Date : September 16th 2024

• €995 / €1095

Chinese National Day Tour With Mass Games – October 2024

October holiday is one of the best times not to be in China and the best time to be in the DPRK

• Start Date : September 26th 2024 End Date : October 2nd / 3rd 2024
• Duration: 5 days / 6 days

Chinese National Day Ultra Budget Tour With Mass Games

The cheapest way to escape the madness in China during Golden Week. Come explore Pyongyang!

• Start Date : October 4th 2024 End Date : October 6th 2024

Party Foundation Day & Mount Kumgang Tour With Mass Games

Join us for the celebrations in Pyongyang and journey to Mount Kumgang!

• Start Date : October 6th 2024 End Date : October 16th 2024
• Duration: 8 nights, 9 days

Party Foundation Day Tour With Mass Games – October 2024

Take part in the Party Foundation Day celebrations and explore the west coast

• Start Date : October 7th 2024 End Date : October 13th 2024

Party Foundation Day Ultra Budget Tour With Mass Games

The cheapest way to partake in the Party Foundation Day celebrations in Pyongyang.

• Start Date : October 9th 2024 End Date : October 11th 2024

The Real Deal Tour With Mass Games – October 2024

A tour that'll show you everything there is in North Korea and more

• Start Date : October 19th 2024 End Date : October 30th 2024

Winter Ultra Budget Tour and Sinuiju Extension

Explore Pyongyang and the border town of Sinuiju & Dandong on a budget!

• Start Date : November 8th 2024 End Date : November 10th / 11th / 12th 2024

DPRK Winter Essential Tour

Come explore Pyongyang as we usually encounter the country's first snowfall

• Start Date : November 18th 2024 End Date : November 24th 2024

• €475 / €595

Christmas in Pyongyang & DMZ Tour - December 2024

What better way to spend Christmas than in the heart of Pyongyang!

• Start Date : December 24th 2024 End Date : December 26th / 27th 2024

New Year’s Tour - December 2024

The most exciting and unique trip begin your New Year!

• Start Date : December 29th 2024 End Date : January 4th 2025

New Year’s Ultra Budget Tour

The cheapest possible way to celebrate your New Year's in North Korea!

• Start Date : December 30th 2024 End Date : January 1st 2025

Our classic tours will have you visiting the must-see sights of Pyongyang as well as a visit down to the DMZ where North and South Korea are divided.

The Mass Games is the world’s largest performance as approved by the Guinness Book of Records with over 100,000 individual performers participating in a synchronized dance or gymnastics act held in May Day stadium, which is also the world’s largest sta …

The cheapest possible way to visit North Korea – ever! By making use of traveling from Dandong, the Chinese border city to the DPRK (easily reachable from China), we can offer an unbeatable price that has you in the country for two nights and three days, inclusive of one full day of seeing all the main sites of Pyongyang and hitting the town on both nights of the trip.

Partake in either the 5km, 10km, 20km or the full marathon that’ll take you through the streets of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital! This incredible event is open to all amateur runners. A very surreal experience that’ll leave you with unforgettable memories of a run of a lifetime, join us as 100,000 locals cheer you on! The opening and closing ceremonies are also not to be missed.

Our Rason and North East tours are famous for being tours that take you well off the beaten track in an already sparsely visited country. Whilst Pyongyang and other southern regions are popular amongst tourists traveling to the DPRK, our tours to Rason and the North East give you a closer look, directly into the rural life of North Koreans and North Korea’s only Special Economy Zone.

We can provide exciting new angles for your North Korea travel adventure. We believe that one of the best ways to get involved and to learn more about a country is to specifically focus on one unique aspect of the country’s culture and tradition – whether it’s something very rarely seen, done or performed in the DPRK, or not! We have the tools to make your adventure happen.

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6 day itinerary for a trip to North Korea, the most isolated country

Newly opened Pyongyang airport

The world’s most secretive and isolated country is the focus of many a story . We all imagine days filled with propaganda billboards, a sad and brain-washed population, grey communist architecture and Orwell’s 1984 Big Brother watching over one’s shoulder.

The truth? Very much as the expectations I had built with some caveats, some exaggerations, some underestimations and some interesting revelations  to one of the least visited countries in the world . Six days packed with intense moments, fact-filled visits and lots of human interactions. A trip back in history, to the 40s or 50s, to a country which was frozen then and has not been exposed to modern developments since. This is my itinerary for a six day and six night trip to North Korea – world’s most fascinating country.

Arrival day

Briefing at beijing airport.

We met the representative from Koryo Tours for a run through of the instructions that we received via email. We were reminded of what we can and cannot do and of what to expect. This is mainly an administrative hurdle but one that is important for the agency. If we caused any troubles their license could be revoked.

Boarding and flight to Pyongyang

The check-in counter for Air Koryo was not marked and there were very few passengers checking in save for a group of children coming from the Asian Games and a group of deaf-mute passengers. The boarding pass is printed on Air China paper. Security at Beijing airport is always strict and we were manually searched. We were told that the guides appreciate gifts as a sign of gratefulness so we proceeded to the Duty Free to get a bottle of whiskey, a box of chocolates and a packet of Marlboro. There were going to be three people with us, two guides and one driver. This is standard for all groups, regardless of size. The two guides are supposed to watch over each other.

There were no boarding announcements or signs and Pyongyang was not mentioned at the gate’s screen either. We boarded late and there were no in-flight announcements by the cabin or the pilot. The security brief was done via a muted video. The plane was dated but in good shape.

Arrival and immigration

We were briefed in detail about the arrival and customs procedures and everything happened as we expected. Our electronics and books were taken out of our bags and individually checked by a custom’s staff member. He turned on the laptops and searched for movies. We were through in no time and our guides were waiting for us outside. The process was efficient if cumbersome. There were no name signs, our guides recognized us straightaway, we were the only two tourists coming out alone.

Arch of triumph

On our way to the hotel we stopped at the Arch of Triumph to take some photos . The arch was erected at the place where President Kim Il Song greeted the people upon his return from the Japanese war.

Check in at Koryo Hotel

We were advised in the morning briefing that our hotel had been changed. There were no explanations about the reasons and our guides and liaison did not know why so we ended up at Koryo Hotel, one of the first to be built in 1985. The hotel was dated and both grand and old fashioned in the way the entire country is. There were sparkling chandeliers and thick marble walls, floors and ceilings and the common areas were large and palatial. The rooms looked like a 1980s 3-star hotel. The bathroom had been fitted in, as an entirely prefabricated unit, after construction, and the walls and floors were made of plastic. The beds and the sofa were extremely hard, much like all the seating in the country. There was no padding or mattress. We had a higher luxury room with a lounge area and a TV that showed the BBC World , Al Jezeera and RT TV.

Beer at the lobby and review of itinerary

Han and Pak, our guides, advised us to go over the itinerary and discuss whether we wanted to change anything on the same night so we had a beer at the lobby bar while we compared itineraries and expectations.

Dinner at the hotel

Dinner was booked at the hotel restaurant, a few feet away from the entrance, in the basement. We got what would become the staple meal: kimchi, sprouts, salad, soup, omelet and a meat dish. All other tourists arriving spent their first evening at the hotel.

Mansudae Fountain Park

The morning raised foggy and hazy, much like every morning would. The fountain park was exactly that. We took the opportunity to buy flowers for the Mansudae Grand Monument. “We would appreciate it if you could buy flowers for the Leaders”, were the guide’s exact words. We read through the lines and understood it was an order.

Mansudae Grand Monument

Mansundae Grand Monument

This is the grandest of all monuments to the leaders and the various wars North Korea endured. The Monument depicts Kim Il Song and Kim Jong Il bronze statues surrounded by sculptural groups representing the anti-Japanese struggle and the Socialist revolution and reconstruction. We had to bow after offering the flowers, standing in line, in front of the sculptures. From there we could see the Chollima statue, a mythologic horse that is said to be able to gallop 400km in one day.

Grand People’s Study House

Computer class

A good old library which was an interesting part of the day. We visited several rooms and were shown the way the books are retrieved, in an hydraulic conveyor belt linked to a computer. In the music and TV room we were played ABBA. Students learned English and how to use a computer in some of the rooms, the iconic Windows XP logo dancing on the screens. The building was so large that it is said to house 30 million books and be able to host 12,000 people. From the rooftop we got a first hand view of the rehearsals for the celebration of Liberation Day later that week. Hundreds of Young Pioneer children were forming the various shapes and letters on the grand square below, dressed in their navy blue trousers, white shirt and red scarf.

Mansundae Art Studio

This is where all the sculptures and paintings displayed across all the other buildings and grand monuments are created and artists could be seen at work. Since it was a Saturday, we could not see the artists who were “Busy discussing the Party’s ideology”.

Pyongyang Metro (5 stops)

Looking very similar to the Moscow metro, the Pyongyang metro, I later discovered, was built entirely under “The guidance of President Kim Il Song”, as the guide announced, and made entirely with Korean materials. Engineering skill set aside, the stations were huge and decorated with gigantic mosaics and sculptures. We visited five stations, including the famous Glory Station with firework chandeliers. The carriages were bare and the doors opened manually. The stations were buried one hundred meters, or two minutes, under ground on the “self-reliant” escalators and are said to double as bomb shelters.

Mangyongdae – Birth place of Kim Il Sung

Located in the outskirts of Pyongyang this is the birth place of the Founding Eternal President. A local English-speaking guide provided a solemn tour of his house. Kim Il Song’s family was living there in exchange for taking care of the property and cemetery of a rich family. There were photos of his family and his childhood. This was the first bit of extreme cult adulation that would become the background theme of all mentions of the Eternal Leader.

Shopping at a supermarket

We asked to stop at a supermarket to see what was on sale and buy some soju. The supermarket had much of the usual packaged goods with several international brands from Vietnam, Thailand and even Europe. Hard liquors like Chivas or wine from France were easily available, as were Oreo and other well-known brands.

Korea Stamp Shop near the hotel

One of the most interesting souvenirs one can take from North Korea are the postcards and stamps. The most common ones portrayed propaganda messages and aggressively anti-american images with missiles being dropped on the White House and American soldiers being stabbed.

Juche Tower

View from above Juche Tower

President Kim Il Song’s Juche Idea philosophy undermines his socialist thinking. It is more of an ideology than a socialist theory and it revolves around the self. The Juche Tower was decorated with plaques sent by various institutions from around the world who support the ideology. We rode up on the elevator to the 130th floor for a 360 degree view of the city. This was the first place we were actively sold to by a local guide.

Taedonggang No.3 Micro Brewery

Beer is popular and easily available, more so than water. Microbrewery No.3 was in front of the Juche Tower and served various blends of rice and barley beers. The bar was made to look like a German beer bar so we ordered chewy pretzels to go with the beer.

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun

This is the most iconic visit in North Korea. The Mausoleum where both Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Song were on display, in separate red granite red-lit rooms, was a rather formal and official affair. We were specifically told to dress properly, long sleeves, closed shoes, shirt and tie for the men. Basically, we had to wear our best clothes on the day. “You made me proud, you are the best dressed in the entire group”, celebrated our guide when I asked if we were appropriately dressed. I will admit it, I was afraid of not looking goof enough after she had threatened the day before that she hoped “I would dress better tomorrow for the Mausoleum”. You can read a more in-depth review here .

The building was huge and only accessible via a series of travelometers, in an orderly line. Several security checks were in force and cameras were not allowed in. We had to bow three times in front of each leader, once at each side and once at their feet. The building also displayed all of they degrees, medals and honorary awards. There were hundreds of these from all the known socialist and communist countries from East Germany to South American economies and even small counties in the UK or France. The vehicles, trains and boats used by the Leaders were also on display as was an interactive map showing the routes each traveled by plane or train. Watch out for the Macbook on Kim Jong Il’s train desk.

Martyr’s Cementery on Mount Taesung

Following from the Palace of the Sun was the Cemetery where the martyrs of the Independence struggle were buried. Busts of some of the fighters were designed and displayed in various rows going up the hill. Bowing was a must.

Kim Il Sung Square

The heartbeat of the city, filled with children rehearsing for Liberation Day celebrations on 15th August . The square is massive, large enough to host military parades.

Foreign Language Bookstore

The fascinatingly propagandistic ideology of the leaders turned into written paraphernalia. Posters, memorabilia and the works of Kim Jong Il available for purchase. There are condensed biographies or, if you feel like it, the twenty five volumes of his entire philosophy.

Walk in Morabong Park and dance with the locals

Pyongyang is a very green and grey city. Aside from the primarily socialist buildings there are numerous parks and trees. A walk in Morabong park is a welcome respite from the pavement and the monotony of the city. I also got to dance with a group of locals who were enjoying music and dancing under a pagoda. They took no time in grabbing my hand and taking me to the middle where a lady showed me the moves.

Drive to Kaesong (160km)

Road to Kaesong

We drove all the way to Kaesong, a far 3h away, on the world’s most potholed road. We slept in Kaesong’s folk hotel, on thick hard mattresses and heated floors.

Walk in Kaesong traditional town

Kaesong is a medium city and the heritage center of North Korea. It was the capital from the 10th to the 14th century. We walked along its streets among hordes of bicycles to a centenarian city wall bell.

Koryo Museum

A UNESCO site and a most interesting collection of art, artifacts, maps and manuscripts from the time of the Koryo Unified state.

Kaesong Stamp Shop

Another opportunity to buy stamps and postcards, which will sow that you actually visited the country as your passport will not receive a stamp as it’s kept outside the country until you return to your point of departure.

Panmunjom and DMZ

DMZ North Korea

The Demarkation Line and Demilitarized Zone was a heavily secured area. We were escorted by one of the soldiers, unarmed, who rode with us in the car. Explanations were given on the Armistice Talks and the Signing and Negotiations. The various Halls are filled with documents, photographies and items explaining the process and the years of Armistice Talks. The DMZ is flanked by two kilometers of buffer zone where farmers still live and grow their produce. The area was peaceful and looking like the rest of North Korea. The soldiers were friendly and open to discuss their views. When I asked if he thought South Koreans wanted peace and unification, our soldier-custodian replied a vivacious, “Yes!”. Signs of land mine claims by the South were dismissed by the soldier who insisted it as a “De-militarized zone”. We saw animals grazing inside the neutral zone. Here is my full review of the DMZ tour .

Pansanggi special lunch

A lunch served in several small golden bowls with a variety of foods including spinach, bean sprouts, pickled radish, egg, potato and vegetable stew, fried tofu, seaweed chips, acorn jelly, steamed rice, dried fish and anchovies, beef broth, kimchi soup, fried potatoes, and dessert of glutinous rice balls with red bean paste. We also got a shot of pine tree liquor.

Concrete wall (21km from Kaesong)

Spying on South Korean lines

The wall built along the 240km long demarkation line is dotted with soldier posts, tanks and other defense mechanisms. From this point, near Kaesong, one can view the concrete wall, two kilometers away, thanks to a couple of telescopes. We were escorted by a Colonel of the Army on our visit. Mobile phone signal from South Korea can be picked here. The US and South Korea claim the wall does not exist but it is visible from this viewpoint.

Drive back to Pyongyang

Reunification monument.

Two ladies, one from the North and one form the South holding hands as a representation of Korea’s unification

Dinner of bibimbap

The first, but not the last, time that we enjoyed Korea’s most traditional dish: bibimbap . A base of rice topped with condiments of meat, vegetables, pickles and chili sauce.

Victorious Fatherland War Museum

An epic war museum like no other. A collection of 4 floors of never-ending rooms that would take three days to cover. I attempted a summary in less than two hours. The Museum depicts all spheres of the various struggles against Japan and the Korea War. USS Pueblo, the captured US boat that sought to infiltrate Korean waters in search of military data and whose officers and sailors were held for eleven months, is also on display, as are various captured enemy weapons including helicopters, tanks, gun machines and all sorts of military items shown next to the photos of the captured soldiers. The stories of war were unequivocally told from the Korean side, obviously, but were nonetheless fascinating. A revolving panorama diorama of one of the battles was a masterpiece worth a visit. I had to sit through various movies, including one on Pueblo and one on the breakout of the Korea War. The American bashing and propaganda reached its climax.

Metro Museum

A large building relating the entire engineering feat that the metro was. This was the time when the most paternalistic side of the Leader was shown. His name was mentioned countless times in the hour I was there and I had to sit through various rooms and models of all stages of the construction of the metro, and hear of every time the Eternal President gave instructions on how to blow a hole faster, how to get rid of the water, how to design the stations…A serious effort of socialist propaganda. As the country was largely isolated, Koreans had to built their own machines and use local materials for the construction of the various stations.

Lunch bibimbap

3 Revolutions Exhibition

A dated version of the Universal Exhibition Halls with pretty much anything that Korea ever produced, from foodstuff to heavy machinery. Uninspiring, yet terribly interesting in a perverse, voyeuristic manner.

Pyongyang School Children’s Palace

Child plays a traditional instrument

Talented school children can attend any of the Children’s Palaces (there are two in PY) to further enhance their skills. I toured the various rooms to watch and hear children playing instruments, embroidering beautiful art pieces or singing. The visit was completed with a one hour performance of the most talented children in the grand theater. Cute and entertaining, if extremely socialistic in the way that only China and the Soviet Union could be.

Paradise Microbrewery Beer Bar

Another microbrewery to enjoy one

Dinner of cold noodles

The second most famous dish in Korea is a variation of bibimbap substituting rice with cold buckwheat noodles and broth with similar toppings.

Drive to Nampo (40km)

Nampo is a coastal town and a harbor, the most important maritime link into China and the export channel for North Korea’s natural resources.

Wau Islet (beach)

Kids and adults playing in the water

We had asked for the beach, and we got it. Nampo Islet is a brown-green water reservoir by the sea very popular with day trippers and locals. The most obvious revelation of soviet manufacturing and textiles was in full swing as men, women and children wore the exact same swimming gear. A sight to behold, of only for the first ten minutes.

Picnic lunch

We were supposed to have a picnic at the mountains but eventually we simply ate our lunch in a room at the cooperative farm.

Chongsanri Cooperative Farm

Flowers along rice paddies

It was supposed to be a visit to a proper farm but we only got a brief explanation about the female figure that is in charge of the Cooperative model, had to buy flowers to offer to the Leader’s statue and then went on a very short trip to see the rice paddies.

Kongso Tomb

This was one of the most fascinating parts of the trip. The tombs were discovered in the 70s but have been largely forgotten. They were listed with UNESCO in the early 2000s but receive very few visitors. The Manager arrived quickly, a few minutes after us, when the local guard called him upon our arrival. He was excited to see tourists and admitted the last British tour did not come for the last ten years. He waived the 100 euro fee thanks to our rareness. We got inside the well-preserved chilling tombs and observed the wall murals. On the way to and from the tombs we got lost in the countryside, in a part o the country we feared we should not have seen.

Walk in Dragon Mountain (Ryongak)

Exhausted from the bumpy roads and the many night without sleep, we trekked up the Dragon Mountains with visible fatigue. The park is beautifully green and a wonderful escape from the city.

Dinner of duck barbecue

Farewell dinner of duck BBQ. The guides finally opened up a bit and we shared many scenes of common life.

Kaeson Youth Park Fun Fair

Pyongyang Fun Fair

The last night was topped with a visit to one of the two fun fairs. I rode a few of the scary attractions, jumping the queue, after paying an exorbitant 5 euro fee per ride (after the entrance fee). Locals queued, orderly, for their turn. They laughed and enjoyed the evening, much like in an amusement park anywhere in the world.

In what is possibly the most efficient check in and departure procedures I have ever experiences, even better than Singapore’s Changi, we traveled to the airport 1h before departure and made it on time for our flight back to Beijing.

If I would do it again, what would I change? I would avoid the Metro Museum and the 3 Revolutions Exhibition Hall. I would also skip Nampo, fascinating, but not worth the terrible road. Instead, I would visit the mountain parks in the north, much more beautiful and providing insights into the countryside.

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We are told in detail about the Axe Murder Incident in 1976, where the simple job of pruning a tree that blocked the view from a checkpoint led to the vicious attack and death of two US army soldiers at the hands of the North Koreans. 

We also learn of the deadly firefight that ensued after a Soviet citizen ran across the north side of the border in order to defect to the west in 1984. It’s difficult to imagine that this all took place just outside from the room we’re in, less than 20 metres away.

Hearing of these incidents also adds to the absurdity of a visit to the DMZ. Bussed in  on a day trip, and with our error-strewn (and surely worthless) waivers, it fells like being extras on a film set waiting for the action to start.

Inside Panmunjom and the Joint Security Area

Despite the horror stories from the history lesson in the lecture theatre, our American soldier guides are calm, relaxed and friendly, and they’re happy to answer questions. 

Thanks in part to their laid-back manner and the breezy chat, being on the massively militarised border with the unknown threat of North Korea feels quite nice, which it probably shouldn’t.

We’re taken through Freedom House and stand facing North Korea and the row of conference rooms that straddle the border. Operated by the UN, these buildings are the setting whenever diplomatic meetings are held between North and South Korea. 

Our US army guide tells us that unfortunately we’re unable to enter any of these buildings on our visit as they’re being redecorated, denying us the chance to officially step in to North Korea. Sure enough, on the roof of one of the buildings is a man with a paint roller in his hand.

Instead we listen on the steps of Freedom House as we receive more details about the JSA. It’s difficult to match the scene with its history – the perfectly manicured lawns and neatly trimmed hedges, the beautiful blue sky and sunshine, as well as the chap painting the roof, means the JSA resembles a modern business park rather than one of the most deadly corners on earth. 

The only difference being the South Korean soldiers dotted around, as still as mannequins in their Taekwondo poses.

Across the border a single North Korean soldier stands in front of Panmon Hall. The US army guide tells us not to wave at North Korea. “They won’t wave back” he adds.

The Bridge of No Return and Propaganda Village

In keeping with the schizophrenic nature of the day, we exit Freedom House through the gift shop , where all kinds of DMZ themed tat is on sale. 

From here we re-board our buses and are driven up to the Bridge of No Return , where prisoners of war where exchanged by both sides in the early years after the Korean War, and where the horrendous Axe Murder Incident took place in 1976. 

Then we continue on to a vantage point and allowed off the bus to stare at Kijŏng-dong , the village in North Korea most visible from the south of the border. 

Sat beneath the fourth tallest flagpole in the world, the US army guys tell us that the village of Kijŏng-dong is largely for show . Most of the buildings in the town are empty – some are just shells without any interior at all. 

Some are lit by a single bulb that turns off and on at exactly the same time every day. The outlying fields are ploughed by animals rather than by tractors. It all starts to feel a little dispiriting.

Peering into North Korea From the Dora Observatory

Later we’re taken to the Dora Observatory , which is filled with tourists from many other DMZ day trips (only the USO tour goes into the JSA, but other tours visit various sites around the DMZ). The Dora Observatory looks straight in to North Korea. 

Inside there’s a huge auditorium that looks onto the beautiful green fields of the DMZ at nothing in particular. The industry around watching North Korea begins to feel incredibly sad. 

The focus of the tour has been all about the history of the division of Korea and the military effort to keep the peace. There’s very little mention of the Korean families that have been ripped apart by the creation of the border, or of the hardships that the people of North Korea have to endure, through no fault of their own. 

Nothing is said of the lives of the people who live just a few miles away on the other side of the border, almost within reach but living in a different world to those on this side of the divide.

There is no mention of how different their lives must be, or the unimaginable difficulties they must have to endure on a daily basis. But each day they’re being stared at from a purpose built observatory by busloads of tourists from all over the world.

Visiting the DMZ in North Korea

While standing on the southern side of the DMZ I couldn’t have imagined that in a few years time I’d be back here again, only this time on North Korean soil .

That first visit to Panmunjom and the DMZ sparked a strong interest in North Korea. So much so that we eventually booked a 10 day trip to the DPRK , which naturally included its own day trip to the DMZ.

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Eric Lafforgue

North Korea

There is quite simply nowhere on Earth like North Korea. Now on its third hereditary ruler, this nominally communist state has defied all expectations and survived the collapse of the Soviet Union to become a nuclear power. A visit to North Korea offers a glimpse of the world's most isolated nation, where the internet and much of the 21st century remain relatively unknown, and millions live their lives in the shadow of an all-encompassing personality cult.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Tower of the Juche Idea

This tower honours the North Korean philosophy of Juche and was unveiled to mark President Kim Il-sung's 70th birthday in 1982. Indeed, the tower is made…

International Friendship Exhibition

This exhibition hosts a massive display of gifts given to Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un. Housed in a mountainside vault that is vaguely…

Tomb of King Kongmin

The 31st Koryo king, Kongmin reigned between 1352 and 1374 and his tomb is the best preserved and most elaborate in the country. It is richly decorated…

Monument to the Foundation of the Workers' Party

This startlingly bombastic monument has starred on the cover of more books about North Korea than almost any other. The three hands portrayed represent…

Mansudae Grand Monument

Every itinerary includes an homage to these vast bronze statues of the smiling Great Leader and Dear Leader, the latter in his trademark parka. The first…

Kim Il-sung Square

Pyongyang’s central square is where North Korea’s massive military parades normally take place. The plaza is ringed by austere-looking buildings: most…

Pyongyang Metro

Visiting the impressive Pyongyang metro is definitely a highlight of the capital. The network, which is made up of two lines, has a simultaneous function…

Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum

Perhaps the most interesting museum in Pyongyang, this mouthful of an institution opened its current home in 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the end…

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North Korea and beyond

How To Travel to North Korea as a Tourist

Note: Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, North Korea’s borders have been completely closed to foreigners. As of right now, it is not possible to go to North Korea.

Quite a few of my friends were shocked to discover I was travelling to North Korea. “I didn’t even know you could go to North Korea, let alone join a tour group!” they exclaimed.

Yup, against common belief, it is possible to travel to North Korea. And it’s actually surprisingly easy.

Almost anyone can visit North Korea, with the exception of citizens of South Korea and the United States. It was only recently (September 2019) that the US government banned its citizens from travelling to North Korea, and this may be reversed in time now that Donald Trump is out of office.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to travel to North Korea as a tourist, explaining everything you need to know about tours, visas and travelling into the country itself.

How To Travel To North Korea: The Logistics

There are very few places from where you can enter North Korea — you can’t simply book a flight from London to Pyongyang! You will most likely need to go through China, which shares a border with North Korea. You’ll also need to book onto a government-run tour group, as you cannot visit North Korea independently.

With this in mind, there are three things you’ll need to do in order to visit North Korea as a tourist:

• Book onto a tour
• Arrange a Chinese visa
• Organise transport to China

1) Book Onto A Tour

To visit North Korea, you must book onto a tour group. You cannot visit North Korea independently as the country’s government simply doesn’t allow this. Any visit to North Korea will be an all-inclusive tour with an organized itinerary — there is no getting around this.

Your tour group is ultimately controlled by the Government via the Korean International Travel Company. This means your itinerary is set in stone, with no room for free exploration or solo adventuring. You will be escorted at all times by two guides and a driver.

There are a few tour operators who run trips in North Korea, and these are Lupine Travel , Young Pioneers and Koryo Group . I personally went with Lupine Travel, although it seems as though the three companies are all fairly similar.

There is quite a well-pathed tourist route which most if not all, tourists are taken on. This goes to all the main  attractions in Pyongyang , to the Demilitarised Zone on the border of South Korea and to a mountainous region in the north.

Once you choose the tour you want to go on and have booked it, the tour operator will take care of a lot of the logistics for you, including your return transport into North Korea from China, your North Korean visa and your accommodation, food and itinerary once in North Korea.

The tour company probably will not take care of your return transport to China from your home country, or your Chinese visa (although they will help you with this).

Once you’re booked onto a tour, the company will liaise with you prior to your trip, ensuring they have everything they need from you and that you have everything ready, as well.

2) Get Your Chinese Visa

My tour with Lupine Travel started and ended in Beijing. This meant I required a Dual Entry Chinese Visa, as I would technically be entering China twice: once via a flight from London, and then again when I left North Korea.

The Chinese visa can be a little tricky. I’ve applied for and received 2 Chinese visas in the last decade, and they were a bit of a hassle on both occasions. There are a lot of forms to fill out and it can get complicated. Be sure to read through the documents carefully and answer everything truthfully.

For your Chinese visa, you will need:

• Your passport: with remaining validity of at least 6 months and with blank visa pages.
• Visa Application Form: truthfully completed and type-written.
• A photo: taken within the last six months; full face against a light background; size: 48mm x 33mm; bare-headed unless for religious reasons.

You can visit a Chinese embassy or Chinese Visa Application Centre to hand in your documents, or you can mail it. It typically takes four working days to process your application, but it’s recommended that you apply about 2 months before, as there can be issues. They rejected my photo on one occasion and I had to resubmit it, for example.

Once approved and processed, you can go and collect your passport and visa. The fee for a Chinese visa is £150 / $140.

Visit the Chinese Visa Application Service Center to apply for your visa.

The tour company you booked with will handle your North Korean tourist visa for you. All you’ll need to do is fill in a few simple forms and send over a scanned copy of your passport. Your guide will then give you your North Korean visa once you meet up with your tour group.

3) Book Your Transport To China

As your tour to North Korea likely starts in China, you’ll need to book flights or some other form of transport to China, as this is probably not included in your tour package. Check which city your tour’s meeting place is — mine met at the train station in Beijing, but some meet in the city of Dandong, which is on the border of China and North Korea.

Flights from Europe start from about £500. You can search for cheap flights on Skyscanner.

Travelling into North Korea from China

As mentioned above, your tour company will take care of the logistics of your transport into and out of North Korea from China. You’ll most likely meet your tour group in Beijing or Dandong, and then travel with them from there into North Korea, either by train or plane. It depends on the tour company you go with as to whether you’ll go by train or plane. You will be escorted at all times on your transit into and out of North Korea.

The sleeper train departs Beijing in the late afternoon and goes through Northeast China overnight, before reaching the border at around midday.

Once at the border, North Korean soldiers will come onboard to do visa, passport and luggage checks. I found the experience quite intimidating; they poked around in my backpack and asked me to explain what some things were. I remember a fellow traveller on my tour awkwardly explaining what his beard trimmer was used for.

You will also be given forms asking you to declare electronic devices that you’re bringing into the country. I’d advise that you don’t bring any devices with you if possible — you won’t be able to use the internet or make phone calls anyway, and you may be asked to open it up and show the soldiers your files.

Be certain that you do not have religious material, pornography, or memes/other insulting material about North Korea on your device.

It can take a few hours to cross the North Korean entry customs. Once through, you’ll spend about 5 hours travelling through the scenic North Korean countryside before arriving in Pyongyang .

Another way to enter North Korea from China is to take an aeroplane, which is much quicker than the train but certainly less scenic. Air Koryo runs three to four flights from Beijing to Pyongyang each week, as well as weekly flights from Shanghai, Shenyang and Dandong.

I took the train myself, so I don’t have first-hand insight into what the plane is like. But apparently, you’re welcomed on board with songs about socialism and Kim Jong-un, as well as magazines that showcase the ‘fatherly leader’ and the heinous war crimes of Japan and the US.

Tourism in North Korea: Frequently asked questions

There are lots of unique rules and regulations around travelling to North Korea as a foreigner, so let’s break these down.

How Much Does It Cost To Visit North Korea?

The North Korean tour companies I mentioned above organise all-inclusive packages. This means all of your meals, transport within the country and hotel will be included in the price. Tour prices range massively — between about £400 and £3500 depending on the length of your tour and the company you choose to go with.

• Lupine Travel tours start at £569 ($740)
• Young Pioneers tours start at £444 ($578)
• Koryo Group tours start at £448 ($583)

You should also bear in mind the cost of getting to North Korea. My  flight from London to Beijing  (the starting point of the tour) was about £500.

Is It Safe To Visit North Korea?

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all but essential travel to North Korea. They note that “the security situation in North Korea can change with little notice and with no advance warning of possible actions by the North Korean authorities.” However, the FCO also advises the same for many parts of Turkey and Egypt, which are still frequently visited by tourists.

Tensions between North Korea and the United States have calmed and North Korea announced a halt to its missile testing in April 2018. It is now arguably much safer to visit the country than when  I visited in August 2017 .

As long as you follow all the rules outlined to you before you enter North Korea, travel is ‘deemed safe’ in that you are never alone and are not going to be the target of petty crimes such as theft.

While there is definitely some risk in visiting North Korea, if you follow the rules and remain respectful, there should be no issues. Terrorism and crimes towards tourists are highly unlikely and detainment of tourists is rare!

What Are The Rules For Tourists In North Korea?

• Your every movement is watched and monitored and,  under no circumstance , can you wander off on your own. Doing so will result in serious consequences for both you and your tour guide.
• The country dislikes the term North Korea and prefers to be called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK for short.
• Do not speak negatively about the country or the leaders. Disrespecting the country is viewed as a major offence and has caused problems for tourists in the past.
• You cannot take photos of everything. You’re allowed to take photos of tourist attractions etc, but it is forbidden to photograph the military, labourers or construction sites, among other things.
• You must ensure that any photos of statues of the leaders must capture their whole body — no close-ups or chopping off their feet from the frame.
• Your belongings will be thoroughly searched at the border. It is forbidden to bring religious material, porn or literature or film about North Korea into the country. Please, for heaven’s sake, do not try to bring a copy of  The Interview  into North Korea. Confiscated possessions may not be returned at the border.
• Practising religion is not allowed. North Korea is an atheist country and practising religion there is highly restricted. Praying or showing off a bible is a great way to get detained.
• You cannot speak with random citizens during your time in North Korea, as doing so may be considered espionage.

Will Visiting North Korea Affect Whether Other Countries Grant Me Entry?

Not at all! There are no restrictions on entering any country due to previous entry into North Korea — including South Korea and the United States. In fact, it’s unlikely that border controls will even know you’ve been to North Korea because your visa is issued on a separate piece of paper and your passport is not stamped.

My Experience Visiting North Korea

I found my time in North Korea to actually feel a lot more relaxed than I anticipated. When I first arrived, I was a little nervous and tried not to look at anybody for too long or seem disrespectful in any way.

However, by the end of my second day in North Korea, I felt more relaxed and realised that I just had to follow the rules. I stuck with my tour group, asked permission to take photos, didn’t question any “facts” the tour guides stated about their country, and didn’t try to interact with random locals. In doing this, all was well.

The country was extremely different to how I imagined it and threw a lot of my preconceptions out the window.

I was surprised, for example, to find that Pyongyang was a very picturesque and modern city. I think I had expected it to look kind of grey and old. I was also surprised to see that the countryside was absolutely beautiful, with rolling hills and vivid green colours.

Of course, I also saw plenty of things that upset, angered or confused me a little, such as the phenomenal amount of blatant propaganda and the fact that a guy on my tour got told off for buying ice cream from a nearby stall.

READ MORE:  My North Korea Travel Experience – What’s It Really Like?

What Do You Get To See In North Korea?

The key thing to bear in mind is that you won’t get to see the  real  North Korea. You’ll be ferried from place to place — mostly within Pyongyang — with zero opportunity for independent exploration. You’ll only see what they allow you to see, in what I believe is a very tightly controlled tourist route.

Monuments And Squares

A trip to North Korea will most definitely involve visiting the sites  they want you to see , such as Kim Il Sung Square, the Founding Party Monument, the captured US spy ship USS Pueblo, Kim Il Sung’s native home and many more. These are, what I would call, showpieces of the regime.

The Pyongyang Metro

At 110 metres underground, the Pyongyang metro is the deepest metro station in the world. Covered in propaganda, images of the Kim family, and with station names such as ‘Comrade’, ‘Glory’ and ‘Reunification’, North Korea’s metro is really quite an experience.

While it was definitely the most interesting metro journey I’ve ever been on, the whole scenario was somehow quite strange. You can only ride 5 of the 16 stops — perhaps there’s something secret beyond stop 5.

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a strip of land running along the Korean Peninsula. It is used as a buffer zone between North and South Korea, and is 160 miles long and 2.5 miles wide.

While tourists can easily visit the DMZ in South Korea, this is a chance to see it from the other side and, of course, hear the story from North Korea’s perspective.

The Kaeson Funfair

The Kaeson Funfair was the only place we were allowed to wander around somewhat freely. Our guides let us mingle with the locals a little and stood guard along the pathways leading to the entry and exit points.

We were, however, told that we should skip all the queues and go straight onto any ride we wanted, because “we’re Western.” This annoyed me, as I didn’t feel that this presented a good view of us as Westerners to the citizens of North Korea. Perhaps they didn’t mind, but as a Brit, orderly queues are an essential part of my culture!

Is It Ethical To Visit North Korea?

This is the most important question you should ask yourself before visiting North Korea: is it ethical?

There is a view that visiting North Korea is potentially helping to  fund the regime . I.e. that you’re helping to fund horrific human rights atrocities and nuclear programmes. However, I believe that the money North Korea receives from tourism is very small. With only 10,000 tourists a year, most of which are from China, how much can they  really  be making from this? It’s not like tourism in North Korea is a booming industry.

I also strongly believe that completely stripping a country of exposure to other cultures and attitudes is detrimental. Contact with the outside world helps to improve the citizens’ views of outsiders, which is a good thing since they’ve held a very bad view of the West for decades. Peace and progression within North Korea are certainly never going to occur if its citizens aren’t exposed to anything other than what they already know.

It’s certainly not a black-and-white answer and is something that you should consider carefully.

READ MORE:  Is It Ethical To Visit North Korea?

About The Author

Lauren Pears is a freelance travel writer and blogger based in London. She writes about active adventure travel, aiming to encourage and inspire travellers to make the most of the great outdoors.

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support – Lauren. Hotels –  Booking.com Hostels –  Hostelworld Cheap flights –  Skyscanner Travel insurance –  World Nomads Outdoor gear –  Decathlon  /  GO Outdoors Cycling gear –  Chain Reaction Cycles Alternatively, you could buy me a coffee to say thanks!

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Thanks a lot for your explanation Lauren this country is my dream to visit , however, I am terrified and nervous. and how I control myself.

I got curious about visiting North Korea since I saw a pic of someone else’s tour there. I didn’t even know it was possible to visit! But then my bubble burst since finding out that it has stopped since covid 🙁 anyways, thanks for writing this, it’s done plenty to satiate my curiosity for now haha

Thanks for reading Monica! Tours will likely open up again at some point in the future 🙂

very good and very detailed article.

Thanks John!

Very informative article on a unique topic, so much appreciated 🙂 I agree with the final message that there is a reciprocal value in connecting with people and cultures all around the world.

Glad you found it informative Lucas!

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Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to North Korea

Are you thinking of traveling to North Korea but unsure of how to make it happen? Start by reading this North Korea travel guide.

I’ve visited North Korea, or officially, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) twice: once in 2015 ( Pyongyang  / DMZ + Kaesong / Mount Kumgang /  Wonsan ) and once in 2018 (Rason). However, I rarely brag about visiting North Korea because it isn’t a place I would encourage just anyone to visit. It’s not relaxing or enjoyable. It’s…mentally challenging, to say the least.

You should not travel to North Korea unless you’re willing to consider a perspective different from what mainstream western media tells you. Your experience of North Korea hinges on how you frame it, and it’s vital that you go with an open mind. In fact, I believe I had an easier time digesting and understanding my North Korea travel experiences  because of my East Asian heritage, but still I’m struggling to put them all in words.

People who learn that I’ve traveled to North Korea  always  ask the same questions about how they can do it too, so I finally decided to write this guide to answer all the questions (and bust all the myths). If there’s something you want to know that’s not mentioned here, please leave a comment and I’ll reply!

Can anyone travel to North Korea?

There’s a misconception that it’s almost impossible to visit North Korea when in fact, almost anyone can go to North Korea (except South Korean citizens). Even US citizens were previously able to go but following the high-profile case of Otto Warmbier, the US Department of State has for now  banned citizens from traveling to North Korea .

While almost anyone can visit North Korea for tourism, you do not get to go around North Korea freely. You must join a tour, and only travel agencies approved by the North Korean government can organize tours to North Korea. Many of these tours have itineraries covering the same state-designated destinations and attractions.

Throughout your visit, you will be accompanied by at least two North Korean guides from the state-owned tourism bureaus such as KITC (Korea International Travel Company). They are the only North Koreans you’ll interact with extensively for the entire length of your stay.

But you’re not allowed to take photos, right?

Photography is definitely allowed in North Korea, as you can see from this post and others on this site. There are indeed some restrictions: you’re not allowed to take photos of military buildings and vehicles, soldiers in uniform, buildings under construction, or monuments undergoing maintenance. You will be cautioned not to crop any photos of the Great Leader (Kim Il Sung) or Dear Leader (Kim Jong Il). If you try to take a photo when it’s prohibited, your guides will stop you.

The North Korean government is extremely conscious of its image, and it’s understandable if you think about it. After all, photos of North Korea are often used by western media to paint the country in a negative light. The guides I’ve met know all too well how their country is perceived, and that likely reinforces what they’ve learned: to have great pride in what they’ve been able to achieve despite a lack of resources.

Is it very expensive to visit North Korea?

I find that North Korea tour costs are similar to any group adventure tour with accommodation, transport, and meals included. Expect a 5-night tour to cost around 1,200-1,700 euro with return Beijing-Pyongyang flights (entry/exit by rail should be cheaper). This does not include drinking water or tips and gratuities.

When choosing from North Korea travel operators, it’s more important to check their reputation and see what unique itineraries they offer.

Which tour operators would you recommend?

As with other East Asian countries, mutual trust and relationships are deeply rooted in the culture and a trusted North Korea tour company/agent will have latitude to offer more special tours. Koryo Tours and Juche Travel both have a good track record and in-depth knowledge to help you plan your trip (I’m not affiliated with either company).

Your North Korea tour company should guide you through the logistics of your trip, handle visa processing for you, and inform you on all the latest rules and regulations. That brings us to the most important question:

Is it safe to travel to North Korea?

You’re always looked after by guides, food is clean and tasty, and you’re unlikely to become a victim of crime. So yes, it’s safe to travel to North Korea, as long as you follow the rules.

I know what you’re thinking: that the North Korean tourism rules are meant to restrict tourists’ freedom and paint a false picture of the country. Whether you agree with this or not, you need to respect the rules and local laws of any place you visit. Some North Korea tourism rules include:

• Camera lenses beyond a certain zoom level are not allowed.
• Your passport will be kept by your guides upon arrival and returned at departure.
• All devices (mobile phones, cameras, laptops) will be inspected upon entry and exit to/from North Korea. Make sure your phone does not contain any religious or politically sensitive content (e.g. remove Bible apps, existing photos, etc.)
• You must pay respects when visiting statues of North Korea’s leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, or other national monuments.
• Be respectful to guides. Do not ask provocative questions or argue against their narrative.
• You are allowed to talk to locals, but they are very wary of foreigners and most do not speak English or other foreign languages.
• Do not bring any magazines or religious material into North Korea.
• Most North Korea tour companies will allow you to blog about your experience, but journalists are not allowed to visit as tourists or sell stories/images to news publications unless you receive special permission.

Not following the rules means you risk getting yourself, the tour company, and possibly even your North Korean guides in trouble. However, as long as you play by the rules, you’ll be able to glean quite a bit of knowledge beyond what you’re shown or told.

Isn’t it unethical to support the North Korean regime through our tourism?

Discussion about safety when traveling to North Korea inevitably lead to moral concerns about supporting the DPRK regime through tourism. Even if you disagree with how the country is governed, visiting in person is the best way to understand North Korea’s nuances and complexities. Think of it this way: your moral obligation, if any, is to learn as much as possible to make it worth the trip.

Reading up on a place before visiting is always a plus, but for travel to North Korea it’s absolutely essential. I’d recommend you go beyond US news articles and add the following 8 books to your reading list. Want more? Check out this extensive selection of books about North Korea .

What to Explore in Busan: History, Nature, & More

Certain “bestsellers” have been excluded from this list as they’re known to be overly dramatized or disrespect/risk the safety of ordinary people in North Korea. For news and analysis, NK News and 38 North are good places to start (but are by no means the only sources).

What will I get to see and experience in North Korea?

Lots of people sneer at North Korea tours, claiming that everything you’ll see is staged or even that all the people in the city are actors. While you’ll come across scenes that are more of performances, I can reassure you the people and buildings are real.

A typical first-time visit to North Korea will includes standard sights in Pyongyang, the DMZ, Kaesong, and some UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the tombs of ancient Korean kings.

How much do things cost in North Korea?

While most North Korea tours include accommodation and three meals a day, you’re expected to buy your own bottled water, snacks, and any out-of-pocket expenses such as riding the Pyongyang tram. Make sure you bring enough extra cash for souvenirs and tips.

The official exchange rate when I visited was US$1 : 100 North Korean won, but if you get to shop at a Pyongyang department store  you’ll find a far more favorable exchange rate.

Staying connected in North Korea

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If you haven’t lived in the pre-Internet age, be prepared to feel extremely isolated in North Korea as most tourists will not have any connectivity to the rest of the world. Although data SIM cards are available, they’re prohibitively expensive . If you have to call home, you can make international calls from the lobby at hotels like Yanggakdo Hotel. When I visited in 2015, calls cost US$5/minute.

Another cool activity is to send home postcards that you’ve purchased at souvenir shops. North Korean postal services will mail out your postcards to any international address, with the exception of some countries (definitely not the US or South Korea). It can take weeks or months to get delivered, but it’ll be a great gift when your friends receive it.

What else would you like to know about visiting North Korea? 

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Can You Travel to North Korea From South Korea?

You’re on holiday in Seoul, South Korea and the idea of visiting North Korea has crossed your mind. Being within such proximity, roughly 50km to the border, the idea of even a day trip to North Korea from Seoul may not immediately strike you as a farfetched idea. Is it possible? Here’s the deal!

Can you cross the border into North Korea from South Korea?

No, unfortunately. The border between South Korea and North Korea is closed to civilians. South Korea and North Korea are divided by the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a buffer zone cutting across the peninsula which is 4km in width (2km in each Korea). Outside of extraordinary (typically diplomatic) circumstances, nobody is permitted to cross the DMZ. There are no scheduled flights, boats, trains, or similar transport services linking North Korea and South Korea directly.

‘Technically’ Crossing the Border at the Joint Security Area

The most famous section of the DMZ is the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom, and you’ve likely seen it on the television. The JSA is the only segment of the DMZ where North Korean and South Korean soldiers stand face-to-face. Within the JSA, the iconic blue conference buildings straddling the political border (the military demarcation line) provides tourists the opportunity to ‘technically’ step foot between each Korea, strictly within the confines of the building.

Guided tours, typically day trips, can be taken to the DMZ from either North Korea or South Korea which routinely include a visit to the JSA.

Then how do you visit North Korea from South Korea?

Because the DMZ is closed to travel, to visit North Korea from South Korea (or vice versa), you must go via a third country, typically China or Russia. This is why our scheduled group tours to North Korea operate by flight to Pyongyang from Beijing or Shanghai, or by train to Pyongyang from Beijing or Dandong.

If you have a South Korean visa or stamp, can you still visit North Korea?

Yes. Having a South Korean visa or stamp is not a problem for North Korean authorities. Travellers commonly join us for group or private tours to North Korea after having visited, lived, or worked in South Korea. If you’re willing to transit via China or Russia, North Korea and South Korea can be visited even on the same trip, and in either order. However, there are a few things to be aware of:

If traveling to North Korea after South Korea:

• Tourist photos from South Korea on your electronic devices are typically permitted, however should not be shown or disseminated to locals, including guides, on your visit to North Korea
• South Korean products (or their packaging), including tourist souvenirs, and South Korean media, including music or television shows, should not be brought into North Korea
• Any Korean-language material, printed or electronic, should not be brought into North Korea
• Don’t send any postcards from Pyongyang to your new friends back in Seoul — these will not be delivered!

If traveling to South Korea after North Korea:

• South Korea enforces a National Security Act which in practice prohibits the import of North Korean products which are of political nature. This includes but is not limited to propaganda posters, postcards, books, stamps, and images depicting North Korea’s leadership. Many tourist souvenirs or media (print or electronic) from North Korea will be deemed as political under this law and result in confiscation.

Can South Korean nationals visit North Korea?

South Korean passport holders cannot visit North Korea on tourist visas, even if they’re willing to travel via a third country. Any visit to North Korea by a South Korean national requires governmental approval in the form of a formal invitation from the North with subsequent review and approval by the Ministry of Unification in the South. However, if you’re ethnic Korean with an alternative passport, you’re able to join our tours to North Korea.

Are there exceptions where DMZ crossing into North Korea is permitted?

Not currently. But in the past, and only in rare and specific situations, travel has been facilitated directly between South Korea and North Korea including across the DMZ. We’ve listed a handful of recent examples below:

• From 1998, South Korean nationals could visit North Korea on specialised tours, initially by boat and then later by bus to Mt. Kumgang, which is located across the DMZ on the east coast. This inter-Korean tourist program was suspended in 2008.
• In January 2018, a delegation of South Korean ski athletes and coaches took chartered flights directly from South Korea (Yangyang) to North Korea (Wonsan) to participate in an inter-Korean joint-training exercise in the leadup to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
• Reunion events have been held in Mt. Kumgang on the North Korean side where separated family members can reunite with relatives having crossed the DMZ from South Korea by bus.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-In crossed the military demarcation line at the Joint Security Area within the DMZ during an inter-Korean summit in 2018. President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S President to cross into North Korea at the same location in 2019.
• South Korean workers were able to cross the DMZ into the joint-run Kaesong Industrial Complex, a special economic zone in North Korea where South Korean companies employed North Korean workers. Operations at the zone ceased in 2016.

If a North Korea tour fits your schedule, check our upcoming  group tours or contact us to arrange a private tour !

Filed under: uritours | August 26, 2020

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Tour to the North Korean border zone

High fences, barbed wire and an unsettling sense of quiet mark out the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 250-km (155-mile) buffer zone between North and South Korea. It’s one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world, in place since the Korean Armistice Agreement moved frontline troops back 2,000 m (1.2 miles) on each side in 1953. A visit facilitates a greater understanding of the history of this volatile region, a chance to explore the DMZ, see the view from an observatory, explore a tunnel dug under the border and the bridge where prisoners of war were swapped. It’s a solemn place with large numbers of military personnel on each side and the sense that relations are still very tense. The visit is led by a local guide who can answer questions on the history of the border and the conflict, as well as the ideological differences between the two countries.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel on the morning of your tour which is taken as part of a small group. Your local guide will introduce you to the history of the Korean War and the border as you’re driven for about an hour and a half north from Seoul to the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom. This is the only area where forces from the two sides meet and where diplomatic meetings occasionally occur.

Your first stop is at the reconstructed Bridge of No Return which crosses the Military Demarcation Line between the two countries. Prisoners of war were swapped across this bridge after the war ended in 1953, and in 1968, the crew of the USS Pueblo , who had been held captive for 11 months after being captured by the North Korean navy in international waters, were finally released here.

The tour continues on to the 3rd Tunnel exhibition hall, one of four infiltration tunnels built by the North Koreans beneath the DMZ in order to launch attacks. The tunnel was discovered in 1978 and you can now walk, hunched over due to the low ceiling, along its length.

The next stop will be the Dora Observatory, which looks out over the DMZ to the North Korean border. With binoculars you should be able to spot buildings in North Korea, see its flagpole, and get an impression of how wide and long the DMZ is.

The tour ends on a lighter note. On the way back to Seoul, you’ll visit the Ginseng Centre briefly to see how this prized root is grown and harvested, and to learn about how it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

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Other experiences in Seoul

These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.

Street food tour of Seoul

Eat like a local as you discover Korean foods with a local guide. This tour takes in Seoul’s markets as you try classic dishes, learn about local ingredients, side dishes and sauces, and understand the importance of food in Korean culture.

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Misunderstood Destinations , North Korea

North Korea Travel Guide – The Truth About Visiting the DPRK

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to handpicked partners, including tours, gear and booking sites. If you click through or buy something via one of them, I may receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and allows this site to keep running.

This guide to travel in North Korea talks about tourism in this very restricted country and what it is really like to visit the DPRK. 

Travelling to North Korea for seven days was hard. It’s propaganda via the medium of travel. I was overwhelmed, confused, upset, surprised, and returned with more questions than I had before I went.

My perceptions were certainly challenged while visiting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Living in the western world means I have always been exposed to a one-sided and exaggerated view of what goes on there. A biased view that never mentions anything positive and masks any forms of progress that might just pave the way for a better future, even if it evolves slowly from an extreme belief system.

At the same time, any showcased achievements you see when there entirely mask the atrocities that we know about but are obviously not mentioned. 

North Korea is a country held high as the ultimate war trophy, whose unpardonable extreme ideological policies are mocked alongside the suffering of its people, rather than put into context and explained. Yet interaction with North Koreans, however limited, paves a way for understanding. The more we learn, the less inclined we are to make assumptions. Travelling can help provide that context. 

North Korea Travel Guide – The Reality of a Visit to the Hermit Kingdom.

Can Anyone Travel to North Korea?

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You can’t travel to North Korea unless you are in a guided tour group. Tourism in North Korea is very restricted and you almost feel as though you live on the tour bus as you can’t wander around freely. At all times, you have two guides who chaperone you every step of the way.

It’s a completely different way of travelling, and as held back as you feel, the local people simply are not used to western faces and so this form of control allows them a slow introduction. When you visit North Korea, it is not a holiday.

South Koreans are not permitted entry to North Korea.

North Korea travel is all about spending most of your time on the bus.

Following the death of American tourist, Otto Warmbier after he was arrested and detained in North Korea, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson authorised his department to block Americans from traveling to the country, which already advised against travel to North Korea.

The ban came into effect on 1st September 2017, leading some tour companies, such as Young Pioneers no longer taking American tourists into the country (effective as of June 2017). Journalists and humanitarian workers are allowed to apply for exemptions under the ban.

Choosing a North Korea tour isn’t too difficult since there are not an abundance of companies offering travel experiences there. I went with Koryo Tours in 2012, given their great reputation and the fact they opened up the concept of tourism there first.

Not only is it very expensive to go to North Korea, but I wanted my trip to be expertly organised. With the tour starting and ending in Beijing , and all your visa requirements taken care of, the whole process was hassle-free.

The night before I remember sitting with a guy in my Beijing hostel, who was also going, and feeling overwhelmed. “We are going to North Korea! I can’t believe it!” which was quickly followed by “I’m scared”. Really scared of the million rules and regulations we had to adhere to, scared of what we might see, doing something wrong and being in trouble. And scared of what I would end up feeling.

In the departure lounge, nervousness and excitement were expressed through a mutual exchange of our knowledge and opinions. It’s better to get everything out of your system before you are exposed to exaggeration, propaganda, and overshadowed facts where you have to keep a straight face. You will only be shown what they want you to see.

North Korea Koryo tour group.

No – the visa is simply printed out and kept together in one big file for the entire group which includes individual images of everyone on the tour (a page that is also stuck on the bus window for reference).

The tourist visa card to North Korea.

After signing up for a tour and when your visa and permission for entry to North Korea is granted, you will fly from Beijing to Pyongyang on Air Koryo – a state-run airline. Air Koryo has consistently bad ratings, but flights to North Korea are the only means to enter.

The majority of organised tours leave Pyongyang via train, back to China (specifically Beijing), upon which North Korean guards will enter the train before its entry into China to check your camera and make sure you are not taking any offending material outside of North Korea. Other tours may also fly back to China via Air Koryo.

Boarding the Pyongyang to Beijing train.

As long as you follow all the rules outlined to you before you enter North Korea, travel is ‘deemed safe’ in the respect that you are never alone, never allowed to travel at your own will or allowed to travel outside of the designated areas where North Korean guides chaperone you at all times. This means it is highly unlikely that you will be affected by any serious crime or be the victim of it, nor witness any major situation in the country at the time due to the controlled nature of the visit.

North Korea isn’t a communist dictatorship where people and visitors have relative freedom, like Cuba . Every DPRK tour factors in a full briefing, before departure, on every applicable rule you must follow. These are often reiterated on the trip itself. There is no excuse for breaking the rules which are very clearly laid out.

There is nothing brag-worthy about travelling in North Korea; everyone is effectively at risk travelling there.

It is also wise to keep up to date with the latest news agenda, alongside political tensions in the area and those between North Korea and your country of citizenship that may affect your entry to the country as well as any pending bans or rule changes.

You will attend a meeting in Beijing at the offices of your designated tour company before the start of the tour (normally 24-48 before), which outlines the rules you must adhere to when travelling in North Korea. These include:

• The types of camera and lens size permitted for use in the country.
• How your Passport will be taken from you when you enter North Korea, for the duration of the tour (and usually kept by your tour group leader) and returned to you upon arrival back into China. The reason for this is stated as being “for security reasons”. At the time I travelled, my mobile phone was also confiscated.
• How to take pictures of the Kim statues , which cannot be captured close up or cropped. They must be captured in their entirety.

Bronze statues of the Kims in North Korea.

• The kinds of pictures you are NOT allowed to take. Pictures of any form of construction, scenes that denote poverty and images of the military are not permitted. When in doubt about the nature of what can and can’t be photographed, ask first.
• How you will be expected to honour the leader.  When visiting the statues of Kim Il Sung your group will be expected to bow and lay flowers, just as the North Koreans do. You are also obliged to pay respect when visiting all monuments of national importance.
• The importance that any kind of independent travel in North Korea is in no way allowed, anywhere or at any point of the tour.

Pyongyang city seafront.

• Do not try to reason, state facts, change the narrative or attempt to overturn the words and actions of your North Korean guide or those you come across at designated sites.  This is their job, and while you might categorically know something not to be true, they have no choice, and you chose to be in this restricted and propaganda-heavy situation.
• Any attempt to converse privately with a North Korean citizen will be seen as an act of espionage.

North Korea guard explains the history to tourists visiting the border with South Korea.

• To act positive, praise-worthy and keep any negative thoughts to yourself and not say anything derogatory out loud.  It’s better to be submissive and accept the situation than to be seen as trying to overturn it.
• Do not bring with you any materials pertaining to South Korea, religion or anything that can be seen as a form of ideology of which you will be seen as imposing.

You must absolutely follow the rules for travel in North Korea and don’t do anything outside of those rules which may draw attention to yourself.

There are no exceptions to these rules and nor will you get off lightly. Imprisonment and torture are common forms of punishment and your tour company has no special command to get you off the hook.

Also, anything you do wrong also puts your North Korean’s life (and their family’s lives) at risk.

My North Korea Experience

Pyongyang, where the North Korea tour is mostly be based, isn’t a grim and frightening ghost town. Looking out from the top of the hotel, you are afforded a view just like any other big city, including skyscrapers, factories, monuments and mass housing. It is, after all, the centre of the country’s most elite – it exists as a centrepiece and to house particular people.

I thought Pyongyang would be a small concrete city, hidden from view. Instead, it sprawls for miles and miles and looks just like any other city, except it’s scattered with propaganda posters, mosaics and bronze sculptures of the Kims. It is both the pivotal destination for tourism, the capital and at the heart of the regime.

View of Pyongyang from the tourist hotel.

The high-rise buildings of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

There is no denying that it is for show. This is not how the majority of North Koreans live. The city gleamed with new and pristine buildings, built to the grand imposing communist-style façade of dominance, modern progression and increasing wealth.

There are statues so immense that their towering presence automatically creates an air of intensity, like the artistic propaganda posters you can’t miss – a style I had previously learnt about at the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre prevalent during the Mao’s Communist Regime in China. The stylised shop fronts we too often take for granted when at home are, in fact, empty. Or they happened “to be closed” that day, of course.

Sightseeing in Pyongyang.

Bronze statues of the Kims riding horses.

Elevated view of Pyongyang City. 

It was, seemingly, a functioning city full of local people going about their daily lives. Whether that was the queue for a building we could only assume is a food and ration station (there are only tourist stores open), the pockets of people disappearing underground to use the Metro station or walking to the office, or the mothers out with their children, we got only a very, very small glimpse of daily life. Mostly from the bus window.

Streets of Pyongyang.

Pyongyang Metro entrance.

You must always remember what is deliberately presented to you when you travel in North Korea. 

Whilst you know about malnourishment and mass electricity blackouts, you don’t see it in the show city. So whilst there’s no denying the existence of this because there’s proof from defectors and undercover reporters, in Pyongyang it is not on the scale we are told about because the set-up is very different. Although extreme poverty does exist en masse throughout the country (as footage shows), this is what you (strategically) won’t see.

When we drove out of the city, we did pass shanty-type, less affluent towns. This was a real glimpse into how some of the population live outside of the capital and was the more shocking side to travel here. Of course, upon leaving Pyongyang, you can’t take images. Instead, you only remember what you saw. 

Construction was taking place everywhere, and we still wondered why many people were living in semi-completed buildings. I’ve also seen similar neighbourhoods in China and other parts of Asia, where buildings are left rather than being maintained and where wealth distribution is unbalanced. I wouldn’t say this housing is unique to North Korea, but it did show the existence of the same underbelly of poverty. From news investigations, we know deep down it’s far worse than what we see from a quick glance out of a bus window, of course. 

DPRK Propaganda sign in a neighbourhood in Pyongyang.

Life in Pyongyang.

What confused me the most about North Korea was the beautiful countryside in Nampo and around – green hills and yellow crop plantations, trees and orchards. In a land that has around 70% mountainous terrain, it looked pretty impressive.

Our British guide told us that North Korea had admitted to bad farming practices and that it lacked knowledge about beneficial methods, but it looked as though things were improving. Or could. If it was put into practice for the benefit of the people.

The countryside of North Korea.

I’m no farmer, but I wasn’t expecting to see so much green and grain. Whilst this may not produce a plentiful supply for the entire population, there is production in farming, although I have no doubt that it’s far from enough or distributed properly, if at all. There have been famines since the 1970s when the help from the Soviets ended, and the need for international aid began. 

The countryside near Nampo outside of Pyongyang.

Our visit to a local farm was very set up, and we had no belief that anyone we met actually lived there. The shame is that it still provides a window of hope for what can actually be.

A working farm in North Korea.

Farming in North Korea.

Our visit to an apple factory with its investment of millions of pounds worth of equipment looked as though a slow growth of manufacture and export is on the cards – or again, one could hope. The mechanism is there – it just needs to be implemented.

A mural of King Jong Il adorns the apple factory near Pyongyang.

Apple factory tour.

Apple products from the factory are on sale for tourists.

The question of what it is like to live in North Korea fascinates everybody. When you look into it a bit more deeply, we all are cut from an ideology of the society we are brought up in, except that in North Korea, it is on a very extreme scale to what we will ever know.

From what I observed when I was in North Korea and what I read before and after my visit, the majority of North Korean people know of nothing else, and by having no access to other sources or information and, therefore, no comparison (except the few who retain and obtain information and later defect), it appears they live in a world they assume is normal.

From that sense of normal appears to be a genuine love for the Kims – nearly everybody wears a pin badge bearing one or both of them, and many bow to the statues before work in the morning. They believe in everything they have been told as they have never known the full facts, or been given the means to find out or make a personal judgement. If you knew of nothing else, what would you do? Sure, there must be people from older generations who also know the absolute truth but have no option but to live in submission.

My point is that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge a nation of people without looking at their ideology in context. It’s devastating that people have to live in such isolation in this day and age. We, in the Western world, are lucky to live in societies where we have freedom of speech, freedom of expression, access to information and means from which to realise our aspirations and make informed choices.

We shouldn’t be so quick to brand a nation of people as odd, weird or crazy when they have no clue and are just going about their normal lives.

The normal they know.

The ethical question of visiting North Korea is a tricky one, and I sit on both sides of the fence.

On the one hand, everything that happens in North Korea is wrong. At the same time, in that case, we wouldn’t be travelling to many places. Some argue that by visiting North Korea you are helping to fund the regime or government’s objectives, but this applies to many countries open to tourism. Think of the corrupt governments that still exist in Asia and the Middle East, but you don’t think twice about heading there.

On the other hand, meeting North Koreans is a gateway to openness. The North Koreans we met were kind. Our guides were easy-going, approachable, witty and caring. Of course, you can’t talk openly to them, speak of things at home, or try to inform them of the facts behind the Korean War. This would be against the rules set upon you and at risk to them. Beyond the historical ‘facts’ they had to tell and the rules they had to impose (since they would be in serious trouble over any of our irresponsible actions) they weren’t lifeless robots. They became our friends, just like any other person.

On National Day, we walked through a park where locals were celebrating with their families, laying out a huge picnic, firing up the barbeques, playing music and dancing. Some were unsure of us, giving a stare that suggested a slight fear of the unknown and given what they have probably been told about the Western world and its people, others were welcoming, offering food and pulling us into their dancing circles.

You might question the serendipitous encounter at the time visitors arrived. Even if they were told to be there (which is highly likely), shaking hands, smiling and interacting was the only reassurance we could provide that we are not all bad, and I feel that is a positive start to what could be a slow but positive change in this country. 

Travelling to North Korea and a tourism drive could be one way to start opening the cracks.

National Day in North Korea.

What Do You Get to See in North Korea?

The number one rule of travel to North Korea is that you will never see the real North Korea. Travelling to North Korea is in no way a relaxing holiday or a form of vacation. They want you to return having believed the PR presentation about development, happiness and loyalty. 

A trip to North Korea is not complete without the sites they want you to see – the showpieces of the regime and the points of Hero Worship – such as Kim Il Sung Square and the statue we had to bow to, the Tower of Juche Idea, the Founding Party Monument, the captured US spy ship USS Pueblo, Kim Il Sung’s native home.

The Monument to Party Founding in Pyongyang.

Monuments and murals in North Korea.

Pyongyang parade ground markings.

One of the many monuments in North Korea.

Captured ship US Pablo shown to tourists in Pyongyang.

Korean traditional dress and dancing.

A fairground, a bowling alley, nights of karaoke. That’s also part of the itinerary and which you realise are places built for the elite locals and not just for western entertainment. Keeping the people happy and occupied – distraction keeps the ideological machine in motion.

The main downside to what you see is the imposed order and structure as well as the exaggerated explanation, yet this is what you expect before you come on the trip. Some things you visit, such as the farm collective, appear a little too set up with the people ‘placed’ there, which didn’t feel right or real at all. But you only had to look into the distance to get a better picture, without taking an actual photograph.

Propaganda literature and videos on a North Korea tour give an extremely one-sided argument to the history of the Korean War. It is frustrating, but you have to grin and bear it. Everything is built in what they call ‘chollima time’ such as their version of the Paris Arc de Triomphe, of which North Korea’s is bigger and took less time to build. “This would normally take five years to build, but we built it in three!”

North Korea’s version of the Arc de Triomphe in Pyongyang.

Local guides gush about Kim Il Sung more than you would declare the love you feel for your parents – he is often referred to as ‘our father’ much like religious terminology. Films detailing milestones of the country such as the building of the West Sea Barrage dam are long, tedious and full of descriptions of the ‘revolutionary spirit’ behind its construction. Every place of high importance bears a plaque of when one or both of the Kims made a visit, alongside a giant painting of them. 

This can become very tiring but does give solid insight into the way the minds of the people have been moulded and the lessons to be learnt from that.

While tourists can easily visit the DMZ in South Korea, North Korea’s tourism doesn’t leave this off the agenda. This is your chance to see it from the other side and, of course, hear the story from their perspective.

You get to sit in the same room, converse over the negotiation table (which you are not allowed to sit at when you visit from the South Korea side) and see the North Korean guards on duty at the borderline.

Visiting the DMZ on the North Korea side on a guided tour.

Around the table at the DMZ meeting room on the North Korea side.

North Korean guards at the DMZ border line.

After that, you will get to look through Binoculars out into the DMZ ‘No Man’s Land’ area in-between the two country borders, where you are informed North Korean guards keep constant watch.

Looking out into the DMZ No Mans Land from North Korea.

READ MORE: Visiting the DMZ in North and South Korea – The Story of Both Sides

One of the deepest metro systems in the world, you get to go 110 metres underground to ride the Pyongyang metro. Adorned in intricate mosaic tiled propaganda images and bronze and with revolutionary themed names like ‘Comrade’, ‘Glory’ and ‘Reunification’, North Korea’s subway is quite the experience.

This is a stop included on your organised tour since North Korea is both proud (of those stations on show) yet secretive and guarded since you can ride only five of the 16 stops. Of course, you embark and disembark at the grandest station of them all – Prosperity.

Hundreds of people can be seen making their way to and from work and home, on a ticket that costs 5 Won (less than one US cent). I have seen images of all 16 stations in use and apparently, you can ride all of them – you just don’t on a tour as it would take too long. But in reality, we will never know if the entire metro system is in constant working order and for whom such a service is for.

I’m fascinated by metro systems all over the world and the Pyongyang subway is a highlight for the curious-minded. I would love to ride them all since it is said each station exists as a timeline and story flow of North Korea’s history.

The part of the metro in Pyongyang open to tourists.

Inside the decorated Pyongyang metro station.

Newspaper on the platform of the Pyongyang metro subway platform.

When you sign up for your North Korea tour you will be asked if you would like to purchase a ticket to the famous Arirang Mass Games spectacle at the Rungrado May Day Stadium, also known as the Arirang Festival. It is deemed a highlight and THE thing to see in Pyongyang, There are various tickets for different seating plans, but for the majority of tourists this feat of athleticism and showmanship of gymnastics is a highlight.

The Mass Games in North Korea.

While no show on earth will ever compare to that of the Mass Games in North Korea – a spectacle so incredible and full of athletic prowess that it blows your mind – it was also very uncomfortable to watch.  

At the back of your mind weighs the reality of the extreme training of the participants, who live within a gruelling and dominant regime where the Mass Games is a part of the societal showcase. You can imagine the pain and endurance to be perfect, and exactly what would happen if someone messed up. No one puts a foot wrong during the performance.

As a communist state, North Korean flags and red symbols appear heavily throughout. The huge picture in the background? That’s school kids trained all year to make images from pieces of coloured cards for hours on end at this show.

Watching the Arirang Mass Games in North Korea.

The hundreds of performers at the Arirang Mass Games.

The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang.

While places of communist past have or are slowly moving on, becoming ‘socialist’ and slightly more progressive, North Korea lags behind by still keeping an ultimate grip on its people, yet struggling with the realisation that it needs to develop, trade and open up with the rest of the world in order to sustain itself in the modern age.

A country striking fear into the heart of its people is the only way it maintains control. This is something my generation, in particular, doesn’t understand as many of us have never had to live in a country in serious conflict with another. Whilst we would all love to see a united Korea, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Think of the differences between East and West Berliners when the wall came down. Two ideologies and different ways of life collided; two economic and education systems trying to integrate. I couldn’t imagine this would be an easy process of bringing immediate peace, but hopefully, I will see some movement towards this in my lifetime.

In tourism’s infancy, around 1,500 tourists visit North Korea annually. Today, that number is more in the regions of hundreds of thousands, but mainly from the Chinese market in comparison to the smaller numbers of western tourists going to the DPRK. Still, that’s thousands more than we ever thought possible.

From what we were told from the Koryo Tours representative with us, the more time goes by, the more tourists are allowed to see and do – a two-way trust process that slowly grows, where we can show the North Koreans a positive side to the Western world and its people and where we can try to understand them. A hope that it somehow paves the way for openness.

Maybe one day the people will harness the power for change or the ideological system will change.

Only then can we be friends without restriction. 

It was important for me to gain a wider perspective on the culture and history of the Koreas and the conflict, and so a few months later I travelled to South Korea for three weeks. I was able to see some core sights and gain a better understanding of just how different life is on the other, more accessible side of this heavily tested border.

About Becki

Becki Enright is a British Travel Press Award-winning writer whose work focuses on changing perceptions about misunderstood aspects of destinations. Her writing combines storytelling with insight into the social, historical, political and economic factors that shape the country or place in relation to tourism. Becki has appeared live on Sky News and CNN and has contributed to high profile media including National Geographic, Time.com, Guardian online, New York Times, Grazia and Buzzfeed.

Chris Padley says

19 August 2023 at 8:47 am

In his TV programme made of his visit to N.K. Michael Palin visited a park on National Day too. A comparison between this, as seen in the TV programme, and your description of your own experience is interesting.

Paul Cosgrave says

13 June 2023 at 9:56 pm

Becki: Great Article. You are a brave person to have gone to North Korea. As an American I will not be going anytime soon. I agree with your comments that travel is so important to help us understand the people and their motivations who have grown up in different cultures than ourselves. I realized this in a recent trip through Vietnam and Cambodia where the culture is clearly not as different from our western background as what you experienced in North Korea, but nevertheless very different from what I had expected. The one thing I have learned from my travel is that people around the world are much more similar than they are different.

6 January 2023 at 7:27 am

I traveled to North Korea in 2007. Americans were not allowed to visit for a long time but when they allowed a few American tour groups in that year I jumped at the chance

Everything in this rings true to me. I am still conflicted as to whether giving money to the regime was a good thing

However there were several moments when I had a brief but human chat or laugh with one of our guides. Talking about family and universal stuff. I hope that made a tiny bit of difference in understanding

6 January 2023 at 1:46 pm

It’s a real conflict mentally and morally. Although North Korea is up there as one of the worst, we sadly give our money to many regimes when travelling. But I firmly believe that those chats on universal stuff are a way of paving the way to openness, truth and understanding.

Aaron Galan says

17 May 2020 at 8:30 am

I would love to go to North Korea just to have another perspective of what it is shown on TV. Maybe give a chance to this country, because it’s easy to say that a country is bad for its bad reputation on TV. And I know this because sometimes other countries think that Mexico is just as bad as a Warzone. Apart from that I would like to see if it’s true that everything is as Asymmetrical as everyone says. I would also like to visit the DMZ from both perspectives to compare each sides of the stories

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How to Travel to North Korea

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Stef Katz . Stef Katz is a Travel Agent and the Founder of The Travel Superhero. She has helped clients enjoy convenience, access, personal attention, and ease in their travel planning for 6 years. Stef specializes in elevated social travel and finds ways to bring peace of mind to her travelers with open communication, genuine care, and professional support. She holds an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from Miami Dade College and a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from the University of Florida, as well as numerous certifications with destinations, tour companies, and cruise lines in the travel industry. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 30,172 times.

Known as the “hermit kingdom,” trips to North Korea are extremely limited, but can spark curiosity in foreign travellers. Many countries have active travel bans advising their citizens not to travel to North Korea. Tightened travel restrictions followed the death of Otto Warmbier in 2017, an American student who was arrested during his trip in North Korea. After his release, he returned to the U.S. in a coma and then passed away. [1] X Research source Travelers can usually visit North Korea only in very special cases. If you are allowed to travel to North Korea, research its laws and culture, and prepare in case of emergencies.

Completing Necessary Paperwork

• For example, citizens in the UK need to contact the Korean embassy in London to apply for a visa. [2] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source
• U.S. citizens can apply to receive a special validation passport at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/passport-for-travel-to-north-korea.html . But get ready for denial as obtaining a Special Validated Passport is rare.
• If you are traveling from South Korea, you will need permission from both the Republic of Korea and the DPRK to tour North Korea.

• Some tour operators like Koryo Tours and Mir Corporation have stopped leading trips for citizens in certain countries (like the U.S.) until travel bans are lifted, so check their websites to make sure you can join. [4] X Research source

Taking Precautions Before Your Trip

• The Embassy of Sweden Pyongyang acts as the protecting power for U.S., Australian and Canadian citizens. [8] X Research source

• For example, citizens in Ireland can register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade if they’re traveling outside Ireland or Great Britain. [10] X Research source
• U.S. citizens can enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/ .

Staying Safe While in North Korea

• You cannot take Korean money out of the country when you exit. [13] X Research source

• Don't fold or dispose of newspapers that have the image of the Kim dynasty's members on them. It can be taken the wrong way by North Korean officials.
• Speech is extremely restricted in North Korea so it's best to avoid saying anything.

Community Q&A

• Remember that even for minor crimes, you could be imprisoned for several years or for a life sentence, or even be executed. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
• Do not disrespect any of the past or current leaders; it is a crime. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Traveling to high-risk areas like North Korea raises the risk of kidnapping, theft, rape, injury or hostage-taking. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• The risk of arrest and detainment is high, even if you are adequately prepared. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Getting used to the culture can be difficult: what might not be considered a crime in your home country can be considered a crime under North Korean law enforcement. [17] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• If you travel without a special validation passport, then you can be arrested by either North Korean officials or your home country's officials. [18] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• It is illegal to call the country North Korea while you're there. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
• It is best to stay silent, not to touch anything, and to view everything with your eyes. You can share your experiences afterwards. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• If you visit the Demilitarized Zone from either North or South Korea, you also should remain silent. Both North and South Korean guards can arrest or hurt you if you do not obey their orders. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Don't try to overthrow the government; you will be punished in the same manner as if you were to overthrow your own government. As obvious as it may sound, someone actually tried it and did not get away easily. [19] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 2
• Breaking any law in North Korea can result in being taken to a labor camp where you will face horrible conditions and torture. Always be extremely careful not to break any laws. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/us/otto-warmbier-north-korea-dies.html?module=inline
• ↑ https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/north-korea/entry-requirements
• ↑ https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/07/what-its-like-to-travel-to-north-korea.html
• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/travel/north-korea-travel.html
• ↑ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heres-what-it-will-cost-you-to-travel-to-north-korea/
• ↑ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/high-risk-travelers.html
• ↑ https://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=410
• ↑ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/KoreaDemocraticPeoplesRepublicof.html
• ↑ https://www.dfa.ie/travel/citizens-registration/
• ↑ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/north-korea-travel-advisory.html
• ↑ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/passport-for-travel-to-north-korea.html
• ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/29/north-koreas-recipe-for-bargaining-detained-westerner-script-tv-cameras/?utm_term=.465443edfa99

About This Article

Before you can travel to North Korea, you'll need to check your country's official government site to see if they restrict or ban travel to North Korea. Once you're certain you can travel there, book a tour by looking up a tour operator that's been approved by the North Korean government. Although you should be able to find a package with airfare and accommodations, you may still need to book plane tickets to the city where your tour starts. Since the threat of arrest or detention in North Korea is high, make sure you know how to contact your government in case of an emergency. You should also adhere to North Korea's strict laws and cultural regulations on behavior, which make it illegal to perform religious activities or possess items that criticize North Korea. For more tips, like how to stay safe while in North Korea, keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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North Korea has reopened to tourists, but there’s a catch

The secretive state has been closed to visitors since the beginning of the pandemic, but today reopens its doors to a select group

North Korea has reopened its doors to tourists for the first time in four years, with a Russian group arriving in the secretive state today for a four-day trip.

The tourists are the first to visit the country since the beginning of the pandemic. In early 2020 North Korea imposed strict border controls to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and has remained closed to foreign visitors ever since.

The four-day, three-night itinerary will stop at Pyongyang and the Masikryong ski resort, according to a Telegram post published by the government of Primorsky Krai, a region in the far east of Russia that borders North Korea and which incorporates Vladivostok.

The post describes North Korea as “one of the most interesting and mysterious countries in the world” and promises visitors the chance to “immerse yourself in the culture of the country”. The tour operator running the trip, Boctok , sold places on the tour for US$750 (£593) per person, spending one night in a four-star hotel and two in a five-star hotel.

It is not clear whether this trip will mark the return of tourism for other international travellers. Simon Cockerell, general manager at Beijing-based Koryo Tours, told Reuters: “It’s a good sign, but I would hesitate to say it will lead to a broader opening due to the special circumstances for this one trip.

“But given that no tourists have been to North Korea for four-plus years, any tourism trip can be viewed as a positive step forward.”

North Korea’s border remains closed to British tourists, and the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the country. It reads: “While daily life in the capital city Pyongyang may appear calm, the security situation can change quickly with no advance warning about possible actions by the authorities.”

Regent Holidays is among the tour operators that has organised trips to North Korea in recent decades. Carl Meadows, product and travel specialist at Regent, has visited more than 30 times. He said nobody knows when the borders will reopen to British tourists, but he hopes it is soon.

“It is the million-dollar question,” he added. “There has been much speculation about it, in the same way that there has been regular speculation about the imminent fall of the government for many years, but the truth is that nobody really knows.

“With careful assessment, and with certain criteria in place, we would hope to be amongst the first to resume holidays to North Korea. Regent has always had something of a pioneering spirit, and we were the first British tour operator to send clients to North Korea back in 1985.”

The United Nations has condemned North Korea’s human rights record, while Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have highlighted the lack of free speech in the country and prisoner camps for those found guilty of political crimes. It is reported that between 80,000 and 200,000 prisoners are subjected to forced labour, physical abuse and possible execution.

These reports have not deterred Regent and other specialist tour operators, including Cox & Kings, from running tours in the country in recent years. “We focus on the appeal of the destination and its people, and believe that tourism is one of the best ways to broaden the minds of both locals and visitors, and distribute wealth to different levels of society,” Meadows says. 

In 2015, Kim Jong-un announced plans for the country to expand its tourism offering to two million visitors per year . However, this never materialised. Before the pandemic, only around 5,000 foreign visitors (excluding Chinese tourists) were granted entry to North Korea per year. That’s around half the number of people who queue up for the London Eye every day.

Some visitors have suggested that tour groups to North Korea are only ever shown a carefully fabricated version of the country. Telegraph Travel ’s Minty Clinch said “genuine mingling was severely limited” on her visit . Carl Meadows confirmed that things are kept under a close watch.

“All visits to North Korea are strictly controlled,” he said. “This typically means that each group (be it one person or 20) is assigned two guides and a driver. Itineraries are all pre-arranged and prepaid and have just a minor degree of flexibility. Tours are typically designed to see the ‘highlights’, but the same could really be said of any tour anywhere in the world.

“The longer one stays in the country the more one can see of ‘the real’ North Korea. A three-night tour will give visitors a very different overall impression to a more in-depth 18-night tour, which would cover every province and reveal, perhaps unintentionally at times, a more authentic side to the country.”

Meadows said he could fill an entire book with bizarre encounters from North Korea: “Being caught up in city-wide evacuation drills, flying to remote locations in military helicopters, being roped into traditional dancing on national television. No two days are ever the same.

“Its culture is deep, its history rich and its citizens are some of the most welcoming and good-natured people on earth. But of course, it’s unlikely you’ll believe me unless you go and experience it for yourself.”

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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

North Korea travel advice

Latest updates: The Health section was updated - travel health information (Public Health Agency of Canada)

Last updated: March 13, 2024 15:06 ET

On this page

Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, north korea - avoid all travel.

There is no resident Canadian government office in the country. The ability of Canadian officials to provide consular assistance in North Korea is extremely limited.

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Safety information

Canadian (and Swedish) authorities may encounter major difficulties and delays in obtaining consular access to you if you are detained, particularly outside of Pyongyang. The provision of consular access is solely at the discretion of the North Korean government. Knowledge of North Korean police and judicial systems is limited, which may further affect our ability to provide assistance to you.

Tourist facilities are minimal and telecommunications are unreliable. Individual tourism can be arranged only through a handful of North Korean government-approved travel agencies. Travel must be authorized in advance by the government. Travellers are closely observed, and their accommodations and telecommunications are monitored.

There are serious shortages of food, electricity and clean water.

You have no right to privacy. Your movements and communications may be under surveillance at any time. Your personal belongings may be searched, and authorities may review the contents stored on your electronic devices.

Register with the Embassy of Canada to South Korea in Seoul and with the Embassy of Sweden in Pyongyang.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula can escalate with little notice. They may increase before, during and after North Korean nuclear and missile tests, military exercises and incidents such as inter-Korean border skirmishes or other incidents that one or the other side finds offensive. Due to very limited access to international media broadcasts in North Korea, you may be taken by surprise by events that could affect your security.

The crime rate is low. Petty crime occurs, especially at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

Road safety

Travel within North Korea is severely restricted. Transportation is usually provided by local tour representatives or authorities. Major highways are in good condition, while rural roads can be hazardous. Police checkpoints, usually located at the entry to towns, may require that travellers provide documentation before onward travel is permitted.

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the North Korean authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave North Korea.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Canadians must have a visa to enter North Korea. You can obtain a visa from a North Korean mission in a third country after approval from the government in Pyongyang. The process for obtaining visas can be extremely slow and arduous.

Canadians arriving without a valid Canadian passport and visa may be detained, arrested, fined or denied entry.

Professional journalists must apply for special permission to visit North Korea and may not enter the country on a tourist visa, even if they are travelling for personal reasons.

Tourist visa: required Business visa: required Student visa: required

Other entry information

Foreigners can enter North Korea either by air or by train. It is not possible to enter North Korea from South Korea or to enter South Korea from North Korea.

Even if you meet all entry requirements, you may be arbitrarily arrested and/or detained at your point of entry.

Dual citizenship

If you are a Korean citizen or have family ties with North Korea, you should carefully consider your decision to visit. Authorities periodically subject dual citizens and children of former Koreans to certain laws and obligations.

Canadians who also have South Korean citizenship must obtain approval from South Korean authorities for travel to North Korea. For more information, contact the Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea in Seoul, South Korea.

Unauthorized points of entry

Foreigners have been detained, and in one instance shot, for entering the country at unauthorized points. Ensure that you stay within permitted zones and strictly follow North Korea’s procedures and protocols.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre

* It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that can cause swelling of the brain.  It is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Risk is very low for most travellers. Travellers at relatively higher risk may want to consider vaccination for JE prior to travelling.

Travellers are at higher risk if they will be:

• travelling long term (e.g. more than 30 days)
• making multiple trips to endemic areas
• staying for extended periods in rural areas
• visiting an area suffering a JE outbreak
• engaging in activities involving high contact with mosquitos (e.g., entomologists)

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes.   Limited malaria transmission may occur in this destination, but risk to travellers is very low.    Antimalarial medication is not recommended for most travellers. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving.    Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times: 

• Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.
• Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows.
• Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.
• Wear permethrin-treated clothing. 

If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living. 

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

• In this country, risk of  dengue  is sporadic. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
• Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
• The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
• Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue fever.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

Medical services and facilities

The level of medical services and facilities is poor. Hospitals often lack heat and medicine, and suffer from frequent power outages. Immediate payment in cash is expected for treatment. Pyongyang Friendship Hospital, in the Munsu-dong district of Pyongyang, is staffed by English-speaking professionals. If possible, avoid undergoing surgery. Medical evacuations are very difficult to arrange and are not guaranteed. You should take this into account prior to travel if you have an unstable medical condition. If you show symptoms of a serious communicable disease, you may be subject to strict quarantine conditions.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

North Korea is under international and Canadian sanctions . These sanctions could be relevant to and affect your travel.

Foreigners must register through their host organization within 24 hours of arrival in the country.

You must be accompanied by an official guide at all times. Follow all instructions from your guide. Unauthorized conversations with locals or currency exchange, as well as making a purchase in a store not designated for foreigners, could lead to fines or arrest.

Foreigners are prohibited from using public buses or the subway.

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Import and exports

Importation of satellite telephones and shortwave radios is prohibited. Such items are confiscated upon entry and usually returned upon departure.

The import and export of local currency is prohibited.

Authorities may seize any material that they deem to be pornographic, political or intended for religious proselytizing. If you plan to bring material written in the Korean language, ensure that it will not be interpreted by local authorities as being against the interests of the North Korean regime.

Involvement in politics and unsanctioned religious activity can result in detention.

Photography of airports, roads, bridges, seaports and rail stations is prohibited. Any pictures or video taken outside of tourist areas could result in confiscation of equipment or detention. Seek permission from your tour guide before taking photographs.

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in North Korea.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of North Korea, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and North Korea.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in North Korea by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in North Korea to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

• International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
• Travelling with children
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

Ensure that you are not seen to be critical of the country’s political system or its current and former leaders Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-Sung and their family members.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

North Korean law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex. However, homosexuality is not widely accepted in North Korean society.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers have experienced harassment and verbal abuse.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

The currency is North Korean won (KPW). Cash is the most accepted form of payment. Foreigners are expected to use the Euro or, alternatively, the Chinese renminbi or U.S. dollar. Change in foreign currency is often unavailable. Banking facilities are limited. There are no ATMs. Some hotels accept credit cards, if you give them advance notice.

The rainy (monsoon) season extends from the end of June until August. Typhoons occur in August and September.

Severe rainstorms can cause flooding and landslides, which in turn can result in significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, as well as hamper the provision of essential services. North Korea is also prone to drought. Keep informed of regional weather forecasts, avoid disaster areas and follow the advice of local authorities.

Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons

Local services

There is no centralized number to reach emergency services. Research and carry contact information for local police and medical facilities.

Consular assistance

There is no resident Canadian government office in North Korea. You can obtain consular assistance from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang.

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada in South Korea and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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All You Need to Know About Travel to North Korea

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Can I Travel to North Korea? Yes, You Actually Can & Here’s How

Travel to North Korea is not something a lot of people have done. So there’s really not much information about travel to North Korea online. But, people actually do it. (There’s not many).

So why do people travel to North Korea? HOW do you travel to North Korea? And what should you expect once you’re there…

RELATED: I Have Been To North Korea Almost 30 Times & Counting, Why I Keep Going Back

Table of Contents

Who Travels to North Korea?

There are generally three different types of people that travel to North Korea.

• Those glory seekers looking to tell a tale about the time they went to the ‘mysterious Hermit Kingdom’.
• Those interested in communist and socialist countries.
• Those who want to see the country for themselves instead of just through the eyes of the media.

Within these categories, you have all kinds of people. Different ages, social backgrounds, and different nationalities.

Aside from Chinese people, the most common nationality to see in North Korea are Brits, Germans, Australians, Dutch etc… And Americans – before the travel ban.

Yes, that’s right. Trump’s travel ban forbids US citizens from traveling to North Korea (sorry guys). But Biden has suggested that he may be lifting some of these bans. So let’s see!

For now, US citizens cannot go.

RELATED: The Curious Case Of North Korean Currency & Why It Is So Rare

HOW to Travel to the DPRK?

While most people don’t even know you can travel to North Korea, let’s explore the process of how you get there in the first place.

Firstly, you need to go through a tour company. There’s no other way to get into North Korea. No tour company, no visa, no entry. You will then book a tour through the tour company, depending on how many nights you want to stay, where you want to go etc. Tours normally include everything, from travel into the country, to the accommodation and full board. Although you can of course buy anything extra once you’re in North Korea.

The path to get there is through China. You can either take a plane or a train into North Korea, depending on your time and budget. There are also sometimes flights available from Russia and South-East Asian countries.

In North Korea

Rules & politics.

Once you’re in North Korea, you will be met by your North Korean guides. From the moment you arrive, you can’t walk around by yourself. You should always be accompanied by these guides. Contrary to popular opinion, these guides are not the glamorous ‘government minders’ that the media labels them to be. They are trained tour guides who have studied and worked hard to get where they are.

There are a lot more rules for your travel to North Korea, including rules on photography and what you should and shouldn’t do. You’ll get a full briefing from your tour company before you go into North Korea.

A lot of people are concerned with the safety of the trip. Basically, if you stick to the rules, you will be fine.

Can I Bring my Mobile Phone?

Yes, no problem! (But see below)

Can I Talk to Local North Koreans?

Yes, and no. You can try, but they probably won’t want to talk to you and if you don’t know Korean that’s going to be difficult anyway.

What if I Do Something Bad?

Everyone makes mistakes. If you accidentally break the rules once or twice (depending on what it is!) then that’s fine. A guide might pull you aside and mention it to you. If you do it again and again… Mistakes can only be mistakes for so long, and at some point it must be deliberate. Depending on what you do, you could get yourself, the group, or the guides into trouble. If you’re ever unsure, ask your guides!

Check Your Phone and Electronic Devices

You can bring your phone and laptop, but make sure to check your device before you go in. It is not permitted to have any religious material, Korean material, or anything to do with North Korea on you when you go in. Make sure to delete any Korean dramas you might have downloaded!

Where Can I Go?

Foreigners can currently visit all but one province in North Korea. Aside from city life in Pyongyang, you can head out to the countryside to enjoy skiing, hiking, and even going to the beach and swimming in the sea.

In Pyongyang, your visit will mainly comprise of visits to important historical sites and revolutionary sites, as well as famous monuments such as the Juche Tower and the Mansudae Grand Monuments (the big bronze statues).

Other than that, you might even get to go to some fun places like the bowling alley, you could go ice skating, to the spa, coffee shop, or local beer bar.

Seeing is Believing

Surprisingly, it’s not actually all fake! In fact, there is pretty much northing fake about it. It functions as a country and there are people living their lives – not acting – inside. But I suppose you might need to go there before you believe me on that one.

If you’re looking for all the action you get on the media, for example, rocket launches and military parades, you might be disappointed. Military parades happy very rarely, only on special occasions, and even then it is difficult to see as a foreigner.

Accommodation

What’s a North Korean hotel like?

A lot will tell you that all the tourists are put into the same hotel that sits on an island in the middle of the river so you can’t walk off easily. As glitzy as this Alcatraz-like theory is, we have to bust it, unfortunately. There’s over 10 hotels in Pyongyang alone where foreigners can stay – one even with a great view of the party headquarters.

The Alcatraz hotel is called Yanggakdo, and it’s probably one of the most popular hotels to stay in. It’s big, just got refurbished, and has a lot of facilities. It’s also in a convenient location and gives killer views of Pyongyang city in the morning.

The hotels in North Korea would have all been really nice and really fancy… 30 years ago. But they haven’t really had many makeovers since they were first built and therefore sit in a weird out-dated time capsule. Things break and fall off, sometimes there’s no hot water and blackouts do happen sometimes too. But this is much more frequent in the countryside.

Go with an open mind and embrace the “traditional meets kitsch” interiors with a pinch of salt.

Everyone’s favorite topic!

If you love Korean food, you’ll have no problem. If you’re up for trying different foods, you’ll also have no problem. But, if you’re a strict ‘will-only-eat-pizza-and-chips’ kind of person, you might want to re-think your trip to North Korea, or pack a lot of food.

The food in North Korea is plentiful. You eat in traditional Chinese/Korean style, having food presented in the middle of the table and everyone just grabbing a bit of everything. Food ranges from Bibimbap (fried rice) to noodles, sushi, and everything in between! (Apart from pizza and chips).

For those with dietary requirements, they can also cater for you. Just let them know in advance!

Can I Travel To North Korea Final Thoughts

A tour to North Korea is not for the faint-hearted. It’s not a beach holiday in Barbados or a shopping trip in New York. It’s action-packed and you’ll be on the move from 7am to 7pm at night – with some days being longer. You get your most out of the money, and more. But you will be tired. And, you’ll probably leave North Korea with more questions than answers.

Ultimately, I always come back to the same quote. North Korea is pleasantly underwhelming. You may be underwhelmed, in a good way. It’s pretty normal. But sometimes we go in with such prejudice about it from the media. So go in with a good mind and you’ll learn a lot, discover a lot, and want to find out a lot more.

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Very interesting, I wouldn’t have even considered it before. I would still prefer S Korea of course as it has all the amenities and protection I am looking for.a great write up. Have you been to Iran, I tried that a couple times as an American and my Visa was denied.

I agree with your comment. I visited S. Korea a couple of times, on business. Once I spent three months and enjoyed life in S. Korea. I stayed at the “Chosun Hotel” and enjoyed every minute of my stay in S. Korea. S. Koreans are so friendly and so helpful. Their Metro System is perfectly clean as well as all the passengers, but very crowded during business hours and smelly of “KIMSHY” that is very tasty. At mid-day and 06:00pm, Catholic Churches ring the bells and, surisingly, I watched the majority of pedestrians stopped, made the sign of the Cross and prayed for a few minutes, then proceed to walk. I never knew that in S. Korea there were such a great number of Catholics. During one of my trips, my Wife joined me for one month during Christmas and New Year Season. We went to the Catholic Cathedral for the mid-night Mass. The Cathedral was FULL, but they managed to find us two seats at the end of the Church. All of a sudden, the Photographers of a Television Channel observed us, they came staright to photograh us. Apparently, we were the only non-Asians at the Church and my wife was Blond. I love S. Koreans, I love their food, I love their efficiency and I made a lot of Friends.

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A Solution on North Korea Is There, if Biden Will Only Grasp It

By John Delury

Dr. Delury is a professor of Chinese studies and an expert on North Korea.

How do you solve a problem like North Korea?

Since the end of the Cold War, it seems that every formula, from threatening war to promising peace, has been tried. And yet, despite being under more sanctions than just about any other country, North Korea developed a nuclear arsenal estimated at 50 warheads and sophisticated missiles that can, in theory, deliver those weapons to targets in the continental United States.

President Biden’s administration has taken a notably more ambivalent approach toward North Korea than his predecessor Donald Trump, who alternately railed at and courted its leader, Kim Jong-un. But we shouldn’t stop trying to come up with bold ways to denuclearize North Korea, improve the lives of its people or lessen the risks of conflict, even if that means making unpalatable choices. On the contrary, there is more urgency now than there has been for years.

As the analyst Robert Carlin and the nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, two experienced North Korea watchers, warned in January, Mr. Kim has shifted away from pursuing better relations with the United States and South Korea and closer to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and may be preparing for war. Just days after the two experts issued their warning, Mr. Kim disavowed the long-cherished goal of peaceful reconciliation between the two Koreas, and he called for “completely occupying, subjugating and reclaiming” the South if war breaks out.

It might seem preposterous, even suicidal, for Mr. Kim to seek war. But many people in Ukraine doubted that Mr. Putin would launch a full invasion, right up until the rockets began landing in February 2022, and Hamas caught Israel completely by surprise in October. Both conflicts have had devastating human tolls and are severely taxing America’s ability to manage concurrent crises. The people of both Koreas certainly don’t need war, and neither does the United States.

Mr. Kim’s grandfather started the Korean War, and his father was a master of brinkmanship. Mr. Kim is cut from the same cloth and could instigate a limited conflict by, for example, launching an amphibious assault on South Korean-controlled islands in disputed waters of the Yellow Sea, less than 15 miles off North Korea’s coast. North Korea shelled one of the islands in 2010, killing two South Korean military personnel and two civilians and triggering an exchange of artillery with the South. Just two months ago, Pyongyang fired more than 200 shells into waters near the islands.

Mr. Kim may believe he can manage escalation of such a crisis — threatening missile or even nuclear attack to deter retaliation, perhaps taking the islands, then spinning it as a great propaganda victory and demanding a redrawing of maritime boundaries and other security concessions.

If anything like that scenario came to pass, Mr. Biden would have to explain another outbreak of war on his watch to weary American voters. And it would provide Mr. Trump an opportunity to trumpet his willingness to engage with Mr. Kim.

The mutual distrust between Washington and Pyongyang has only deepened under Mr. Biden, making a breakthrough seem unlikely. Yet there are two underappreciated dynamics at play in North Korea where the United States might find leverage.

The first is China. Despite the veneer of Communist kinship, Mr. Kim and President Xi Jinping of China are nationalists at heart, and they watch each other warily. I have made numerous visits to both nations’ capitals and met with officials and policy shapers. The sense of deep mutual distrust is palpable. Many Chinese look down on neighboring North Korea as backward and are annoyed by its destabilizing behavior. Many North Koreans resent China’s success and resist its influence; Pyongyang could allow much more Chinese investment but doesn’t want to be indebted to Chinese capital. And Mr. Kim seems to delight in timing provocations for maximum embarrassment in Beijing, including testing weapons — prohibited by U.N. sanctions — in the lead-up to sensitive Chinese political events .

Mr. Kim waited six years after becoming the paramount leader in 2011 before making a trip to Beijing to meet Mr. Xi. When Covid emerged, North Korea was among the first countries to shut its borders with China, and ties atrophied during those nearly three years of closure . Last year Mr. Kim chose Mr. Putin, not Mr. Xi, for his first postpandemic summit, skipping China to travel to Russia’s far east. Mr. Kim’s distrust of China is an opening for the United States.

The second point is Mr. Kim’s economic ambitions. For every speech mentioning nukes, he talks at much greater length about the poor state of his nation’s economy while promising to improve it. It was the prospect of American-led economic sanctions being lifted that persuaded him to make the 60-hour train ride from Pyongyang to Hanoi to meet then-President Trump for their second summit in 2019. Mr. Kim explicitly offered to dismantle his main nuclear weapons complex, but Mr. Trump demanded the North also turn over all of its nuclear weapons, material and facilities. The talks collapsed, and Mr. Trump seemed to lose interest in dealing with Mr. Kim. A rare opportunity was wasted, leaving Mr. Kim embittered.

The key to any new overture to North Korea is how it is framed. The White House won’t like to hear this, but success will probably depend on Mr. Biden putting his fingerprints all over the effort, by, for example, nominating a new White House envoy with the stature of someone like John Kerry and announcing a sweeping policy on North Korea and an intelligence review. Only the president can get through to Mr. Kim, and only Mr. Kim can change North Korean policy.

Mr. Biden also would need to use radically different language in framing a new overture as an effort to improve relations and aid North Korea’s economy — not to denuclearize a country that in 2022 passed a law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state. Yes, that would be a bitter pill for America to swallow: Denuclearization has been a guiding principle of U.S. policy toward North Korea for decades. But it is unrealistic to pretend that Pyongyang will surrender its nuclear weapons anytime soon. Disarmament can remain a long-term goal but is impossible if the two sides aren’t even talking.

Mr. Biden’s Republican opponents might accuse him of appeasement by engaging with Mr. Kim, but that is precisely what Mr. Trump tried. Mr. Kim, likewise, might mistake boldness for weakness. But it would be easy enough for the United States to pull back from diplomacy if it goes nowhere.

The United States must be realistic. The world is very different from when the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas came together in the 2000s for negotiations to denuclearize North Korea. The country is now a formidable nuclear power, and its leader sounds increasingly belligerent. The president needs to get the wheels of diplomacy turning before it’s too late.

John Delury (@JohnDelury) is a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, the Tsao fellow at the American Academy in Rome and the author of “Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA’s Covert War in China.”

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Kim Jong Un visits tank unit and touts war preparations as North Korea says Japan's leader wants a summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a tank exercise and encouraged his armored forces to sharpen war preparations in the face of growing tensions with South Korea, the North’s state media said Monday.

Kim made those comments Sunday while visiting his top tank group, the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105th Tank Division. The unit’s name marks how it was the first North Korean military unit to reach the South Korean capital in 1950 when a North Korean surprise attack triggered a war that dragged on for almost four years.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have heightened after Kim in past months dialed up his military demonstrations, including tests of nuclear-capable missiles designed to target South Korea, the United States and Japan, while issuing threats of nuclear conflict against its rivals.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have responded by strengthening their combined military exercises and updating their deterrence plans built around strategic U.S. assets.

Also Monday, North Korea said that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offered to meet with Kim “as soon as possible,” but stressed that prospects for their countries first summit in about 20 years would depend on Tokyo tolerating its weapons program and ignoring its past abductions of Japanese nationals.

In a parliamentary session, Kishida said that a meeting with Kim is “crucial” to resolve the abduction issue, a major sticking point in bilateral ties, and that his government has been using various channels to hold the summit.

Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, said in a statement that Kishida recently used an unspecified channel to convey his position that he wants to meet Kim Jong Un in person “as soon as possible.”

She said there will be no breakthrough in North Korea-Japan relations as long as Kishida’s government is engrossed in the abduction issue and interferes in the North’s “exercise of our sovereign right,” apparently referring to the North’s weapons testing activities.

Some experts say North Korea is seeking to improve ties with Japan as a way to weaken the trilateral Tokyo-Seoul-Washington security partnership, while Kishida also wants to use possible progress in the abduction issue to increase his declining approval rating at home.

North Korea and Japan don’t have diplomatic ties, and their relations have been overshadowed by North Korea’s nuclear program, the abduction issue and Japan’s 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Japan’s colonial wrongdoing is a source of on-again, off-again history wrangling between Tokyo and Seoul, as well.

There are concerns North Korea could further dial up pressure on its rivals and intensify its weapons testing activities in what is an election year in both the United States and South Korea. Kim Jong Un has supervised a series of missile tests and other military drills this year.

Photos published by North Korean state media on Monday showed Kim talking with military officers at an observation post and tanks with North Korean flags rolling through dirt, with at least one of the vehicles carrying a sign that read: “Annihilate U.S. invaders who are staunch enemies of the Korean people!”

The official Korean Central News Agency said Kim praised the 105th Division as a model for his entire army “in the ongoing struggle … for finishing war preparations.” He also issued instructions to improve the unit’s combat preparations and upgrade its equipment, the report said.

Jeon Ha Gyu, spokesperson of South Korea’s Defense Ministry, said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were closely monitoring North Korean military activities but did not provide a specific assessment of the details reported by North Korean state media.

Kim earlier this month supervised a training competition between his military’s tank units, which was won by the 105th Division. The event on March 13 also featured a new North Korean battle tank meant to underscore Kim’s efforts to strengthen his conventional military capabilities along with his arsenal of missiles.

Last week, North Korea conducted a live-fire drill of large-size multiple rocket launchers designed to target Seoul and also claimed a successful engine test in its efforts to build a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile, which would be aimed at remote U.S. targets in the Pacific, including the military hub of Guam.

There are concerns North Korea could further dial up pressure in what is an election year in both the United States and South Korea.

While most analysts doubt Kim is genuinely preparing for war, South Korean officials have raised the possibility of smaller provocations in border regions, including the disputed western sea boundary between the Koreas that has been the site of bloody skirmishes in past years.

In a fiery speech to Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament in January, Kim declared that he was abandoning North Korea’s long-standing goal of reconciliation with the South and ordered the rewriting of the North’s constitution to cement its war-divided rival as its most hostile adversary. He said the new charter must specify North Korea would annex and subjugate the South if another war broke out.

The Associated Press

North Korean leader Kim visits tank unit and touts war preparations in face of tensions with Seoul

The Associated Press

March 24, 2024, 11:12 PM

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a tank exercise and encouraged his armored forces to sharpen war preparations in the face of growing tensions with South Korea, the North’s state media said Monday.

Kim made those comments Sunday while visiting his top tank group, the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105th Tank Division. The unit’s name marks how it was the first North Korean military unit to reach the South Korean capital in 1950 when a North Korean surprise attack triggered a war that dragged on for almost four years.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have heightened after Kim in past months dialed up his military demonstrations, including tests of nuclear-capable missiles designed to target South Korea, the United States and Japan, while issuing threats of nuclear conflict against its rivals.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have responded by strengthening their combined military exercises and updating their deterrence plans built around strategic U.S. assets.

Photos published by North Korean state media showed Kim talking with military officers at an observation post and tanks with North Korean flags rolling through dirt, with at least one of the vehicles carrying a sign that read: “Annihilate U.S. invaders who are staunch enemies of the Korean people!”

The official Korean Central News Agency said Kim praised the 105th Division as a model for his entire army “in the ongoing struggle … for finishing war preparations.” He also issued instructions to improve the unit’s combat preparations and upgrade its equipment, the report said.

Jeon Ha Gyu, spokesperson of South Korea’s Defense Ministry, said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were closely monitoring North Korean military activities but did not provide a specific assessment of the details reported by North Korean state media.

Kim earlier this month supervised a training competition between his military’s tank units, which was won by the 105th Division. The event on March 13 also featured a new North Korean battle tank meant to underscore Kim’s efforts to strengthen his conventional military capabilities along with his arsenal of missiles.

Last week, North Korea conducted a live-fire drill of large-size multiple rocket launchers designed to target Seoul and also claimed a successful engine test in its efforts to build a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile , which would be aimed at remote U.S. targets in the Pacific, including the military hub of Guam.

There are concerns North Korea could further dial up pressure in what is an election year in both the United States and South Korea.

While most analysts doubt Kim is genuinely preparing for war, South Korean officials have raised the possibility of smaller provocations in border regions, including the disputed western sea boundary between the Koreas that has been the site of bloody skirmishes in past years.

In a fiery speech to Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament in January, Kim declared that he was abandoning North Korea’s long-standing goal of reconciliation with the South and ordered the rewriting of the North’s constitution to cement its war-divided rival as its most hostile adversary. He said the new charter must specify North Korea would annex and subjugate the South if another war broke out.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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North Korea's military is getting more than weapons testing can offer by letting Russia fire its missiles at Ukraine

• North Korea is gathering invaluable data by letting Russia use its missiles and ammo in Ukraine.
• A South Korean official warned Ukraine has become a "test site" for North Korea's missiles.
• Both Putin and Kim stand to gain considerably from closer Russian-North Korean relations.

The front lines in Ukraine, bloody and bruised from one two years of brutal full-scale war, are proving opportunistic for North Korea.

Through its arms deal with Russia, the so-called "Hermit Kingdom" is able to collect useful data on the performance of its artillery ammunition, rockets, and ballistic missiles. Ukraine's emergence as a "test site" for North Korean weapons, as a South Korean official described it, marks the first clearly visible benefits of closer Russian-North Korean relations.

At a Monday event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Jung H. Pak talked about relations between Russia and North Korea, highlighting what the latter has to gain from sending weapons to Russia for its forces to use in Ukraine.

North Korean ballistic missiles, she said, "are killing Ukrainian people, destroying Ukrainian lives, and certainly this is an abhorrent violation of UN Security Council resolutions."

She said that she can't help but think "about what this does for Kim Jong Un and for North Korea that you have a permanent member of the UN Security Council buying arms and using North Korea's banned ballistic missiles against a country."

Pak said it seemed as if Russia was blatantly disregarding nonproliferation norms and noted that "North Korea certainly is not doing this for free."

"They're almost certainly looking for things like fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, ballistic missile technologies, and other technologies or armored vehicles," she said, adding that there was a lot Russia could provide. There are many ways North Korea could benefit from this arrangement.

All of the developments being seen amount to a "pretty fraught moment," Pak said, "in terms of nonproliferation, what it means for actual war fighting, and what North Korea might be learning about its weapons systems because Russia is actually using it on the battlefield."

Earlier this year, the US accused the Russians of using short-range ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in multiple strikes in Ukraine late last year, citing declassified intelligence . South Korea had previously reported in November 2023 that North Korea had likely delivered SRBMs and launchers, along with other munitions and artillery as part of a larger arms deal.

While both Russia and North Korea have denied the existence of any such deal, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a high-profile meeting last September to discuss closer military cooperation between the two states , specifically so that Russia could get North Korean weapons in order to replenish its then dwindling ammo stockpiles.

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In return, it was suspected that North Korea might request the various technologies and educated personnel it needs for advanced weapons programs, US officials said at the time, including capabilities for its air force and nuclear weapons.

But Putin and Kim's meeting left vague uncertainties about just how far cooperation between the two could go. Was Russia that desperate for ammo that it would be willing to assist North Korea with its military wish list? It was hard to know.

Then, in October 2023, the White House tracked what it identified as more than 1,000 containers of equipment and ammo sent from North Korea to Russia. A month later, South Korea said there'd been about 10 such transfers since August.

In total, North Korea is believed to have sent at least a million shells to Russia, beating out the European Union's collective aid to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

North Korea's arms transfers to Russia, and the reported use of North Korea's ballistic missiles in Ukraine, arose during a January 2024 United Nations Security Council meeting .

The US and its allies condemned Russia for violating UN resolutions on North Korea. Russia didn't explicitly deny it had fired North Korean missiles, but it did call out "anti-Russian propaganda," saying there had been evidence that the use of such missiles was misinformation.

Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said that Russia was "flagrantly violating Council resolutions to attack another UN member state," and he added that its arms deal with North Korea was "undermining the global nonproliferation regime."

South Korea's ambassador to the UN, Hwang Joon-kook, said the consequences of such an arms deal went a step further than just closer cooperation between Russia and North Korea, saying North Korea is gaining "valuable technical and military insight" by allowing Russia to use its missiles in Ukraine .

"By exporting missiles to Russia, the DPRK uses Ukraine as the test site of its nuclear-capable missiles," he added.

While there are no specific details on which North Korean missiles have been used in Ukraine, experts have assessed Russia has fired KN-23s, which North Korea has claimed can carry nuclear warheads.

"From the ROK [Republic of Korea] standpoint, it amounts to a simulated attack," he said.

But just because North Korea is getting actual combat data on its missiles in Ukraine doesn't mean it hasn't continued its own testing. Just Monday morning, it launched multiple SRBMs into its eastern waters , South Korea reported. It's the first in over a month but the latest in an increasingly frequent testing schedule. It also came only days after South Korea and the US wrapped major joint military drills.

Those 11-day drills involved computer-simulated training and 48 field exercises, double last year's. Throughout the drill, North Korea conducted its own exercises, projecting strength with various tank, artillery, and paratrooper missions.

North Korea's latest missile test also occurred while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul.

Experts have said 2024 is a big year for North Korea on a variety of fronts, as its relationship with Russia and potentially China grows stronger , and the 2024 US presidential election raises the potential for tension in the region.

Watch: North Korea flies warplanes near South Korea border, triggering drills

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Russia only nation to veto UN monitoring of sanctions of North Korea

China abstained from the vote on Thursday, while the remaining 13 council members all voted in favour of renewing the group of experts which has monitored UN sanctions against North Korea for the past 15 years.

News reporter @Reemul_B

Thursday 28 March 2024 17:40, UK

Russia was the only nation to veto the annual renewal of a panel of experts who monitor the enforcement of longstanding UN sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile activities.

The block comes as the US has accused Pyongyang of transferring weapons to the Kremlin, which Russia has used in the Ukraine war .

Both countries have denied the allegations but said there was a desire to strengthen military relations last year.

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un met at Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome in September, when the North Korean leader had pledged his support to Moscow to "fight against imperialism".

Mr Kim also said he was "convinced" that the "heroic Russian army" would triumph in its war with Ukraine - a conflict he referred to by the Kremlin's preferred term of "special military operation".

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China abstained from the vote on Thursday, while the remaining 13 council members - including permanent seats of the UK, US and France - all voted in favour of renewing the group of experts which has monitored UN sanctions for the past 15 years.

The mandate for the current panel is to expire on 30 April 2024.

The veto comes almost a week after Moscow's Crocus City Hall was attacked , leaving more than 140 people dead.

In response to Russia's decision, Robert Wood, the deputy US ambassador to the UN, said: "Moscow has undermined the prospect of the peaceful, diplomatic resolution of one of the world's most dangerous nuclear proliferation issues."

South Korea's UN ambassador Joonkook Hwang said: "This is almost comparable to destroying a CCTV to avoid being caught red-handed."

Meanwhile, Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the council before the vote that Western nations were trying to "strangle" North Korea and sanctions have proven "irrelevant" and "detached from reality" in limiting its nuclear mission.

Mr Nebenzia criticised the experts' previous monitoring saying they were "playing into the hands" of the West by adopting biased strategies.

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The veto does not alter the sanctions, which remain in force.

North Korea has been under several UN Security Council sanctions since 2006, including banning the trade of weapons and military equipment and freezing the assets of people involved in nuclear activities.

However, the totalitarian state has not denuclearised and even vowed to increase the country's stock of nuclear weapons this year.

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The monitors' most recent report investigated dozens of suspected cyberattacks by North Korea that raked in $3bn (£2.375bn) to help it further develop its nuclear weapons program.

Pyongyang has previously denied allegations of hacking or other cyberattacks.

The geopolitical split is evident as China and Russia have said joint military drills by the US and South Korea provoke North Korea, while the US has blamed its accusers of encouraging Pyongyang by shielding it from more sanctions.

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• North Korea
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