Nordkorea - North Korea

	ADVARSEL: USA forbyder rejser med amerikanske pas uden særlig tilladelse, og sådan rejse er en forbrydelse, der kan straffes i henhold til amerikansk lov. Canada anbefaler imod alle rejse til Nordkorea, og New Zealand, Australien, Irland og Storbritannien anbefaler, at du genovervejer dit behov for at rejse.
	Regeringens rejsevejledninger Australien Canada Irland New Zealand Det Forenede Kongerige Forenede Stater
	(Information sidst opdateret august 2020)

Nordkorea (Koreansk: 조선 Chosŏn), officielt Den Demokratiske Folkerepublik Korea eller Nordkorea (조선 민주주의 인민 공화국 Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk) er verdens mest isolerede land og et af de mest undertrykkende og underudviklede. Det er placeret i øst Asien på den Den koreanske halvø, som er delt mellem Nord og Sydkorea siden 1950'erne.

Rejse giver mulighed for at se den sidste grænse for Kold krig, hvor et samfund stadig kører under en streng stalinistisk regeringsførelse med vægt på militæret, og den økonomiske udvikling ligger tydeligt bag de andre nationer i regionen. Turister må kun rejse til Nordkorea som en del af en guidet tur, og uafhængig rejse er ikke tilladt. Besøgende overvåges konstant for at sikre, at deres interaktion med lokalbefolkningen styres for at forhindre aktiviteter såsom at tage "uegnede" fotos, kritik af Nordkorea, manglende respekt over for den store leder eller tale med lokalbefolkningen uden tilladelse.

Cirka 1.500 vestlige turister besøger Nordkorea hvert år. De fleste gennemfører rejsen uden hændelser, så længe de følger deres evigt tilstedeværende guider. Der er sket hændelser, og når de gør det, er det vanskeligt at finde en behørig proces. Den mest sandsynlige konsekvens af nogen problemer med myndighederne er en tilbageholdelsesperiode før deportation. Du skal ikke rejse til Nordkorea, hvis du ikke er villig til at acceptere alvorlige begrænsninger i din bevægelse og adfærd eller risikoen for vilkårlig tilbageholdelse på ubestemt tid.

Regioner

Nordkoreas regioner - Farvekodet kort

Donghae-kysten (Chongjin, Hamhung, Rason, Nord Hamgyong, Syd Hamgyong, Kangwon, Kŭmgang-san)

Baekdu-bjergene (Ryanggang, Chagang)

Pyongan (Nord P'yongan, Syd P'yongan, Kaechon, Nampho, Pyongyang, Shinuiju)

Hwanghae (Nord Hwanghae, Syd Hwanghae, Kaesong)

Byer

• 39.019125.7381 Pyongyang (평양 시) - hovedstaden og den tidligere hovedstad i Goguryeo i løbet af de tre kongeriger
• 41.783129.7662 Chongjin (청진) - Industriel by i det nordøstlige, meget sjældent besøgt af turister
• 39.916127.5333 Hamhung (함흥시) - Nordlige by, også sjældent på officielle rejseplaner
• 39.698125.9064 Kaechon (개천 시)
• 37.966126.555 Kaesong (개성시) - tidligere hovedstad under Goryeo-dynastiet
• 38.733125.46 Nampho (남포시) - industrielt centrum og havn på vestkysten
• 42.344130.3847 Rason (라선시) - Frihandelszone ved den russiske grænse, komplet med casino
• 40.1124.48 Sinuiju (신의주 시) - dyster industriby lige ved grænsen til Kina. Sandsynligvis de nemmeste måder at se ind i landet udefra
• 39.147127.4469 Wonsan (원산 시) - Havneby på østkysten åbner langsomt for turister, og den har det første skisportssted i landet

Andre destinationer

• 38.688056128.2002781 Kumgangsan (금강산) - de naturskønne Diamond Mountains, der er tilgængelige på ture fra syd
• 40.018611126.3330562 Myohyangsan (묘향산) - dette mystiske duftende bjerg er en af ​​Nordens bedste vandrepletter
• 42.005556128.0552783 Baekdu-bjergene (백두산) - det højeste bjerg i Korea og Kim-dynastiets mytiske fødested
• 37.956126.6774 Panmunjom (판문점) - den sidste forpost for den kolde krig i DMZ mellem syd og nord

Forstå

Historie

Forhistorie og grundlæggelse af en nation

Se også: Pre-moderne Korea

Arkæologiske fund fra forhistorisk værktøjsfremstilling på den koreanske halvø går tilbage til 70.000 f.Kr. med det første keramik, der blev fundet omkring 8000 f.Kr. Karmønster keramik kultur toppede omkring 3500-2000 f.Kr.

Legenden siger, at Korea begyndte med grundlæggelsen af ​​Gojoseon (også kaldet Ancient Chosun) af den legendariske Dangun i 2333 f.Kr. Arkæologiske og samtidige skriftlige optegnelser om Gojoseon som et kongerige dateres tilbage til omkring 7.- 4. århundrede f.Kr. Gojoseon blev til sidst besejret af det kinesiske Han-dynasti i 108 f.Kr. og dets territorier blev styret af fire kinesiske kommanderier, men dette varede ikke længe. Indfødte på halvøen og Manchuria genvandt snart territoriet, nemlig de tre kongeriger i Korea, Goguryeo, Silla og Baekje. Det Goguryeo Kingdom (eller Koguryo) styrede hele området i det moderne Nordkorea såvel som dele af Manchuria og de nordlige dele af det moderne Sydkorea. Buddhistisk og konfuciansk lære var fremtrædende i Goguryeo-kongeriget, der vedtog buddhismen som statsreligion i 372. På trods af gentagne forsøg fra Kina, nemlig Sui-dynastiet og senere Tang-dynastiet, på at erobre den koreanske halvø, formåede det nordlige Goguryeo at afvise den koreanske halvø. dem. Til sidst faldt Goguryeo til en Silla-Tang-alliance, som tidligere havde besejret Baekje. Dette samlede Korea under Silla-dynastiet. Selvom Tang senere invaderede, lykkedes det Silla-styrker at køre dem ud og dermed opretholde Koreas uafhængighed.

Unified Silla blev erstattet af Goryeo (også kaldet Koryo) dynasti, hvorfra det moderne navn "Korea" stammer. Et højdepunkt i Goryeo-dynastiet var, at verdens første metal-bevægelige type i 1234 blev opfundet af en koreaner ved navn Choe Yun-ui (200 år før Gutenbergs trykpresse).

Buddhistisk læring spredte sig i løbet af denne tid, og de tidligere Baekje og Goguryeo ledere blev behandlet godt. Kongeriget oplevede relativ fred indtil det 8. og 9. århundrede, da klanledere førte oprør og væltede Silla og etablerede Goryeo-dynastiet, hvorfra vesterlændinge stammer fra navnet "Korea". I denne periode led nationen mongolske invasioner, hvilket førte til uro og den endelige oprettelse af Joseon-dynastiet i 1392.

Kapital	Pyongyang
betalingsmiddel	Nordkoreansk vandt (KPW)
Befolkning	25,4 millioner (2017)
Elektricitet	220 volt / 55 ± 5 hertz og 110 volt / 55 ± 5 hertz (NEMA 1-15, Europlug, Schuko)
Landekode	850
Tidszone	UTC 09:00
Kørselsside	ret
rediger på Wikidata

Joseon-dynastiet

Joseon-dynastiet var en af ​​de længstlevende dynastier i verden (512 år), der regerede fra 1392 indtil 1910. Kong Sejong den Store 's regel blev især fejret, da han hjalp med at skabe det koreanske script, choson'gul, som tillod selv almindelige at blive læsefærdige. Han udvidede også nationens militære magt til at uddrive japanske pirater og nordlige nomader og genvinde territorier, der var gået tabt. Japanerne invaderede Korea under ledelse af Toyotomi Hideyoshi, skønt Joseon-dynastiet formåede at køre dem ud med støtte fra Kinas Ming-dynasti, omend med store tab på den koreanske halvø. På trods af sine tab oplevede nationen omkring 200 års fred, og dens isolationistiske politik tillod den at videreudvikle en unik koreansk kultur og identitet.

Hurtig modernisering omrørt af den anden industrielle revolution skabte spændinger mellem Kina og Japan, da de følte presset fra den vestlige ekspansionisme, som hver især ønskede at udvide deres indflydelse over Korea. Efterfølgende krige mellem Japan, Kina og Rusland førte til øget japansk indflydelse over halvøen, hvilket resulterede i, at Japan annekterede Korea i 1910 og markerede afslutningen på Joseon-dynastiet og den koreanske uafhængighed.

Japansk besættelse og et splittet Korea

Se også: Koreakrigen

Japanerne udøvede halvøens styre indtil deres nederlag i 2. verdenskrig i 1945. Japan blev tvunget til at overgive territoriet, og de allierede magter delte nationen ved den 38. parallel, hvor Sovjetunionen besatte den nordlige halvdel og De Forenede Stater besatte den sydlige halvdel. . Opdelingen skulle være midlertidig; dog førte den politiske magtkamp mellem de to nationer for at få indflydelse over det forenede Korea hver til at etablere regeringer inden for deres nyoprettede territorier. Nordkorea blev etableret som sin egen nation i 1948 med støtte fra Sovjetunionen efter den sovjetiske kommunistiske model, med Kim Il-Sung som sin leder, mens Syngman Rhee på omtrent samme tid etablerede et kapitalistisk regime med støtte fra USA i syd.

Agitation mellem nord og syd kom til en spids i 1950, da nord startede Koreakrigen ved at forsøge at genforene landet under dets vilkår ved at starte en invasion. Sovjetunionen og Kina kæmpede sammen med nord mod syd, som igen blev støttet af De Forenede Nationers (FN) styrker ledet af Forenede Stater. FN-styrkerne kørte de nordkoreanske styrker helt op til den kinesiske grænse, hvorefter kinesiske forstærkninger tvang FN-styrkerne til at blive drevet tilbage sydpå. Krigen resulterede endelig i underskrivelsen af ​​et våbenhvile i 1953 og opretholdt stort set de oprindelige grænser, der blev sat før krigen. Fordi der ikke er undertegnet nogen fredsaftale siden våbenhvilen, blev nationerne i Sydkorea og Nordkorea er officielt stadig i krig.

Moderne Nordkorea

Symbolerne for det koreanske arbejderparti: hammeren til arbejderen, seglen til bonden og børsten til den intellektuelle

Kommunistisk propaganda i Pyongyang

Med nationen i klem efter krigen lancerede Kim Il-Sung en kampagne for at forene folket ved at ærekrænke Forenede Stater med sovjetisk støtte og udrensning af nationen af ​​dissidenter og enhver, der troede at være imod ham. Han tog side med Kina under den kinesisk-sovjetiske splittelse om kommunistisk filosofi, fordi han ikke kunne lide Krushchevs reformer, men begyndte at rose Sovjetunionen igen, da Kina gennemgik sin kulturrevolution og belastede forbindelserne med begge naboer. Derfor udviklede han sin egen ideologi, Juche ("selvtillid") for at skabe den slags kommunisme, han ønskede for sin nation. Kim Il-Sung tilføjede og klargjorde Juche-ideologien gennem hele sit liv for at retfærdiggøre sine regeringsbeslutninger.

Koreakrigen delte ikke kun folket, men det delte også arbejdsstyrken. Da halvøen blev samlet, havde Nordkorea de fleste af landets industrier, mens Sydkorea var landbrugscentret. Denne kløft tillod, at Nordkorea oprindeligt hoppede tilbage hurtigere end Syd i genopbygningsprocessen. Sovjetunionen finansierede derefter landbrugsindsatsen i nord i overensstemmelse med den kommunistiske model. Dette system begyndte at opklare i slutningen af ​​1970'erne og 1980'erne, da det sovjetiske system begyndte at vakle. Efter afslutningen af ​​den sovjetiske bistand efter opløsningen i 1991 var der ingen måde at fortsætte med at støtte landbrugssystemernes behov for brændstof, gødning og udstyr. Efter så mange år med dårlig forvaltning af regeringen og den dårlige timing af alvorlige oversvømmelser kollapsede Nords landbrugssystem i midten af ​​1990'erne, hvilket førte til udbredt hungersnød og død for utallige nordkoreanere. Kim Il-Sungs død i 1994 fandt sted, mens nationen forsøgte at tackle krisen og bremsede regeringens reaktion, da den nye leder, Kim Jong-Il, indtog sin fars holdning.

Norden tillod endelig internationale nødhjælpsagenturer at hjælpe, og de værste aspekter af hungersnød blev begrænset. DPRK er dog fortsat stærkt afhængig af international fødevarehjælp for at fodre befolkningen og samtidig fortsætte med at bruge ressourcer på sin songun, eller "militær først", politik, som Kim Jong-Il introducerede og anvendte i forbindelse med sin fars Juche ideologi (som han "fortolkede").

I dag opretholder Nordkorea en hær på omkring 1 million infanterister, mest stationeret tæt på DMZ, der deler de to Koreaer. Nordkoreas langtrækkende missiludvikling og forskning i nukleare, kemiske og biologiske våben og massive konventionelle væbnede styrker er af største bekymring for det internationale samfund. I december 2002 afskedigede Kim Jong-Il sig af en "aftalt ramme" fra 1994 underskrevet af sin far, der krævede lukning af dets atomreaktorer, udvisning af FN-overvågere og yderligere frygt for, at nationen ville producere atomvåben. Missiltestning blev udført i 1998, 2006 og april 2009. I oktober 2006 meddelte Nordkorea, at det havde gennemført sin første atomforsøg. Disse aktioner har ført til FN og andre internationale sanktioner.

Aktuelle forhandlinger, især "sekspartisamtaler", der involverer Kina, Rusland, Japan, Nordkorea, Sydkorea og USA, sigter mod at bringe en stopper for DPRK's atomvåbenprogram i håb om, at en fredsaftale til officielt afslutte Koreakrigen kan der endelig blive aftalt, hvilket baner vejen for åbningen af ​​diplomatiske bånd mellem Nordkorea og USA. Desværre blev et sydkoreansk skib i marts 2010 sunket nær den 38. parallel, hvilket øgede spændingerne mellem Nord- og Sydkorea. Selvom Nordkorea hævder ikke at have angrebet skibet, er skylden stort set blevet pålagt Nordkorea.

Kim Jong-Ils død i slutningen af ​​2011 skabte en vis usikkerhed under magtoverførslen til sin søn Kim Jong-Un; skønt landet ser ud til at have stabiliseret sig siden, er der sket betydelige spændinger med mellemrum.

Regering og politik

Nordkorea er et totalitært diktatur. Regeringen ledes af State Affairs Commission (SAC), der fastlægger national politik og er direkte ansvarlig for militæret. Den øverste leder (Kim Jong-un) er formand for SAC såvel som leder af Koreas Arbejderparti og flere andre positioner. Oven på den administrative gren af ​​regeringen er kabinettet, der ledes af premierministeren (som en premierminister). Skabet udnævnes af den unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), der leder den lovgivende gren, skønt lovforslag udarbejdes af partiet, og SPA'en med næsten 700 personer næsten altid overfører dem uden debat eller ændring. Desuden er det i fordybning, undtagen et par dage om året, hvilket giver mest autoritet i hænderne på 15-personers præsidium. Retsvæsenet ledes af højesteret, hvis tre dommere er valgt, partiske og ansvarlige over for SPA. Retsvæsenet er ikke uafhængigt og har ikke beføjelse til at tilsidesætte regeringens lovgivende eller udøvende grene, og indblanding fra sikkerhedsstyrker er et udbredt problem.

Mennesker

Nordkorea er muligvis den mest etnisk homogene nation på jorden, idet alle er koreanske undtagen et par hundrede udlændinge. Disse udlændinge er for det meste diplomatiske eller bistandsagenturer sammen med en lille japansk befolkning, der har koreansk herkomst. Næsten ingen sydkoreanere bor i Nordkorea.

Det nordkoreanske samfund er stærkt delt og organiseret langs et kastesystem kendt som Songbun. Medlemskab af en af ​​tre hovedgrupper bestemmes ikke kun af den enkeltes politiske, sociale og økonomiske baggrund, men også af deres families for de foregående tre generationer. Uddannelse og faglige muligheder defineres effektivt af individets klasse.

Klima

Pyongyang set om morgenen

Klimaet er generelt klassificeret som kontinentalt, med nedbør koncentreret om sommeren. Sommermånederne er varme, men vintertemperaturer kan falde så lave som -30 ° C. Sent forårstørke efterfølges ofte af alvorlig oversvømmelse. Der er lejlighedsvis tyfoner i det tidlige efterår.

Terræn

For det meste bakker og bjerge adskilt af dybe, smalle dale; kystnære sletter er brede i vest og diskontinuerlige i øst. Det bjergrige indre er både isoleret og tyndt befolket.

Læs

Intet at misunde: Almindelige liv i Nordkorea, Barbara Demick. En fremragende bog, der fortæller livet for seks nordkoreanere, der formåede at defekte og finde vej til Sydkorea. Giver et overbevisende billede af elendighederne og lejlighedsvis skønhed i almindelige nordkoreaners liv under hungersnød i 1990'erne. ISBN 0385523912

Eyes of the Tailless Animals: Prison Memoirs of a North Korean Womanaf Soon Ok Lee. Førstehåndsregnskaber for fængselssystemet i Nordkorea

Undslippe fra lejr 14: En mands bemærkelsesværdige odyssé fra Nordkorea til frihed i Vestenaf Blaine Harden. Den fascinerende historie om Shin Dong-hyuk, en af ​​de eneste kendte overlevende i en nordkoreansk fængselslejr, og hans farlige rejse ud af landet.

Uden dig er der ingen osaf Suki Kim. Et fascinerende stykke efterforskningsjournalistik om engelskundervisning som udlænding i Pyongyang.

Hop ind

Visumrestriktioner: Det amerikanske udenrigsministerium udstedte et rejseforbud, der forbyder rejser til Nordkorea med et amerikansk pas. Der kan gives meget begrænsede undtagelser, hovedsagelig for journalister og hjælpearbejdere; detaljer her. Folk, der har besøgt Nordkorea, har ikke adgang til USA under visumfritagelsesprogrammet og skal i stedet ansøge om et amerikansk visum. Rejseadvarsel

	COVID-19 Information: Nordkorea har lukke ned dets grænse til udenlandske turister.
	(Information sidst opdateret 12. sep 2020)

At besøge Nordkorea kan være udfordrende, og du har ikke friheden til at udforske landet uden en nordkoreansk eskorte, hverken som en del af en gruppe- eller individuel tur. Adgangsbetingelser ændres ofte og uden varsel afhængigt af den geopolitiske situation. For eksempel var Nordkorea næsten lukket for turisme mellem oktober 2014 og marts 2015 på grund af en Ebola-skræmme, på trods af at der ikke var nogen tilfælde af sygdommen i eller overalt i landet.

Visum

Turistvisum ligner meget dette nordkoreanske arbejdsvisum

Borgerne i næsten alle lande har brug for et visum, som kun udstedes, efter at din tur er blevet reserveret og godkendt af de nordkoreanske myndigheder.

Turister arrangerer typisk et turistvisum ved at booke en tur med et rejsebureau, der organiserer sådanne ture. Rejsebureauerne behandler normalt visumet på deres vegne, skønt turister i nogle tilfælde skal have et kort telefoninterview med den nordkoreanske ambassade for at verificere deres identitet og deres job. I de fleste tilfælde gennemføres interviewet på en venlig måde, så det er ikke noget at være bekymret for. Visum bekræftes ofte kun dagen før turen, men sjældent vil en turist nogensinde blive afvist, medmindre du viser, at du er af politisk status eller journalist.

Nordkoreanske turistvisum udstedes ofte på et turistkort. Hvis man tilmelder sig en rejsegruppe, udstedes gruppevisum ofte på separate papirark, der indeholder alle medlemmerne af gruppen, vedhæftet et turistkort, der bærer navnet på rejselederen. Selve dette visum er aldrig i besiddelse af turisterne, selvom turister kan bede om at tage et foto af deres visum. Under alle omstændigheder placeres der ingen stempel i pas. Den eneste måde, hvorpå et visum og indgangsstempel bliver stemplet på pas, er når visumet udstedes inden for en nordkoreansk ambassade i Europa.

Yderligere begrænsninger

Journalister eller dem, der mistænkes for at være journalister, kræver særlig tilladelse, hvilket er ret vanskeligt at få. Nordkoreanerne tillader ikke journalister at besøge landet på turistvisum.

Borgerne i Malaysia blev forhindret i at forlade Nordkorea efter mordet på Kim Jong-Nam i marts 2017, hvor Malaysia ønskede flere nordkoreanske diplomater og statsborgere til afhøring. Mens begrænsningerne for malaysere, der forlader Nordkorea, nu er blevet ophævet, er æraen med visumfri rejse mellem disse engang relativt 'venlige' lande forbi.

Borgerne i Sydkorea har ikke tilladelse til at komme ind i Nordkorea, medmindre de har tilladelse fra regeringerne i både Norden til indrejse og Syd fra Enhedsministeriet (통일부). Sydkoreanske borgere kan blive udsat for en lang fængselsstraf i henhold til National Security Act (국가 보안법) ved deres tilbagevenden, hvis de ikke får tilladelse på forhånd. Sydkoreanske borgere, der rejser til Nordkorea med et pas fra et andet land, risikerer stadig retsforfølgelse.

I modsætning til rygter, Israelere og jødiske borgere i andre lande står ikke over for yderligere begrænsninger.

Ture

Kijong-dong landsby, i DMZ nær Panmunjom

Nordkorea kan kun besøges af en organiseret tur, men dette kan være en stor gruppe eller en fest af en. Priserne starter omkring $1,000/€700/£580 til en 5-dages grupperejse inklusive indkvartering, måltider og transport fra Beijing, men kan gå betydeligt op, hvis du vil rejse rundt i landet eller "uafhængigt" (som din egen eskorterede gruppe). Rejsearrangører / rejsebureauer, der organiserer deres egne ture til Nordkorea inkluderer:

• Choson Exchange - Singapore, Storbritannien og USA. Ikke et rejsebureau, men de tilbyder snarere uddannelse i forretning og iværksætteri i Nordkorea til forretningskvinder, unge iværksættere og forskere og bringer frivillige / turister til at hjælpe dem med at gøre det.
• DDCTS - Dandong, Kina
• Juche Rejseservices - UK, Beijing
• GLO rejse - Hongkong - den største nordkoreanske rejsearrangør i Hongkong, kunder er for det meste fra Hongkong, Taiwan, Singapore og oversøiske kinesiske samfund. Organiserer også kulturudvekslinger, sportsbegivenheder, frivilligt arbejde og tv-programmer i Nordkorea.
• Korea Konsult - Stockholm, Sverige
• Korea Reisedienst - Hannover, Tyskland
• Koryo Tours og Koryo Group - Beijing, Shanghai, Belgien, Storbritannien. Organiserer også skolebesøg og sportsudvekslinger og har co-produceret 3 dokumentarfilm om Nordkorea. Kun engelsk tur.
• Asia Senses Travel Travel & Tour - Hanoi, Vietnam
• Lupin rejse - Wigan, Storbritannien.
• NoordKorea2GO - Amsterdam, Holland
• Nordkorea rejser - Sheyang, Kina
• Pyongyang rejser - Berlin, Tyskland (tilbyder grupperejser, private ture og nytårsrejser til Nordkorea)
• Viajes Pujol - Barcelona, ​​Spanien
• Regent Holidays - Bristol, Storbritannien
• Universal Travel Corporation - Singapore
• Uri Tours Inc. - NYC, USA (kører standard- og skræddersyede ture til Nordkorea; også en Air Koryo-billetagent i USA)
• VNC Asia Travel - Utrecht, Holland
• Young Pioneer Tours - Beijing, Kina. Tilbyder ture med meget lavt budget.
• Din planet - Hilversum, Holland
• INDPRK - Zhejiang, Kina

Uanset hvilket firma du beslutter at booke hos, drives alle ture af Korean International Travel Company (med undtagelse af nogle få, såsom Choson Exchange og The Pyongyang Project, som begge arbejder direkte med forskellige regeringsministerier og indenlandske NGK'er fra Nordkorea) og det vil være deres guider, der viser dig rundt. Det gennemsnitlige antal turister pr. Gruppe, som hvert firma tager, varierer betydeligt, så du vil måske spørge om dette, inden du bestiller en rejse.

De fleste mennesker, der rejser til Nordkorea, rejser igennem Beijing og du vil sandsynligvis afhente dit visum derfra, selvom nogle agenter arrangerer deres visa andre steder på forhånd. Den nordkoreanske konsulatbygning er adskilt fra hovedambassadebygningen i Ritan Lu og er rundt om hjørnet ved Fangcaodi Xijie. Det er åbent M, W, F 09: 30-11: 30 & 14: 00-17: 30; og Tu, Th, Sa 09: 30-11: 30. Medbring din rejsetilladelse, US $ 45 og to pasfoto.

Dine guider tager dit pas og opbevarer det under dit ophold i Nordkorea eller i det mindste de første par dage af din tur af "sikkerhedsmæssige årsager" eller simpelthen fordi dine ind- og udrejsedatoer skal registreres som angivet af de sorte frimærker på bagsiden af ​​dit visum eller pas. Sørg for, at dit pas ser anstændigt ud og ikke adskiller sig fra de mest almindelige pas fra dit land.

Frivillig

Grupper som Choson Exchange bringer frivillige (eller turister) til at deltage i undervisningsworkshops om forretning og iværksætteri til forretningskvinder, unge iværksættere og forskere, hvorefter frivillige besøger relevante steder i Nordkorea. Sådanne frivillige rejser på et officielt visum snarere end et turistvisum.

• Choson Exchange - Singapore, Storbritannien og USA. En social virksomhed, der tilbyder uddannelse i forretning og iværksætteri i Nordkorea til forretningskvinder, unge iværksættere og forskere og bringer frivillige / turister til at hjælpe dem med at gøre det.

Besøg det nordkoreanske grænseområde fra Sydkorea

Panmunjoms fælles sikkerhedsområde set fra Sydkorea

Det Panmunjom fælles sikkerhedsområde (ofte kaldet af den misvisende betegnelse Panmunjom) er det eneste sted i Nordkorea, der kan besøges fra syd af almindelige turister. Dette er den fælles kontrollerede våbenhvile landsby i Koreansk demilitariseret zone (DMZ) deler de to Koreaer. Det har regelmæssige en-dags busture fra Seoul. Begrænsninger gælder for bestemte nationaliteter.

Gruppebusrejser til Kaesong og Kumgangsan i Nordkorea fra syd er ikke længere tilgængelige.

Med fly

Alle internationale flyvninger går gennem Pyongyangs Sunan International Airport (FNJ ^IATA). Ingen andre nordkoreanske lufthavne håndterer internationale flyvninger. Kun to kommercielle flyselskaber flyver til Sunan: Air Koryo, det nationale nordkoreanske flyselskab og Air China. Fra august 2013 flyver hverken Aeroflot eller China Southern Airlines til Nordkorea.

Air Koryo

En af Air Koryos Tupolev Tu-204 i Pyongyangs lufthavn

Nordkoreas eneste flyselskab, Air Koryo, har ruteflyvninger fra Beijing, der afgår kl. 11:30 hver tirsdag og lørdag og vender tilbage fra Pyongyang kl. 09:00 de samme dage. Air Koryo flyver også til og fra Shenyang hver onsdag og lørdag og til Vladivostok hver tirsdag morgen. De flyver også til Macau.

Air Koryo var det eneste 1-stjernede (værste) flyselskab på Skytrax's liste, en skelnen det havde i mange år. Det var blevet forbudt i EU på grund af bekymring over sikkerhed. Selvom Air Koryo sidst oplevede en dødsulykke tilbage i 1983, opererer flyselskabet kun en håndfuld flyvninger med sin flåde på 10 fly. Hovedårsagen til at flyve med Air Koryo er oplevelsen: ellers er det sandsynligvis bedre at flyve med Air China. Air Koryo-flåden består udelukkende af sovjetiske eller russisk fremstillede fly, hvor deres flådes stolthed er to Tupolev Tu-204'er, som nu normalt håndterer ruten Beijing-Pyongyang såvel som Pyongyang-Shenyang-ruten. Ellers ender du sandsynligvis på en af ​​deres Ilyushin IL-62-Ms (årgang 1979-1988), Tupolev Tu-154s eller Tupolev Tu-134s.

Air China

Air China, et medlem af Star Alliance, flyver tre gange ugentligt fra Beijing til Pyongyang ved hjælp af Boeing 737s. Air China foretrækkes af de fleste frem for Air Koryo på grund af sin langt mere moderne flåde.

Med tog

Tog K27 / K28 forbinder Pyongyang til Beijing i Kina via Tianjin, Tangshan, Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, Shenyang, Benxi, Fenghuangcheng, Dandong og Sinuiju fire gange om ugen. Der er kun en klasse på det internationale tog mellem Beijing og Pyongyang: soft sleeper. Det kan bookes på stationen i Beijing, men reservationer skal foretages flere dage i forvejen. Dit rejsebureau vil normalt gøre dette for dig, medmindre du rejser på arbejdsformål. Det har været stadig sværere at reservere plads på ruten Beijing – Pyongyang, så bekræft dine billetter i god tid.

Tog K27 / K28 en gang om ugen formidler også direkte sovende biler fra Moskva via Kina til Pyongyang og omvendt. Ruten er Moskva - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Chita - Harbin - Shenyang - Dandong - Shinuiju - Pyongyang. Afgang fra Moskva er hver fredag ​​aften, ankomst til Pyongyang er en uge senere på fredag ​​aften. Afgang fra Pyongyang er lørdag formiddag, ankomst til Moskva er fredag ​​eftermiddag.

Nogle agenter (f.eks. Lupin Travel) foretrækker at krydse grænsen fra Dandong i Kina til Sinuiju med minibus og derefter gå ombord på et indenlandsk nordkoreansk tog til Pyongyang. Normalt vil du sidde i en hårdtsædevogn med KPA-soldater og partiarbejdere, der rejser med deres familier. Der er adgang til en restaurantbil, der har importeret øl (Heineken) og læskedrikke samt nogle lokale øl og spiritus. Dette tog tager angiveligt kun 4 timer til Pyongyang, men har været kendt for at tage 14. Hvis du rejser om vinteren, skal du være forberedt på temperaturer inde i vognene så lave som -10 ° C.

Der er også en direkte jernbaneforbindelse fra Rusland til Nordkorea. Denne rute er Rossiya Trans-sibirisk tog mellem Moskva og Vladivostock med Korea-busser frakoblet i Ussuriysk. Derfra er det seks timer til grænsen til Tumangan med fem timers ventetid og derefter en 24-timers træk til Pyongyang. Det kører ugentligt, men som et gennemgående tog kun to gange om måneden (11. og 25. fra Moskva) og ankommer til Pyongyang 9 dage senere. Denne rute var tidligere lukket for vesterlændinge, men fra og med 2018 er den tilgængelig, forudsat at du har det korrekte visum og andet papirarbejde.

Med båd

Der var et ikke-planlagt fragt-passagerskib mellem Wonsan og Niigata, Japan. Bådtjenesten er kun tilgængelig til brug for nogle japanske og nordkoreanske statsborgere og er suspenderet på ubestemt tid på grund af Nordkoreas rapporterede atomprøvning; Japan har forbudt alle nordkoreanske skibe at komme ind i japanske havne og har forbudt nordkoreanske indrejse i landet. Vær forsigtig med at komme for tæt på den nordkoreanske grænse i en båd; mange sydkoreanske fiskere venter stadig på at forlade Nordkorea.

Udover den ikke-planlagte færge er der også et krydstogtskib, der opererer mellem kysten i det nordøstlige Kina og Mt Kumgang. Fælles drevet af Kina og Nordkorea bruger krydstogtskibet et 40 år gammelt skib. Krydstogtturen er 22 timer lang ved hvert ben og er i alt 44 timer lang, men ikke-kinesiske statsborgere har ikke tilladelse til at sejle til Mount Kumgang.

Med bus

En bus er tilgængelig fra Dandong, Kina, over Yalu-floden til Sinuiju. Det drives af "Dandong China Travel Company", men er kun åbent for kinesiske borgere. Bussen kører fra Dandong over Sino-Korea Friendship Bridge (den samme bro fra Yalu-floden, som togene tager).

Komme omkring

En typisk motorvejsscene i Nordkorea. Rydde tråde af træer med en stor og tom vej imellem

Alle dine transportbehov behandles af dit rejsefirma. Det meste af tiden betyder dette busser, skønt rejsegrupper besøger fjerntliggende steder (f.eks. Paekdusan, Mount Chilbo) lejlighedsvis bruge chartrede flyvninger med Air Koryo. Det er ikke tilladt at vandre alene, og du skal altid have en guide til at eskortere dig.

En omhyggelig scenestyret tur med én station på Pyongyang-metroen er inkluderet i rejseplanen for de fleste ture til Pyongyang, men brug af enhver anden form for lokal offentlig transport er generelt umulig. Nogle ture inkluderer også en togtur fra Pyongyang til grænsebyen Sinuiju, hvor du kan stoppe over i Sinuiju på en 1-dages tur, selvom denne mulighed ikke er tilgængelig for amerikanske borgere.

Hvis du rejser i en lille nok gruppe, er det også muligt at arrangere en tur gennem nogle områder af Pyongyang med nogle rejsebureauer (Koryo).

Tale

Håndskrevet hangul i en annonce

Se også: Koreansk parlør

Det officielle sprog er Koreansk. Nordkoreanere er ret kræsne med at henvise til koreansk som chosŏn-mal (조선말), ikke hangugeo. Sproget er ret drastisk forskelligt fra ethvert vestligt sprog i sin grammatik, og udtalen er ret vanskelig for den engelsktalende at få ret (dog ikke tonal). Det har forskellige dialekter; standard nordkoreansk (문화어 munhwaŏ) er tilsyneladende baseret på den Pyong'an-dialekt, der tales i Pyongyang, men er i virkeligheden stadig dybt rodfæstet i Seoul dialekt, som var standarden, før Korea blev delt.

Det koreanske skrivesystem er vildledende simpelt. Selvom det ved første øjekast ser ud til at være så komplekst som kinesisk eller japansk, kaldes det et unikt og simpelt alfabetisk skrivesystem chosŏn'gŭl af nordkoreanere og hangul (한글 hangeul) by the rest of the world, where letters are stacked up into blocks that represent syllables. It was designed by a committee and looks like simple lines, boxes and little circles, but it is remarkably consistent, logical and quick to pick up. A document from 1446 describing hangul said that "A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over; a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days."

Essentially all sources for learning Korean abroad will teach South Korean, which does have slightly different usage: some letters have different names, the sorting order is different, and there are some minor differences in pronunciation and spelling.

Unlike South Korea, North Korea has abolished Chinese hanja characters and uses hangul characters exclusively.

North Korea uses its own unique system for romanization of Korean, which is mostly similar to the older McCune–Reischauer system. In South Korea and the rest of the world, Revised Romanization is more common.

Most guides will speak fairly decent English (some better than others) and will translate for you. Some guides can also speak Mandarin, German, Russian, Japanese and Spanish.

There is no law preventing citizens of the DPRK from interacting with tourists, although locals are often discouraged from speaking with foreigners and language can prove to be an additional barrier. A visit to the DPRK around their holidays may give you more of a chance to interact with the locals.

North Korea has its own sign language, which is not mutually intelligible with Korean Sign Language as used in South Korea; it's unclear if it's related to any other sign languages, or how widespread it is.

Se

A revolutionary scene from the Arirang Mass Games

All tours are accompanied by a government minder, who will decide what you can and cannot see. From the moment you leave your hotel, expect to be accompanied by one or more minders. Besides ensuring that tourists do not stray outside of the designated tourist areas, their jobs include inspecting any photographs which they think do not portray North Korea or its government in a good light, and ordering photographers to delete them. It is generally advisable to listen to what your minder is saying, and agree with it. Asking awkward socio-political questions will result in vague, evasive replies at best, and several hours of interrogation at worst.

It is always recommended that if you are uncertain about taking pictures anywhere, ask your guide, though allowances seem to vary wildly. You may get a guide that is relatively relaxed and will allow you to take pictures from a bus or within a city. On the other hand, you may get one that will strictly adhere to controlling where you take pictures restricting anything taken from a tour bus or of certain areas, like Pyongyang's city streets, in general. There is simply no way to tell until you are actually on a tour. If you think a particular photograph might be embarrassing to the DPRK in general, ask or simply don't risk taking it at all.

Photography of military personnel is also generally prohibited. Again, if in doubt, ask your guide. However, there are instances where it is impossible not to photograph certain sites without including a few military personnel within the picture such as at Mansudae (the monument site for the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il) or at a local funfair. Reactions seem to vary between being ignored to curiosity, although you will be told where taking pictures is strictly prohibited (such as at certain areas of the DMZ), and the guards/soldiers there will react unfavourably to being photographed in general. Other areas where photographs are prohibited include the interior of the Friendship Exhibition, which displays gifts from around the world to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and within the Kumsusan Memorial Palace. If you leave the country via train (to Beijing) your camera will likely be checked for unfavorable photos by the guards.

The majority of sightseeing consists of visits to various war memorials, monuments to the Great Leader and the Workers Party of Korea, and numerous museums (mostly war-related, like the statues and monuments). The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a popular destination for most tour groups in North Korea.

Whilst you are in North Korea, the prevailing viewpoint places blame on the Americans for starting the Korean War; disagreeing with this position is likely to cause problems for both you and your guide, particularly as the two Koreas are still legally at war with only a cease-fire between them. Despite its misleading name, the DMZ is heavily guarded and dotted with minefields and other booby-traps. Under no circumstances should you stray from your group, or take any photographs of military installations. However, the "peace village" Panmunjom may be photographed, and boasts the world's third tallest flagpole.

Whilst on these guided tours, especially to the state museums and monuments, you will undoubtedly endure an ongoing barrage of propaganda, consisting largely of anecdotes about things that Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il did for their country. Some of these claims may seem bizarre and even amusing to the outsider; however, a straight face is generally advisable. It is generally safest to at least appear to take everything they say seriously, even if it contradicts everything you were ever taught in history class or defies even the most basic human reasoning.

Sights

Mountainous landscapes near Kaesong

So, with all this practical information being said, what are the places to go? A good part of the important attractions you'll be shown are in Pyongyang. There's the large Kim Il-sung Square, where the famously grand military parades take place. Even without the parades, though, it's an impressive square, and on it is the Grand People’s Study House. This gigantic library and learning centre is home to over 30 million books and a modern system of conveyor belts to get you the one you need. Also on the square are two museums, of which — the Korean National Art Gallery — is the more interesting one. The other great landmark of the nation's capital is its Triumphal Arch. Slightly bigger than its Parisian counterpart, it is in fact the largest arch of its kind in the world. Another landmark you'll be proudly shown are the large bronze statues of the Great Leader and Kim Jong-il. Respectfully join the locals in their serious undertakings to honour the statues, which are a key element of the devotion cult around the national leaders. For a better chance of some casual conversations with locals, try the pleasant Pyongyang zoo. Take a daytrip to the birthplace of the Great Leader in Mangyongdae and of course, visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where both the previous Kim's embalmed bodies are on display.

No trip to North Korea is complete without an extensive glance at the uneasy and heavily fortified border stand-off at Panmunjeom, or the Joint Security Area. Not far from here is the town of Kaesong, with a lovely old town and the UNESCO-listed tomb of King Kongmin. For stunning natural sights, try reaching Kumgangsan, eller den Diamond Mountains, where you'll find beautiful vistas, waterfalls, lakes and ancient Buddhist temples.

Gør

Statues at the tomb of King Wanggon, the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, in Kaesong

As mentioned above, there is very little to do beyond the watchful eye of your designated minders, with most recreational activity taking place within the confines of the tourist resorts. Bowling and karaoke are among the latest additions to its surprising plethora of recreational activities. The karaoke videos are often accompanied by dramatic historical footage of the Korean War, or goose-stepping People's Army soldiers.

North Korea has three amusement parks, two of which are abandoned due to mutual lack of interest and electricity. The Kaeson Youth Fair has now closed, taking the infamous "Roller Coaster of Death" along with it. Still visible are the shooting-galleries with backdrops of snarling American and Japanese soldiers; however, it is unlikely that your guide will let you venture into any abandoned areas. The one remaining amusement park contains some rides which are actually quite modern and non-lethal, at least by North Korean standards, and is about as worthy of a visit as everything else you'll see whilst in North Korea.

The nightlife in Pyongyang is remarkably safe and non-violent, compared to the capitals of other nations (except maybe Reykjavík i Iceland); in general, the civilians are not a threat. The plain-clothes secret police, however, may or may not be a threat, depending on what you say or do. The North Korean definition of popular music is at least two decades behind the rest of the world; expect an onslaught of 1980s hits from the West (some obviously are unauthorized copies, to judge by the quality), punctuated by the eerie caterwauling of Korean folk songs, and at least try to look enthusiastic about the whole scene.

You will not find newspapers or magazines from outside North Korea (since media from outside the country is generally banned for ordinary North Koreans). Foreign broadcasts are jammed and the only radio and television allowed is government propaganda, although several international news outlets (including BBC World News and NHK World) are available in tourist hotels. Fortunately, alcohol is cheap and plentiful, although it is not advisable to become intoxicated and make a scene of oneself. Furthermore, both the trafficking and consumption of narcotics are punished meget severely by authorities; traffickers can expect to face the death penalty if caught.

Finally, power cuts may hit without warning in the middle of any activity. Whilst you might welcome this if the jukebox is starting to get to you, this is not a desirable outcome if you are in the middle of an amusement-park ride, particularly as these blackouts can last for hours at a time.

Det Masikryong ski resort, North Korea's only ski resort, opened in winter 2013. Located near the western city of Wonsan, a visit to the resort may be included as part of a wider DPRK tour.

Købe

Money

The currency is the North Korean won, denoted by the symbol ₩ (ISO code: KPW) and not typically available to foreigners, except some old North Korean won sold for souvenir. Black market exchange rates (especially in far northern Korea, near the Chinese border) may easily be 20 times the official rate, but importing or exporting Korean won is strictly forbidden. North Korean won is practically worthless outside the country but can make unique souvenirs.

Foreigners are expected to use euros or as an alternative Chinese renminbi, US dollars or Japanese yen. Currency handling is often bizarre, with a frequent lack of change and a number of rule-of-thumb conversions leading to highly unorthodox transactions, so be sure to bring lots of small change. On a typical tour most expenses such as hotel, transportation, and meals will have been paid in advance, and therefore your only expenses may be bottled water, souvenirs, snacks, drinks at the bars, laundry at the hotel and tips for your guides.

In any case, the only shops you will be likely allowed to visit are the state-run souvenir shops at your hotel and at the various tourist attractions. It is generally not possible to visit a real local shop which serves the local population, though you might get lucky asking your guide if he/she trusts you enough. Some tours include a visit to a department store.

Souvenirs

A special store for foreigners in Pyongyang, with most merchandise imported from China

Note: Planning to enter Sydkorea after your visit to North Korea? The South has very strict laws, including the National Security Act, on the import and possession of North Korean propaganda. Do not attempt to bring anything into South Korea that could be construed as North Korean propaganda, including images of North Korean leaders such as stamps or postcards. North Korean biographies and books are also illegal.

There are numerous hard-currency only souvenir shops at tourist sites. Interesting souvenirs include propaganda books and videos, postcards and postage stamps. At some tourist sites (such as King Kongmin's tomb), you can purchase freshly finished paintings with your name and the artist's name at the bottom.

You can buy postcards and send them to people in any country except South Korea which apparently will not deliver them.

Some excellent paintings on silk or linen have been available in Kaesong directly from the artist. Haggling for better prices is not permitted but the prices are very low.

Costs

Most costs are included as part of your tour. Most sights have a shop associated with them where you can buy bottled water, souvenirs and snacks. These are reasonably priced. In September 2017, large bottles of local beer cost US$2 at the hotel bars in Pyongyang. €200 for one week should be enough to cover your costs of water, drinks at the bars, souvenirs and tips for the guides.

Spise

Det Hibachi restaurant in the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang

Se også: Korean cuisine

As with most other aspects of visiting North Korea, catering is usually organized in advance as part of your tour. Vegetarians and people with food allergies or dislikes of common foods such as seafood or eggs will need to make arrangements in advance. A visit to a "real" local restaurant may be possible; enquire with your guide. Shortages of supplies, combined with the typical use of Korean cooking styles, mean that there is a relatively limited variety of food — and this can get wearying on tours of more than a few days.

There are a few Western food options now in Pyongyang and these restaurants can usually be visited if arranged with the guides in advance. They will usually require additional payment though, unless you have discussed this already with your tour operator, as the costs are not included in the per diem fee charged by the Korean Travel Company. There are two Italian restaurants (one on Kwangbok Street which is near the Korean circus where the pizza is great, and they have imported a pizza oven and all the ingredients so the quality is very high; and one near the USS Pueblo) and two burger restaurants (the more accessible is in the Youth Hotel). Both are inexpensive and do inject some flavor onto a generally lackluster eating scene, especially on long tours. Visit the Vienna coffee house, which is on the river side of Kim Jong Il square, for a good coffee similar to those common in Europe.

Drikke

The local speciality is insam-ju, Korean vodka infused with ginseng roots.

Locally made Taedonggang beer is very good. The brewery was purchased from Ushers in the UK and physically moved to Pyongyang, and some of the soju are not bad either. Local alcohol is inexpensive; a 650 ml bottle of beer is €0.50. Imported beers, such as Heineken, are also available at similar prices. However do not get drunk and cause trouble. Toe the line and show respect, or you and your guide will face serious penalties.

It is advisable to stick to bottled water for drinking as the tap water is not always properly treated.

The still unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in P'yŏngyang

Søvn

This is likely to be your principal expense while in North Korea. You may only stay at "designated tourist hotels", for which you will need to pay in hard currency. There may be discounts if you ask for lower class accommodation, if you are travelling as part of a group, or if it is low season (November – March). Costs for your tour, which will include accommodation, all sightseeing activities and meals, will range from US$70 to US$200 a day, depending on these factors.

Usually you pay for all your meals, hotel and Beijing–Pyongyang journey to your tour operator before you leave. One week in high season at a four-star hotel will then cost something between €1,300 and €1,600, depending on your tour operator, but might get as low as €800 for one week.

Learn

Kim Il Sung University

It can be difficult for foreigners to become students in North Korea, although university exchange programmes may be possible.

Det Pyongyang Project arranges tours of North Korea with an academic focus, with the aim of participants learning about the country rather than just sightseeing.

Yanbian University, in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in north eastern Kina is closely affiliated with other universities in North Korea and can offer relevant courses for learning about North Korea.

Arbejde

If you are interested in teaching in North Korea, you may find success by contacting the North Korean UN Mission in New York, or contacting a North Korean university directly. Your odds of success are, however, quite low: there is only a small team of 4 English Language Instructors dealing with teaching and teacher training, with a Project Manager leading the team of three, placed in Kim Il Sung University, Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies and Kim Hyung Jik University of Education.

There is an opportunity to teach in the Pyongyang Summer Institute during summer time when it is opened to foreigners. It's voluntary, unpaid work, though.

Pas på dig selv

ADVARSEL: Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to say hvad som helst that could possibly be perceived as an insult to Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un or any of their family, the North Korean government in general, the North Korean military, the Juche ideology, the Songbun policy, the North Korean economy, or North Korean citizens. Simply avoid these topics if you can, even if you're in a room with no North Koreans present (the government has been known to plant recording devices). Anyone you speak to will be affiliated with the North Korean government, and you should always respond accordingly should sensitive topics arise. You and your guide could potentially face serious trouble if you answer incorrectly, although your guide will probably bear the worst of it. North Korea is known for extremely harsh punishments which range from lengthy prison sentences to a lifetime of severe mistreatment and torture.

Crime levels are practically zero, at least to tourists on a strictly controlled tour. However, pickpockets are the least of your worries. North Korea is an authoritarian dictatorship and is generally considered to have the worst human rights record in the world. The authorities are very touchy, and you need to watch what you say and how you say it. Just do what the guides do, praise every stop on your tour, and remember the rule, "If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all."

The official policy is that you are not to wander around on your own. You are expected to get permission and/or have a guide accompany you if you are leaving your hotel on your own. This will vary depending on what hotel you are in. The Yanggakdo Hotel is on an island in the middle of the Taedong River in Pyongyang. Therefore you can walk around the area a little more freely than if you are at the Koryo Hotel right in the centre of town. You should always be friendly and courteous to your guides and driver who will normally reciprocate by trusting you more and giving you more freedom.

When taking photographs, exercise restraint, caution and common sense. If you appear to be looking for negative images of North Korea, the guides will not be happy and will tell you to delete any questionable images. In particular, you are not to take photos of anything military, including personnel, or anything showing the DPRK in a bad light.

Your photographic freedom can largely depend on the type of guides that you are assigned and the rapport that you have with them. In a best case scenario, you can often take pictures without feeling as if you're trying to sneak them by anyone and without pressure capturing some truly unique images. If you are in an area that prohibits picture taking, you will also be informed of this and it is best to simply follow your guide's direction. When in doubt, always ask. Your guide might even want to try out your camera and take a picture of you for your collection.

In a worst-case scenario, you can be expected to raise your camera at a reasonable speed, compose and take the picture, and lower the camera at a reasonable speed. Don't try to take pictures of anything that you have been told not to, such as military personnel or certain locales. This may call attention to yourself and the image you are trying to take and can result, whether justified or not, in your being told to delete the image.

Digital cameras are commonly inspected when leaving the country by train. A simple workaround is to leave a memory card with innocuous snaps in the camera and file away any cards with ideologically dubious content.

Visitors of Korean descent should never reveal this fact. North Koreans have a very strong sense of ethnic belonging and this will inevitably draw unwanted attention to you. Furthermore, if you run into trouble then holding a foreign passport will not count for much if you are considered a Korean by the authorities.

Visitors have also been targeted for political reasons; in 2013, an 85-year-old American citizen was arrested, briefly incarcerated and expelled by the DPRK because of his military service during the Korean War.

Drug trafficking and the consumption of narcotics can be punishable by death in North Korea. Marijuana, however, is legal and often found growing freely alongside the road in North Korea.

It is strongly recommended that you avoid bringing religious texts or performing any religious activity. In 2012, Kenneth Bae, an American Christian missionary, was arrested for his religious activities in North Korea, and was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour (however, he was released nine months later). Another American, Jeffrey Fowle, was arrested for leaving a Bible at a North Korean nightclub, and spent six months in a North Korean jail.

Emergency numbers

• From a fixed-line phone: 119
• From a mobile phone: 112

For medical emergencies in Pyongyang, dial 02 382-7688 locally.

Stay healthy

Drinking water in North Korea is apparently untreated and there are reports of foreigners being hospitalized in the DPRK after drinking the water; therefore, sticking to bottled water is highly recommended.

Medical facilities are clean although very outdated. If you fall ill then you might be better off going to China for medical treatment. Contact your embassy or consulate in North Korea (if your country has one) for assistance.

Respect

The first two generations of the Kim dynasty together

It is important to emphasize that the government of the DPRK — in particular the leaders Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un — are, at least publicly, very highly revered in North Korean culture. While slavish devotion is not expected from tourists, especially given that the Juche philosophy of the DPRK is specifically aimed at the Korean people only and is not applicable to foreigners, insulting them in any way is highly offensive and illegal, and will get you and (much more so) your guides into trouble.

It is advisable to refer to North Korea as the DPRK instead when discussing it with your guides. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and is the official name for the country reflecting their belief that the south (not capitalized) is occupied territory. You will also notice this referenced in their literature in the same way (i.e. as "south Korea"). When speaking Korean, South Korea should be referred as "South Chosun" (남조선/南朝鮮) instead of "Hanguk" (한국/韓國).

The DPRK has very strict laws about taking pictures though there are many great photographing opportunities around the country, particularly in cities such as Pyongyang. Again, this largely depends on the guides assigned to you and how relaxed they feel to trust that you won't do anything to embarrass them. While it may have been true in the past to "not look at" or "take pictures of" people in the DPRK, you may be also surprised to be able to take a picture of a wedding couple or of a grandmother taking her grandson out for a walk and waving back at you. Also, do not take photographs of anything that could be of strategic importance (i.e. places with a soldiers/policemen in front of it) or of things that you been told specifically not to. Again, as emphasized before, always ask your guides if you are ever in doubt.

Bringing gifts like cigarettes or Scotch for the men, both guides and the driver, and chocolate or skin cream for female guides, is a nice gesture. Please be respectful toward your guides, especially since North Korean guides are known to occasionally take tourists whom they trust well enough to see other places and events in North Korea that they wouldn't ordinarily go to. This can also extend to how freely they may feel about your picture taking. Remember, they may be as curious about you as you are about them.

Most, if not all, tour groups to the DPRK are asked to solemnly bow and lay flowers on one or two occasions in front of statues of Kim Il Sung when visiting monuments of national importance. If you're not prepared to do this, do not even try to enter North Korea. Just be sure you always act in a respectful manner around images of the two leaders. This includes taking respectful photos of any image of them. When photographing statues, especially Mansudae, be sure to get the entire statue in the photo. Formal dress is also expected at important monuments such as Mansudae or in visiting the Kumsusang Memorial Palace.

Any trouble you cause as a tourist will likely be blamed on your tour guide's inability to control you, and he or she will bear the brunt of the penalties. Additionally, future tourists will be allowed less freedom and will face increased restriction on where they can visit and what they can photograph.

Other than your tour guide, you will likely not meet anyone else in your trip who speaks English; a few Korean words and phrases are a nice internationalist gesture.

Despite the sharp political differences, North and South Koreans generally share a common culture; the various tips in the Sydkorea article under respect (such as using two hands to pour drinks) will also help here.

Religion

North Korea is officially atheist. The regime promotes a national philosophy of self-reliance called Juche (주체) which some would categorize as a political religion that pervades all aspects of life in the country. As a tourist, you will not be expected to observe this, although you must always be respectful towards symbols of Juche which are often the images of past and present leaders Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un.

Other religions such as Christianity and Buddhism are vigorously suppressed in practice with severe punishment being given to followers. You should refrain from any religious discussions during your time in North Korea, and be aware that any form of religious proselytizing is dealt with very seriously by the regime, with foreign missionaries having previously been sentenced to life imprisonment in labor camps. With this in mind, be careful of performing even personal religious rituals or bringing religious items into the country and preferably do not do so at all.

Opret forbindelse

By phone

For international calls to North Korea, the country code is 850. Some phone numbers (mostly faxes) can be called directly from abroad; most other calls will need to go through the international operator service on 850-2-18111.

International calling is generally possible via landlines in hotels, though it is expensive (€2 per minute as of Feb 2012) and all calls are likely recorded and monitored.

Local calls need elusive 10 chon coins when calling from call boxes, but can also be made from hotels and post offices.

Additionally, your phone calls may be heavily monitored, so you should be careful of what you talk about in phone calls that you make in North Korea.

Mobile phones

As of January 2013, you are allowed to carry a mobile phone from outside the country into North Korea. You will not be able to use your current SIM card in North Korea, however. The only network you are allowed to connect to is the local network, Koryolink, via one of their SIM cards. Your phone must be a 3G WCDMA phone which can connect to the 2100MHz 3G frequency band.

A 3G mobile phone network (Koryolink) was introduced in Pyongyang in 2008 and now covers the 42 largest cities. It is widely used by locals who can afford it and by long-staying foreigners who file an application. SIM cards and phones can be purchased at the International Communication Center, No.2 Pothonggang-dong in Pothonggang District, opposite the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium, as well as at Pyongyang airport and some hotels. As of 25 Feb 2013, 3G mobile internet via Koryolink is available to foreigners, although pricing is unknown. Bear in mind that these SIM cards will only let you call internationally and to a very small number of internationally-enabled phones in North Korea. There are three plans you can choose from for your SIM card:

1. Purchase a prepaid SIM card for €50. This gives you the SIM card to keep indefinitely for return visits, and includes a small amount (less than €30) of calling credit.
2. Rent a prepaid SIM card for two weeks for €50. This includes €30 of calling credit.
3. Rent a prepaid SIM card for one month for €75. This includes €55 of calling credit.

Calling rates are as follows:

• China and South-East Asia: €1.43 per minute.
• Russia: €0.68 per minute.
• France and Switzerland: €0.38 per minute.
• U.K. and Germany: €1.58 per minute.

By Internet

Internet facilities are limited to a very few North Koreans with appropriate privileges to use it. For foreigners, most of the larger hotels have Internet access available, but this needs to be applied for some days in advance. Advise your tour operator or inviting party of your requirements well ahead of time so that access permission can be arranged. There are no public internet cafés or business centres with web access in the hotels. Mobile internet is available via Koryolink's 3G network (see above) using a local SIM card, but details about this are scarce. Also, even if you have Internet access, your traffic will probably be monitored. There is very little Internet connectivity in North Korea; the little that exists is routed through mainland China and risks heavy censorship by that country's Golden Shield Project, the "Great Firewall of China". Se China#Internet censorship.

Cope

There is a growing diplomatic presence of foreign embassies in Pyongyang. Find out beforehand which country can assist you in case of an emergency, such as a medical condition or a police incident.

Sweden serves as the protecting power for American, Australian, and Canadian travellers in North Korea, so these visitors may be able to obtain limited consular services from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang. American nationals are not allowed by the U.S. Department of State to visit North Korea, although if you must then it is still recommended to notify (by email) the Swedish embassy of their visit to North Korea, as well as to inform the U.S. embassy in Beijing, China, particularly if their trip to North Korea entails passing through China.

The British embassy offers consular services to Commonwealth citizens who do not have representation through other countries, except for Singaporeans and Tanzanians, whose governments have opted out of this arrangement.