North Korea

North Korean entry requirements are perplexing and change frequently without prior warning. As of January 2026, tours to North Korea are only available for Russian citizens. Pretty much the only loophole is to join a sporting delegation, most notably the yearly Pyongyang Marathon, which is open to amateurs running distances as short as 5 km.

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 as souvenirs. The only places where tourists are allowed to obtain and spend North Korean won are at the Kwangbok Supermarket, which is included in some tours of Pyongyang, and in the Rason Special Economic Zone. 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 won is strictly forbidden. North Korean won is practically worthless ou…

All your transport needs will be dealt with by your tour company. Most of the time this means buses, although tour groups visiting remote sites (e.g. Paekdusan, Mount Chilbo) occasionally use chartered flights by Air Koryo. Wandering around on your own is not allowed, and you are required to have a guide to escort you at all times.

The official language is Korean. North Koreans are quite picky about referring to Korean as chosŏn-mal (조선말), not hangugeo (both mean "Korean language", but the names of Korea refer to different historic periods). The language is rather drastically different from any Western language in its grammar, and while the language isn't tonal, its pronunciation is rather difficult for the English speaker to get right. It has various dialects; standard North Korean (문화어 munhwaŏ) is ostensibly based on the…

In general North Korea is extremely safe for tourists due to strict government control and constant supervision. However, visitors must adhere to all regulations, avoid discussing sensitive topics and stay within approved areas. Travel is highly organised, and deviations from guided tours are not permitted, ensuring safety but limiting freedom.

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.

===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.

North and South Koreans share a common culture; you may find the various respect tips in the South Korea article to be of help. === Tour conduct === Your tour guide in North Korea is your best friend. They will do their best to explain the rules and what is expected from you. If a guide tells you not to do something, listen to them. If you're not sure about something, ask. That said, you should refrain from discussing sensitive subjects such as politics, economic systems, and human rights.