North Korea - Nordkorea

The Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany has a special one about this country Travel and safety advice released (Web link). Travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is strongly discouraged. Date of last notification: 02/17/2020.

North Korea is a country that is strongly isolated from the outside world, which is located in Asia and to the north China and Russia and in the south South Korea borders. Tourists have only been able to tour the country since 1984. A trip through North Korea is not comparable to a trip through other countries. Only group or accompanied individual trips can be booked. Immediately upon arrival in North Korea, two tour guides with foreign language skills are provided to accompany the tourists throughout the trip. There is no way to tour the country on your own. However, it is very possible to indicate where you would like to go (in good time before the trip and only if you are not participating in an organized group trip). You also have to be aware that you are under constant surveillance in North Korea. Any criticism of the country and its government should be kept for the time after leaving the country, also against your tour guides. For those who can come to terms with all these restrictions, North Korea will be a very special travel destination. You then have the opportunity to get to know a country better, in which a political system exists that does not exist twice.

Regions

• Chagang
• North Hamgyŏng
• South Hamgyŏng
• North Hwanghae
• South Hwanghae
• Kangwon
• North Pyŏngan
• South Pyŏngan
• Ryanggang

Cities

• Pyongyang
• Rason
• Wonsan
• Hamhung
• Chongjin
• Nampo
• Sinchon
• Sinuiju

getting there

There are some bureaucratic obstacles associated with a trip to North Korea. As a rule, at the same time as booking the trip at KITC (Korean International Travel Company) a visa application. This is then usually approved within 20 days. Approval is usually not a problem for group travel. If you want to travel through North Korea alone with the guides, you will be scrutinized more closely and the application may be rejected. Journalists will almost certainly be denied entry to North Korea. If the application is positive, you go to the relevant embassy and have the visa put in your passport.

Embassies of the DPR Korea:

• 52.5116313.385441  Germany, Glinkastraße 5-7, 10117 Berlin. Tel.: 49 (0)30 20 62 59 90 (Consular issues), Email: [email protected]. Open: Mon - Fri 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.last change: not specified

• 48.1911516.3122  Austria, Beckmanngasse 10-12, 1140 Vienna. Tel.: 43 (0)1 894 2311. last change: not specified

• Switzerland, Pourtaléstrasse 43, 3074 Muri. Tel.: 41 (0)31 951 6621. last change: not specified

• Beijing, Ritan Beilu, Jianggoumenwai, Chaoyang District. Tel.: 86 (0)10 6532 1186. last change: not specified

The embassy in Beijing is given here because many tour operators offer trips from Beijing and the visa is often only issued in Beijing.

Before entering the country, you have to fill out a customs declaration. This lists what is not allowed to be brought to North Korea. In addition to the usual things like weapons or drugs, these are also hostile publications. What this is is at the discretion of the responsible customs officer. In general, however, it can be said that, for example, South Korean publications are always viewed as hostile, whereas a German-speaking travel guide shouldn't be a problem. In the worst case, things will be confiscated.

Entry requirements

German citizens need a visa to enter the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This is issued by the embassy in Berlin. An invitation from North Korea is always required for this. However, the responsible travel agency will take care of this (for tourist trips). The processing time for a visa is approximately three weeks. The passport should be valid for another six months.

The extension of the visa is possible on site if the Korean side is interested in an extended stay.

A stay in North Korea leads to the entry permit in the United States is canceled and / or refused in the ESTA system, even if an authorization was already available. For direct entry into the USA, a regular tourist visa must then be applied for, which is also issued, but it is also possible to reduce this restriction by an indirect Bypass entry via Canada or Mexico.

By plane

North Korea has an international airport. This is in Pyongyang (Code: FNJ). Most of the time you get from Beijing fly out into the country. The state airline is the Air Koryo. Since May 2006 it has been flying three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) from Pyongyang to Beijing and back. Also flies China Southern Airlines three times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri) from Beijing. Most tour operators organize the trip from Beijing, you have to travel to Beijing on your own. You don't have to worry about transportation from the airport to the city, it is organized by the tour guides who will pick you up from the airport.

• Air Koryo, Sunan District, Pyongyang DPR Korea. Tel.: 850 2 181 11 8108, Fax: 850-2-381-4410 4625, Email: [email protected]. last change: not specified

• Air Koryo in Germany, Waltersdorfer Chaussee 170, 12355 Berlin. Tel.: 49 (0)30 676 5003. last change: not specified

By train

Arrival by train is also possible. However, the train journey must also be booked in advance with KITC or a tour operator. Trains run from Beijing to Pyongyang and back four times a week. The tour guides may be waiting at the border crossing to North Korea, at the latest you will be picked up on arrival in Pyongyang.

The Moscow-Ussuriysk-Pyongyang through car, which runs every two weeks via the Trans-Siberian Railway (the longest train connection in the world) was not officially accessible to tourists until recently, but in the meantime it seems possible to book this journey as well, and leaving via this route is a bit easier.

Bus & car

It is currently impossible to travel by bus or car.

By boat

The monthly ferry traffic between Niigata (Japan) to Wonsan was discontinued in 2006 for political reasons. The resumption has been negotiated since 2014. In Japan, the organization of North Korean residents brokered tickets, Chongryon. For European tourists, booking this ship (if it goes again) should only be possible with good Japanese language skills, provided that KITC approves such a journey.

mobility

You don't have to worry about how to get ahead in North Korea. This is all organized by the tour guides. Most of the time you travel by coach, but some travel providers also have rail travel in their program. When you travel by coach, you usually drive on completely empty motorways. There are very few people who are allowed and able to drive around in their cars, and some travel offers include a domestic flight. This is then carried out by Air Koryo.

language

In North Korea will Korean spoken. The version spoken in North Korea is slightly different from the version spoken in South Korea is spoken. One has the use of in the People's Republic Hanja almost completely abolished. But if you can make yourself understood in South Korea, you will be able to do the same in North Korea. The only problem is that you will hardly have the opportunity to speak to North Koreans. They are very cautious about strangers. In addition, the government does not like it when locals talk to tourists. Foreign languages ​​are hardly spoken in North Korea. The tour guides are an exception here, however. If you book a trip in German-speaking countries, you can assume that the tour guide speaks German and that pretty well.

to buy

The official currency in North Korea is the won. However, tourists are prohibited from paying in won. The export of the won is also prohibited. Since 2014 there have been tours that include visiting the special economic zone Rason expressly provide for money exchange and "shopping opportunities at the market".

The euro, Chinese yuan, US dollar and Japanese yen are used as means of payment. It is advisable to take these means of payment with you in small bills or coins, as there is not always enough change available. There are exchange offices in many hotels, where you can usually exchange euros and yen. For shopping you will be taken to their own tourist shops where you can buy souvenirs.

“Credit cards are not accepted. There are no ATMs. There is no way to transfer money to North Korea via Western Union or other banks, not even via the German embassy. For the entire trip and all expected expenses, cash in the currencies mentioned above must be brought along. "^[1]

kitchen

Like almost everything else, the food is organized by the tour guides. Mostly Korean specialties are served, for example Kimchi. It is spicy pickled Chinese cabbage. This kimchi is part of almost all dishes. The meals that are served are absolutely fine. Of course, you shouldn't be too sensitive, because you never know what you're going to be served. If you are a vegetarian you should let them know when booking. You also get vegetarian food, but it is not very varied.

nightlife

The only way to “go out” in North Korea without a guide is in the hotel bar. Some hotels also have small discos or there is a casino in the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang.^[2] However, you will rarely meet the local population here, because such things are mainly reserved for tourists.

Exceptions are the many public holidays. At these, the population is on the streets and celebrates exuberantly. There are parades and the North Koreans dance. These holidays are also the only opportunity to get in touch with the local population. Because with the alcohol, the North Koreans also become more open and there may be a short conversation or two.

accommodation

In North Korea you can't choose which hotels you want to stay in. Because these are also pre-booked by the tour guides. But you don't have to worry, you won't spend the night in shacks. The tourist hotels all have a relatively high quality standard. As mentioned above, many are equipped with hotel bars, discos, swimming pools, etc. In the hotels there is usually also the possibility to buy small souvenirs. It is not allowed to leave the hotels without the prior consent of the tour guide.

public holidays

• January 1st - New Years Day
• February 16 - Kim Jong Il's birthday
• 8th of March - International Women's Day
• April 15th - Kim Il Sung's birthday
• 1st of May - Labor Day
• 15th of August - Liberation Day
• September 9th - Day of the establishment of the DPRK
• October 10th - Day of the founding of the Labor Party
• December 27th - Socialist Constitution Day

Many travel tours are coordinated with these holidays because large parades take place on these days and you can get to know the population a little better.

security

There is hardly any crime in North Korea due to the constant surveillance. The nuclear conflict, which is currently flaring up again, does not affect the security situation, but the current situation should be checked shortly before departure. After the repeated provocations from the south and the USA at the beginning of April 2013 and the recommendation to various states to evacuate their embassies in the DPRK, since after April 10, 2013 the security of the diplomats can no longer be guaranteed, the Federal Foreign Office advises from unnecessary trips to North Korea, but a specific travel warning has not yet been issued.

health

Health facilities are poor in North Korea. You should definitely take out travel health insurance and, in an emergency, have yourself transferred to China or home. But you can be sure that the North Korean side - especially the tour guides - will do everything possible to ensure that the sick person gets medical help in the event of illness. Recommendations for malaria prophylaxis and vaccinations for North Korea can be found at Tropeninstitut.de.

Before traveling you should get vaccinated against some diseases, especially typhoid and hepatitis A and B. In North Korea, tap water should only be boiled or sterilized.

Climate and travel time

North Korea has an east side climate with warm to humid summers and cold winters. The main travel season and the time when most of the organized tours take place is April to October. In winter it can get very cold in places (-10 ° C during the day), but the costs are a bit lower and you get the opportunity to visit North Korea's only ski resort (opened in 2013) if you plan accordingly.

behaviour rules

In North Korea there are some rules of conduct that must be observed. This is very important because otherwise you can get into trouble not only yourself, but above all your guide. Before booking, you should be clear about whether you can somehow get used to these rules. If this is not the case, it is better to choose another travel destination. Because an interrogation by the North Korean police is certainly not a pleasant experience and in the worst case scenario there is a risk of expulsion or even imprisonment.

Photography is generally allowed, but there are a lot of restrictions. For example, no construction sites or dilapidated houses may be photographed. If you want to photograph people, you have to ask them for permission beforehand. In any case, it is advisable to ask the tour guide before taking any photo whether photography is allowed here. Recordings of the military or working people are also not permitted. Pictures and statues of the former heads of state Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il may only be taken respectfully as a whole. If the tour guide forbids taking photos, you should obey that as well. If you do, the tour guide in particular can run into problems. The cameras can be checked by border officials when leaving the country and unauthorized recordings can be deleted if necessary.

North Korean newspapers, such as the TPyongyang Times, which travelers usually receive on the plane, may not be thrown in a waste paper basket or folded in half so as not to bend the guide pictures shown in them. Instead, folding the top and bottom thirds is recommended.

One should be very cautious about expressing one's own political opinion when visiting North Korea. The North Korean side is expected to accept the cult of the "great" leader Kim Il Sung and the "dear" leader Kim Jong Il. Discussions on the subject of personality cult are pointless and, if in doubt, do not improve the climate with the tour guides. When visiting Kim Il Sung statues, one is usually asked to bow, which is what one should do. You shouldn't get involved in discussions with the tour guides, it's no good. Even if it is difficult for you, you should take the country as it is for the time you spend there. If you stay calm and follow the rules, you will certainly have a more comfortable stay in North Korea and the guides will be friendlier than if you constantly cause problems.

Post and Telecommunications

Since 2013 it has been possible to bring cell phones to North Korea. The only provider in the country, Koryolink, offers special SIM cards for foreigners and even surf sticks to plug into notebooks, but the bureaucratic effort to obtain such a SIM card is enormous and is hardly worthwhile for a short tourist stay. The whole thing is not a bargain - the SIM card costs € 50, and the € 30 credit is used up very quickly at a price of € 1.58 / minute. You can still call home from the hotels, but it is even more expensive than using your own mobile phone (approx. Four euros per minute or part thereof. As of February 2006). Calls from abroad to North Korea are still hand-switched so that it is practically impossible to call from outside to North Korea.

The two large tourist hotels, the Yanggakdo and the Koryo Hotel, have access to the www, of course only for tourists. You dial into the www via the telephone line via China. However, the connection is very slow (comparable to 56k) and very expensive. Completely unsuitable for surfing, but if you really want to check your emails, you can fall back on the "service" of the two hotels.

Letters can usually be posted in hotels. Letters to Europe arrive after about a week, but you have to expect that the letters in North Korea will be opened and checked. So one should also refrain from making political statements in letters. It is possible to purchase a large number of postcards and picture postcards in the state hotels, which are actually sent all over the world (with the exception of South Korea).

literature

• North Korea Handbook, Trescher Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3897940390

Web links

• Directory of German-International Relations; extensive address list for North Korea
• Official homepage of the country (German version)
• Homepage about the country maintained by the Korean Friendship Association
• German-speaking travel agent for trips to North Korea "Pyongyang-Travel

Individual evidence