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Americans Can't Visit North Korea. Some Who Have Family There Hope Biden Changes That

Anthony Kuhn

North Korean Kang Ho-Rye (second from left), 89, hugs her South Korean relative at a resort at Mount Kumgang, North Korea, in August 2018. Almost 100 South Koreans crossed the armed border to the North to meet their separated families. The U.S. bars citizens from entering North Korea, but some Korean Americans hope the Biden administration will lift the ban and let them visit again. Lee Su-Kil/Pool/Getty Images hide caption

North Korean Kang Ho-Rye (second from left), 89, hugs her South Korean relative at a resort at Mount Kumgang, North Korea, in August 2018. Almost 100 South Koreans crossed the armed border to the North to meet their separated families. The U.S. bars citizens from entering North Korea, but some Korean Americans hope the Biden administration will lift the ban and let them visit again.

SEOUL — The Biden administration has to decide by the end of the month whether to renew a ban on U.S. citizens traveling to North Korea, and Americans with relatives in North Korea are eagerly awaiting the decision.

They include Kate Shim, who immigrated to the United States from South Korea in the 1970s. After the Korean War, her uncle was missing and her family believed he was in North Korea.

Shim says her great-grandmother told her father: "You need to find your brother because I know he's alive."

Shim's brother managed to track down their missing uncle in North Korea in the 1980s, finally reuniting him with his mother after more than 30 years.

In 1989, Shim started visiting relatives in North Korea, too.

"They were alive, and I was so happy to see my cousins," says Shim, 62. "We didn't care about, like, what politics, what kind of government we are under. We're just happy to see them."

In the 1940s and 50s, the division of Korea into two countries and the Korean War left as many as 10 million Koreans separated from their families. U.S. officials estimated in 2001 that the figure included 100,000 Korean Americans, but the number has dwindled as their communities age.

For many of the remaining members of that divided generation, time is running out to reunite with their relatives separated by geography and clashing governments.

Travel was banned after Otto Warmbier

In this Feb. 29, 2016, photo, American student Otto Warmbier cries while speaking in Pyongyang, North Korea. Warmbier died in June 2017 days after being released from detention in North Korea in a coma. Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP hide caption

In this Feb. 29, 2016, photo, American student Otto Warmbier cries while speaking in Pyongyang, North Korea. Warmbier died in June 2017 days after being released from detention in North Korea in a coma.

The U.S. has barred the use of an American passport to enter North Korea since 2017, making limited, one-time exceptions for some citizens such as aid workers and journalists.

101 Ways To Thwart A Reporter In Pyongyang

The Trump administration enacted the ban following the June 2017 death of American college student Otto Warmbier after his release from detention in Pyongyang.

The Two-Way

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North Korean authorities arrested Warmbier in January 2016 and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor for taking a propaganda poster in a hotel in Pyongyang. After being in custody for more than a year, the 22-year-old was flown home in a coma and died shortly after. North Korea has denied accusations of torture.

Last year, when Biden was a candidate, he said in an op-ed that as president he would work "to reunite Korean Americans separated from loved ones in North Korea for decades."

The administration has not commented on what it will do about the travel policy.

In a statement to NPR, the State Department said it renewed the restriction in September 2020 "due to continuing concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention in North Korea." The ban will expire on Sept. 1 unless the secretary of state extends or revokes it.

(The government's travel advisory also says not to visit North Korea now because of COVID-19 .)

Detention risk or dialogue opportunity

Some experts on North Korea believe the threat of detention remains, and so should the restriction.

North Korea Says Detained American Had Intended To 'Subvert The Country'

"At this moment, there's no reason to get rid of the travel ban," argues Anthony Ruggiero, a former National Security Council director for North Korea. He says Pyongyang has not abandoned its practice of detaining Americans as it hopes to secure political leverage over Washington.

Former President Bill Clinton claps as former Vice President Al Gore hugs Laura Ling and Euna Lee smiles with joy. Clinton and the two California journalists whose freedom he helped secure from prison in North Korea arrived at what's now called Hollywood Burbank Airport on Aug. 5, 2009. Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images hide caption

Former President Bill Clinton claps as former Vice President Al Gore hugs Laura Ling and Euna Lee smiles with joy. Clinton and the two California journalists whose freedom he helped secure from prison in North Korea arrived at what's now called Hollywood Burbank Airport on Aug. 5, 2009.

Some previous detentions have required former presidents, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton , to travel to North Korea to secure their release and bring them home.

The ban should only be lifted "when North Korea is more of a normal country, that doesn't kidnap people," says Ruggiero, now a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a research group in Washington that has advocated for a hard line against North Korea.

Ruggiero doesn't think allowing people-to-people exchanges will help persuade the government of Kim Jong Un to give up its nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

Other observers argue that reopening travel could be a start.

"The U.S. is saying we want the North Koreans to come to the table," notes Daniel Jasper, the Asia public education and advocacy coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee, a Philadelphia-based peace advocacy group. "In order to do that," he says, "we have to get back to baseline level of engagement, or North Koreans will continue to understand that to mean that the U.S. is not really sincere in their attempts to engage."

Jasper attended a meeting recently where several civic groups tried to persuade administration officials to lift the ban.

The White House has said it's taking a " calibrated practical approach " toward potential diplomacy with North Korea. This week, Biden's envoy for North Korea, Sung Kim, said he discussed with South Korean officials possible ways to address humanitarian cooperation with North Korea.

Meanwhile, advocates and lawmakers have pushed for help reuniting divided Korean families. A bill is now before the Senate that would require U.S. officials to consult with Korean Americans on progress on these efforts.

North Koreans on a bus hold hands of their South Korean relatives to bid farewell after the separated family reunion meeting at the Mount Kumgang resort on Aug. 26, 2018, in Mount Kumgang, North Korea. Lee Su-Kil/Pool/Getty Images hide caption

North Koreans on a bus hold hands of their South Korean relatives to bid farewell after the separated family reunion meeting at the Mount Kumgang resort on Aug. 26, 2018, in Mount Kumgang, North Korea.

Opening up helps to seek closure

Although official visitor figures for North Korea are hard to find, one tour operator estimated as many as 1,000 Americans went annually, according to news reports before the ban took effect.

One of the lucky ones who made it was Choon Lim. He was born in Nampo, North Korea, and fled to South Korea during the war. He later settled in Chicago.

In 1998, he visited North Korea hoping to find his father, but discovered he had died six years before.

When it came time for Lim to pour an offering of liquor before his father's ashes, he froze for an instant, that felt like an eternity.

"All those 47 years, what I have experienced, how I lived, how we lived in the South, all those things came down through my head. And I collapsed. I couldn't do it," remembers Lim, who is 75.

Lim later returned to North Korea several times with other Korean American families.

"I worked for helping separated family members visiting North Korea," he says, "because every one of the separated families should have the same kind of a closure that I had."

Waiting for a peaceful resolution

Ed Kang is also in favor of ending the travel ban. Born in 1934, he grew up in a Christian family in Pyongyang. He fled to avoid persecution under the communist regime, walking with his father the roughly 120 miles to Seoul in the winter of 1950.

"Many times, I was almost killed, but I survived," Kang recalls. "I saw the hand of God, protecting me and guiding me." Kang became a Presbyterian minister in the U.S., and returned to North Korea several times to visit his mother and younger brother, after being separated for more than 30 years.

He says the travel ban is causing unnecessary suffering, and removing it would be "making a contribution to a kind of peaceful resolution between the U.S. and North Korea."

Even if the ban is lifted, though, North Korea remains closed to the outside world, due to the pandemic. It has stopped answering hotline connecting it with South Korea, and says it is "not even considering " negotiations with the U.S.

Se Eun Gong contributed to this story from Seoul and Michele Kelemen from Washington, D.C.

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North Korea Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

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After Your Trip

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Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to North Korea.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to North Korea.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Japanese Encephalitis

Recommended for travelers who

• Are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live
• Spend long periods of time, such as a month or more, in areas with Japanese encephalitis
• Frequently travel to areas with Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination for travelers

• Spending less than a month in areas with Japanese encephalitis but will be doing activities that increase risk of infection, such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets
• Going to areas with Japanese encephalitis who are uncertain of their activities or how long they will be there

Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season. 

Japanese encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine for US Children

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of North Korea take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find  country-specific information  about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for North Korea.

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in North Korea.

Rabies is also present in some terrestrial wildlife species.

If rabies exposures occur while in North Korea, rabies vaccines are typically not readily available.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis.

Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel.

For more information, see country rabies status assessments .

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Required for travelers ≥1 year old arriving from countries with risk for YF virus transmission. 1

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil
• Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

Airborne & droplet.

• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in North Korea, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in North Korea. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
• Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in North Korea include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call North Korea’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in some parts of North Korea. If you are going to a risk area, fill your malaria prescription before you leave, and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of North Korea may be poor.
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in North Korea, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for North Korea for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

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The most important piece of North Korea travel advice is to abide by a few important rules. 

Firstly, never speak ill of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il or Kim Jon-un. Criticising the Kims is a huge insult –  and also a crime  – and could put your entire trip at risk. 

Secondly, don’t wander off from your group or guides. Trying to sneak off alone or to see things unaccompanied will land you in a huge heap of trouble.

Finally, be careful what you photograph . The rules on what you can photograph are not as restrictive as you might think – we took over 1000 photos during our trip to North Korea. 

However, certain things are off limits. Photos of construction sites and military officers are not allowed. Neither are shots of the countryside during the journeys between cities. 

Photography is also prohibited inside specific sites, but if in doubt check with your guides. Don’t be surprised if you’re told to delete any photos that your guides might not be happy with.

You'll Hear a Lot About the Kims

It’s impossible to overstate  how much the Kim dynasty dominates North Korea . The ubiquitous and glowing statues and portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are just the tip of a very large iceberg. 

The Kim’s cult of personality is inescapable and permeates every aspect of life, including tourist’s trips to the DPRK. 

Obvious examples are the visits to the embalmed bodies of the Kims at the  Palace of the Sun  and their enormous statues at  Mansudae Hill Grand Monument , but they’re infused into almost everywhere you visit .

Almost every book in souvenir shops is either written by or about Kim Il-sung or Kim Jong-il. At every place you visit in North Korea your guides will tell you how many times Kim Il-sung or Kim Jong-il visited it. There’s usually a framed red sign above the door to mark the date they came, or a huge framed photo of their visit at the entrance. 

The schools, universities, factories and farms that you’re taken to will all have a connection to the Kims, too. They’ll have either visited it, provided guidance there or, supposedly, will have given the order to build it. 

Even historic sites that were damaged during the war will have been restored under the orders of one of the Kims. Their words and slogans are even etched into the mountains in Myohyangsan.

Don't Question North Korea's Historical Narrative

Visiting North Korea means having to accept the country’s version of its own history and the history of the region. The North Korean version differs greatly from the reality. 

As a totalitarian state with a vice-like grip on all forms of education, media and communication, the ruling regime has created an alternative history for the DPRK that cannot be questioned . 

That history suits the narrative that portrays the DPRK as a victim, defending itself from several decades of American imperialism and aggression. Added to this is the complete whitewash of any of North Korea’s sins,  of which there are many.

Take anything presented as historical fact with a huge dollop of salt. Many historical claims will be heavily biased, and others will be a complete fiction. The prime example of this is the DPRK’s take on  the Korean War . 

North Koreans are taught that it was they who were attacked by the South, when in reality it was North Korea’s invasion of South Korea that led to war. If you’re told something that you know not to be true it’s best to hold your tongue and play along .

You Can Talk Politics, Up to a Point

Discussing politics isn’t completely out of the question in North Korea, but if the subject comes up you’ll need to know what to say and how to say it. 

One of our guides broached the subject on a couple of occasions, asking about  Kim Jong-un’s summits with President Trump  and if there was any discussions of the  economic sanctions on North Korea being lifted. 

It led to a fairly frank conversation about the geopolitical situation that North Korea finds itself in, though caution was obviously required. Our guide wanted to know how the land lay between the US and the DPRK following the summits, and was keen to know the outside world’s view on top of what was reported within the DPRK. 

For your own safety its best to play conversations regarding politics involving North Korea safely , but don’t be surprised if you get asked the occasional question about the view from outside the DPRK.

You Can Take Your Phone to North Korea

Despite some reports, you can take your smartphone into North Korea , as well as cameras, laptops and tablets. They will all be inspected by customs officials when you arrive in North Korea. Drones are not allowed into the DPRK. 

Be aware that you’ll be offline the entire time that you’re in North Korea . On the whole there is no access to internet or mobile phone network for foreigners in the DPRK, though things may be about to change.

Reports suggest that WiFi is available in the casino in the basement of the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang. According to NK News the network runs through China and their restrictive firewall, so websites like Google and BBC are still blocked.

Be Good to Your Tour Guides

Tour guides are appointed to every tour group that visits North Korea. They play a dual role of guide and minder, ensuring that visitors behave appropriately whilst providing information and the government line on all of the places you visit. 

The guides are far from stern faced state-appointed apparatchiks ; instead they are the young, friendly and mostly female face of North Korean tourism.

Forming a good bond with your guides will help you to get the most out of your trip to North Korea. Though they’ll never show it, ferrying groups of tourists around the DPRK is a stressful job, especially if tourists are hard to handle. 

If there’s any fallout from a badly behaved tour group, it puts them at risk of recriminations from their superiors.

Also, our guides told us that groups that are difficult to handle often miss out on visiting certain sites, such as the Palace of the Sun, as they can’t be trusted to behave themselves. Forming a good relationship and understanding with your guides will make the whole trip much more beneficial for everyone.

You See More of North Korea on a Private Tour

Though more expensive than group tours, if you can afford a private tour to North Korea then it’s worth the extra cost . 

Private group tours can be tailored and adjusted to suit you, meaning that you get to see more of the things that you want to see . Trips on group tours tend to be set itineraries that only allow for the odd tweak here and there.

Also, on a private tour your North Korean guides will be dedicated just to you, rather than looking after a group of up to 20 people. This means you’ll have a much more personal service and it allows you the chance to find out much more about the places that you visit and about life in North Korea.

You’ll also be easier to manage , meaning that you can fit a lot more into your daily schedule than if you were in a group. Fewer numbers means that it’s naturally a lot easier to move around and you’re able to do so much more in a day. 

Another advantage of a private tour is that you’ll be in a smaller vehicle, giving you the chance to go to places that group tours on coaches just can’t reach. This adds so many more possibilities to your trip, especially if you’re travelling outside of Pyongyang. 

As part of our ten day trip to the DPRK, we managed to visit  Pakyon waterfall  near Kaesong and Paeksang Pavillion in the city of Anju, two places that even our guides hadn’t previously visited.

You Will Get a Few Glimpses of the 'Real' North Korea

It’s often asked of how much of the ‘real’ North Korea you get to see as a tourist in the DPRK. The answer is hard to quantify. 

Contact with real North Koreans is extremely limited; you’re obviously not going to have the chance to discuss the Supreme People’s Assembly’s latest legislative proposals with the man on the street. 

You’re also in the odd situation whereby the state is trying to show you one version of North Korea whilst you might be trying to look for another.

You probably won’t find the real North Korea – whatever that is – whilst on a tourist trip. But you’ll be surprised by just how much you are allowed to witness . 

Whilst being driven around you will see plenty of examples of real life and of things that the North Korean regime itself might not actively promote, from aging Soviet-style housing blocks to old men sat by the road charging cyclists for the use of a bicycle pump. 

You’ll see even more if you venture outside of Pyongyang. The countryside is incredibly eye-opening and a world away from the epic monuments and lavish government buildings that line Pyongyang’s streets. 

Driving through North Korea’s countryside feels like going back in time, and there’s no hiding the harsh reality of life outside of the cities.

You'll be Taken to Many Places the State Wants You to See

The highlight of a visit to North Korea is the chance to see some of the country’s most well known sites, such as the Kim statues at Mansudae Hill Grand Monument, the Arch of Triumph or the spectacular view from the top of the Juche Tower. 

Yet in every trip to North Korea are tours of more everyday sites that the regime is keen for outsiders to see .

You’ll almost certainly be taken to a school to see performances by phenomenally talented if alarmingly young children. Other common stops are universities, farms and factories , and each is likely to be a little dry and uninspiring. 

The visits are obviously propaganda, designed to show North Korea as a highly educated, talented and productive nation blossoming under the leadership of the Workers Party of Korea. 

You don’t have to be a hardened cynic to see through it all. For the less entertaining trips it’s best to put on a polite smile and look enthusiastic until the tour is over.

North Korean Accommodation is Incredibly Varied

The standard of accommodation in North Korea is always adequate but the quality can fluctuate wildly . It’s recommended that you take a torch when you travel in North Korea in case you’re caught in a power cut whilst at your hotel.

In Pyongyang most tourists usually stay at the  Yanggakdo International Hotel , a monolithic tower with over 1000 rooms and a revolving restaurant on top. Filled with amenities to keep tourists entertained, the hotel’s rooms are okay if a bit dated and low on mod cons. 

They come with comfortable beds, a television with a few outside news channels and, most importantly of all, hot water and electricity when you need it.

Outside Pyongyang accommodation varies from the more basic to the scarcely believable . In Kaesong our dated hotel suffered from power cuts and hot water was rationed to an hour in the morning and an hour at night. The room was at least warm, with underfloor heating and radiators that didn’t turn off. 

The Hyangsan Hotel in Myohyangsan on the other hand was a completely different story altogether. Known as the best hotel in North Korea,  the Hyangsan is easily a 5 star hotel by Western standards . How and why it is where it is is a bit of a mystery, yet the bumpy ride from Pyongyang is worth the trip to see the Hyangsan alone.

Bring Enough Money in a Multitude of Currencies

This is where North Korea can get confusing. Foreigners aren’t allowed to spend North Korean Won whilst in the DPRK (the only exception being at  the Kwangbok Supermarket ). 

Instead, tourists have to use a confusing combination of three foreign currencies when buying anything in North Korea. These are the Chinese yuan , US dollars and Euros . Bring enough of each currency, and ideally in low denominations. Even $10 goes a long way in North Korea, so bring plenty of 5 and even 1 dollar bills. 

In souvenir shops and in hotels the staff will convert all local prices into whichever currency you wish to pay in. Be aware that your change may come in a different currency than the one you paid in . We received a handful of change in the cafe at the Yanggakdo hotel in US dollars, Euros and Chinese Yuan.

Make sure that you bring enough money for the duration of your trip. If you run out there are no ATM’s. Also, make sure that all notes that you bring into the country are in mint condition . Shop assistants in North Korea will turn away notes that are tattered or badly creased. 

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

North Korea

Entry requirements.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in North Korea set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ( DPRK ) in London by email at [email protected] , or by telephone on 020 8992 4965 .

Tourists can normally only travel to North Korea as part of an organised tour. Independent travellers will need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This is usually only possible for business travellers.

COVID-19 rules

No entry into North Korea is permitted whilst COVID-19 border restrictions remain in place.

Passport validity requirements

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Visa requirements

You will need a visa to enter North Korea. For further information contact the Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ( DPRK ) in London by email at [email protected] , or by telephone on 020 8992 4965.

Applying for a visa

Visa application enquires should be made directly to the embassy.

Vaccination requirements

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s North Korea guide .

Registration with the authorities

You must register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if your visit is for more than 24 hours. Most hotels will automatically complete this process on your behalf.

Some hotels may insist on full cash payment in advance when you check in.

Customs rules

You must leave any Global Positioning System technology with North Korean customs. You can collect your devices when you leave North Korea.

You can bring a foreign mobile phone into the country, but you must register it at the border. You can only use it with a North Korean SIM card.

Avoid bringing books or other written material in the Korean language, including anything with religious content. Consider carefully any films or television programmes that you bring into the country, either on DVD or on data storage devices. Any literature or media deemed to have an anti-government message or deemed subversive or pornographic by the authorities in North Korea risk confiscation, with severe penalties including imprisonment as a result.

There have also been cases of travel guides being confiscated at the airport on arrival; they are usually returned on departure.

Taking money into North Korea

Shops and restaurants list prices in the local currency (North Korean won) but usually charge foreigners in foreign currency. They convert the won price using official exchange rates.

The euro and US dollar are the most widely accepted currencies, although some places accept Chinese yuan.

It is illegal to import and export the local currency. There are no restrictions on importing and exporting foreign currency, but you must declare it at customs. Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted.

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Last verified: Tuesday, 18. June 2024 at 08:18 AM

North Korea Travel Advisory

• Eastern Asia
• North Korea Travel Advice

Please reconsider your need to travel to North Korea

Local situation: 4.4 / 5.

Please reconsider your need to travel to North Korea. We detected travel advisories from 5 sources for this specific country.

Regional Situation: 3.6 / 5

North Korea shares a land border with 3 neighbouring states. For this region of countries (including North Korea), the Advisory Index is 3.6 (average value over all countries). All countries have some reported advisories: Russia (4.4), China with 3.4 and South Korea with 2.3 (of 5).

Current informationen on Covid-19 in North Korea

There are currently no officially reported cases of infections with SARS-CoV-2 (or Coronavirus) in North Korea. As reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control this morning (~8:30am CET).

There are currently no officially reported deaths related to this disease in North Korea.

Source: www.ecdc.europa.eu

Advice scoring history for North Korea

Chart of the risk level over that last 200 days. This is the daily calculated travel risk for North Korea.

Chart of the number of sources over that last 200 days. This is the daily number of advisory sources (of any rating) that have been active on that day.

Note: Changes happening on the 28th/29th of July 2019 are related to a change in the software and number of sources processed.

Rating Details (single travel warnings)

These are the individual advisories published by other countries about the destination North Korea from a travellers perspective. The scoring of all messages combined is the foundation for the current rating 4.4 out of 5.0 .

This is the general advisory usually covering the country as a whole.

Advisory issued by: New Zealand

Do not travel to North Korea due to extensive restrictions placed on foreigners, serious risk of arrest and detention, and an uncertain security situation that could change with very little warning. The security situation on the Korean Peninsula remains volatile – technically North Korea and South Korea are still at war (level 4 of 4).

Source: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/north-korea

Advisory issued by: Cyprus

Avoid non-essential travel

Source: http://www.mfa.gov.cy/mfa/mfa2016.nsf/travel_en.html

Advisory issued by: Finland

Undvik icke nödvändiga resor - Situationen i Nordkorea är oförutsägbar och kan förändras plötsligt.

Source: https://um.fi/resemeddelande/-/c/KP

Advisory issued by: United States

Source: http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/north-korea-travel-advisory.html

Advisory issued by: Canada

The Canadian goverment suggests: Avoid all travel.

Source: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/north-korea

Individual rating changes for North Korea

This is the recent history of individual changes of travel advices that affected the total asessment of North Korea. Most recent events first.

Changes from September 25th 2019

The total rating for North Korea changed from 0.0 to 0.0 . Here are the influencing details:

The United States government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 5.0.

The Canadian government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 5.0.

The New Zealand government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 4.0.

The Cypriot government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 4.0.

The Irish government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 4.0.

The Finnish government issued a new warning for North Korea with a rating of 4.0.

About North Korea

North Korea with its capital Pyongyang is a country in Asia (Eastern Asia), slightly smaller than Mississippi (120,540 km²). The country is located Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea. The climate can be described as temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer. The landscape is mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east. With a population of about 22.91 million citizens.

Korean flag

Introduction Video

Basic Statistics and Facts

Environmental problems and natural hazzards.

These are problems North Korea is facing. Environmental issues refer to damages of the nature due to industry and society. Natural hazzards refer to potential dangers originating in nature.

Environmental problems

• deforestation
• inadequate supplies of potable water
• soil erosion and degradation
• water pollution
• waterborne disease

Natural hazzards

• Changbaishan (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active
• late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding
• occasional typhoons during the early fall

Top Industries and Agricultural Products

These are the main product industries and agricultural products of North Korea. This list indicates what this country is good at producing.

• electric power
• food processing
• machine building

Agriculture products

Korean Imports and Exports

These are the main product categories of imports and exports to and from North Korea.

Export products

• agricultural
• fishery products
• manufactures (
• metallurgical products

Import products

• coking coal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current travel advisory for north korea.

North Korea is currently rated at 4,4 out of a possible 5.0. Collected from 5 official sources. Please reconsider your need to travel to North Korea.

Is it safe to travel North Korea in 2024?

The score is rather high ( 4,4 ) and you should avoid all non-essential travel to North Korea. Maybe pick another location.

How many travel advisories do you know for North Korea?

We currently evaluate 11 official sources each morning. Today, we know of active advisories from 5 individual sources for North Korea.

What is the current Corona virus situation in North Korea?

There are currently no officially reported cases of infections with SARS-CoV-2 (or Coronavirus) in North Korea. As reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control this morning (~8:30am CET). There are currently no officially reported deaths related to this disease in North Korea.

What is the size of North Korea?

North Korea has a size of 120,540 km² or 46,541 mi² which is slightly smaller than Mississippi.

Common Frequently Asked Questions

For non-country specific questions, please check our global F.A.Q.

Travel safety map for North Korea and bordering countries.

If you want to embed North Korea travel warning information into your website or application, check out these tools.

• Is North Korea safe to travel?
• What's the safety situation in North Korea?
• Are there security warnings for North Korea?

2020-03-10: Integrated data from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2/ Coronavirus).

2019-09-01: Added timeline charts for risk level and number of advisories.

2019-07-29: Added two more sources (Finland and Denmark). Affects country ratings.

2019-07-15: South-Sudan was missing and was added today.

2019-05-18: Performance improvements for API users.

2019-03-23: Introduced professional API with more data.

2019-02-13: Added three more sources (Cyprus, Ireland and Malta). Affects country ratings.

Travel Advice for North Korea

Going to North Korea and need to know about the latest government travel advice for North Korea? Find the updated travel advice and travel warnings for North Korea from governments around the world, here.

General Travel Advice and Warnings for North Korea

The decision to visit to North Korea is your decision and you are responsible for your personal safety whilst in North Korea.

The material on this web page is given information only and compiled from travel advice and warnings for North Korea by authorities around the world to their citizens.

While we strive to provide you most current travel advice information, it is offered on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied.

This operators of this site does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information offered.

Standard Cautions You Need to Remember When Taking a Trip in North Korea

Crime – Petty criminal activities such as pick pocketing in a crowded environment to sexual assault and robberies do happen in larger cities of North Korea. Make sure that all your personal valuables, such as passports and other travel documents, are safe at all times.

Terrorism – Always be aware of your surroundings when in public areas. Be particularly vigilant if attending sporting events and throughout religious holidays and various other public celebrations, as terrorists frequently use such events to mount attacks.

Demonstrations and Protests – Demonstrations may occur. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also result in disruptions to traffic and public transportation. It is in your interest of safety and security to avoid locations where demonstrations and big events are taking place and adhere to the instructions of local authorities. Monitor local media in North Korea for info on on-going demonstrations in North Korea.

Scams – Take caution in popular tourist locations in North Korea, where scammers target tourists. If you have actually been scammed in North Korea, reach a safe location immediately; make note, as soon as possible of the name and address of the facility where you were held; notify the cops in North Korea and acquire a record and if your credit card is used by the scammer call your credit card provider to report the scam; they will likely ask for a copy of the police report to cancel the financial transaction.

Spiked Food and Drinks – Never leave food or beverages unattended or in the care of strangers whilst travelling in North Korea or anywhere else. Be wary of accepting snacks, drinks, chewing gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances. These items might have drugs that might put you at risk of sexual assault and mugging.

What is the entry/exit conditions for North Korea?

Every country or territory determines who can enter or leave through its borders, likewise North Korea chooses who enter its borders. The Government of your home country cannot interfere on your behalf if you do not satisfy your North Korea’s entry or exit requirements.

To learn more about the entry/exit requirement for North Korea see visa requirements for North Korea or obtain the current information with the visa office at the North Korean embassy in your home country.

Travel insurance policy for North Korea

Health cover is one of the major factors travellers obtain travel insurance. It will not avoid you getting ill or injured, though it can prevent you suffering financially. Medical aid overseas can be extremely expensive.

You have to shell out for all treatment you obtain overseas. You can’t expect to get free or subsidised treatment through your North Korea’s public health system, like you would in your home country.

If you can not pay, local authorities could detain you. The government from your home country can’t pay you health care bill for you, loan you money or get you out of jail.

You require travel insurance policy for travelling to North Korea . You also need to ensure you select a plan that is right for you.

Check out the small print of your travel insurance policy.

Declare all pre-existing conditions to your travel insurance company upfront. If you do not, you might void your travel insurance coverage.

Inform your travel insurance company the activities you plan to do, before you go. Many common activities like skiing are left out in standard policies. You may require to pay extra.

Check if you have free credit card travel insurance policy. Some cards include travel insurance cover. However, they often have various conditions than paid plans. Be aware of the differences.

If you’re travelling to North Korea from a country that has a reciprocatory health care arrangement, you still require travel medical insurance. Agreements are restricted in what they’ll will cover.

If you have a terminal disease, you might not be able to obtain standard travel insurance policy. However you might have the ability to find a specialised insurance firm that covers you for health, accidents or property troubles unrelated to your illness. Talk with your insurance provider to learn.

Find out more about getting international travel insurance coverage for North Korea before you go.

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North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 24, 2023, north korea - level 4: do not travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Do not travel to North Korea due to  the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals.  Exercise increased caution to North Korea due to  the critical threat of wrongful detention.

• All U.S. passports are invalid for travel to, in, or through the DPRK unless specially validated for such travel under the authority of the Secretary of State. 
• Special validations are granted only in very limited circumstances. More information on how to apply for the special validation is available  here .

The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea. Sweden serves as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services. The North Korean government routinely delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained U.S. citizens.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of North Korea, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to North Korea.

If you receive a special validation to travel to North Korea:

• Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
• Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
• Visit our website for  Travel to High-Risk Areas .
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Travel Advisory Levels

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Are Americans allowed to travel to North Korea?

• Kevin Quinitchett
• Published : 11:35 ET, Jul 19 2023
• Updated : 11:49 ET, Jul 19 2023

POLITICAL differences are present between the United States and North Korea.

The American government highly advises its citizens not to travel to the communist latter.

Although it is possible for Americans to travel to North Korea , the US government strongly recommends not doing so.

On October 5, 2022, the US reissued a Level 4 travel advisory to warn its citizens against visiting North Korea.

US passports are considered invalid when attempting to visit North Korea.

In order to travel to the latter, an American citizen's passport must be specially validated by the US government.

Read More on the US and North Korea

What to know about detained soldier Travis King

What to know about Otto Warmbier's North Korea detainment

When the individual is specially granted a passport to go to North Korea, it is valid for one round trip.

"Do not travel to North Korea due to the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals," warns the American government.

"Exercise increased caution to North Korea due to the critical threat of wrongful detention.

"The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea.

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"Sweden serves as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services.

"The North Korean government routinely delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained U.S. citizens."

Which Americans have been detained in North Korea?

The North Korean detainment of US soldier Travis King and college student Otto Warmbier serve as cautionary tales against traveling to the communist nation.

On June 19, 2017, Warmbier died from a lack of oxygen to the brain after the North Korean government returned him to the US from his imprisonment.

Other American citizens who have been imprisoned by the North Korean government include:

• Bruce Byron Lowrance
• Kim Dong-chul
• Kim Hak-song
• Kenneth Bae
• Matthew Todd Miller
• Robert Park
• Aijalon Mahli Gomes
• Evan Hunziker

In most of the cases mentioned above, the citizen was detained by North Korea and sentenced to several years of hard labor.

What is the history between the US and North Korea?

Relations between the US and North Korea have been tense since the Korean War.

During the war, North and South Korea fought one another until the Korean Armistice Agreement was reached on July 27, 1953.

Read More on The US Sun

Brian Laundrie's parents pictured after Gabby Petito's family forgave him

Edwin Castro's 24-hour security seen hovering near Powerball winner

The North was supported by fellow Communist countries China and the Soviet Union .

Meanwhile, the South found allies in the US and the United Kingdom .

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Travel advice and advisories by destination

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

The Government of Canada’s official source of travel information and advice, the Travel Advice and Advisories help you to make informed decisions and travel safely while you are outside Canada. Check the page for your destination often, because safety and security conditions may change. See Travel Advice and Advisories – FAQ for more information.

Where are you going?

Take normal security precautions

Exercise a high degree of caution

Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid all travel

Travel advice from other countries

Travel advice is also provided by the governments of Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States .

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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South Korean soldiers fire warning shots after North Korean troops intrude for a 2nd time this month

A North Korean military guard post is seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. South Korean soldiers fired warning shots to repel North Korean soldiers who temporarily crossed the rivals’ land border Tuesday for the second time this month, South Korea’s military said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A visitor looks at the map of North Korean side from the unification observatory in Paju, South Korea, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. South Korean soldiers fired warning shots after North Korean troops briefly violated the tense border earlier this week, South Korea’s military said Tuesday, as the rivals are embroiled in Cold War-style campaigns like balloon launches and propaganda broadcasts.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean soldiers fired warning shots to repel North Korean soldiers who temporarily crossed the rivals’ land border Tuesday for the second time this month, South Korea’s military said.

The South’s military observed increased North Korean construction activities along their heavily armed border to install suspected anti-tank barriers, reinforce roads and plant land mines. The work has gone on uninterrupted despite several explosions caused by mines that killed or injured an unspecified number of North Korean soldiers, said the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, around 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers, while engaging in unspecified construction work on the northern side of the border, briefly crossed the military demarcation line that bisects the countries as of 8:30 a.m. It said the North Korean soldiers retreated after the South broadcasts warnings and fired warning shots and the South’s military didn’t spot any suspicious activity after that.

The South also fired warning shots on June 11 after another group of North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the MDL. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that Tuesday’s incident occurred in a different area along the central frontline region. It said it doesn’t believe the North Korean soldiers intruded the border intentionally and that the North did not return fire.

The South’s military has said the border area is dense with overgrown trees and plants that may have obscured the visibility of North Korean soldiers and caused them to cross the border.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it suspects North Korea will expand its border construction activities, which started around April and is possibly aimed at making it harder for North Korean civilians or soldiers to defect to the South as Pyongyang’s leadership attempts to strengthen its control over its people.

“Our military is closely monitoring North Korean military activities in the frontline area while guarding against accidental situations,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The border intrusions come as tensions rise between the war-divided rivals, who in recent weeks have engaged in Cold War-style psychological warfare and made it clear they are no longer bound by their landmark military agreement in 2018 to reduce tensions.

The Koreas’ heavily fortified border, referred to as the Demilitarized Zone, has occasionally been a site of bloodshed and violent confrontations between the rivals. The military demarcation line marks the border between the two Koreas within the DMZ, which is 248 kilometers (154 miles) long and 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide. The zone is strewn with an estimated 2 million mines and also guarded by barbed wire fences, tank traps and combat troops on both sides. It’s a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

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Passport for Travel to North Korea

U.S. passports are not valid for travel to, in, or through North Korea (also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK).

• We may grant an exception to qualified applicants by issuing a passport with a special validation.
• Most special validations let you make one round trip to the DPRK in the next 365 days.
• In certain cases, we may approve a special validation to make multiple trips to the DPRK during a two-year period.
• We only issue special validations on a limited basis. 

If you do not have a special validation on your passport and travel to, in, or through North Korea, we may revoke your passport (22 C.F.R. § 51.62(a)(3) or you may be prosecuted for a felony (18 U.S.C. § 1544).

Who Can Get a Special Validation Passport?

We will only issue a special validation passport if your trip is in the national interest, and you meet all other requirements for a passport. 

Your trip might be in the national interest if:

• You are a professional journalist and the purpose of your trip is to make information about the DPRK available to the public.
• You are a representative of the Red Cross traveling on an official Red Cross mission to the DPRK.
• You are traveling for compelling humanitarian considerations.
• It is otherwise in the national interest.

Steps to Request a Special Validation and Apply for a Passport

1. collect the required information.

For a single-entry special validation passport, please provide:

• Your full name
• Current contact information including phone number, mailing address, and email address
• Current U.S. passport book or card
• Driver's license (not a temporary license or learner's permit). Provide a front-and-back copy of the license.
• Naturalization certificate
• Military identification
• Federal, state, or municipal government employee identification card
• Statement explaining the reason your trip is in the national interest or why you are eligible for a special validation passport. Include proposed travel dates and your role on the trip. In group requests, each traveler must provide this statement.
• Documents to support your request, such as a letter from the organization sponsoring your trip(s).

For a multiple-entry  special validation passport, you must submit all of the materials above and:

• Documents showing you or your organization has a well-established history of traveling to the DPRK,
• Your draft itinerary, including proposed dates of travel and work you will do on each trip, and
• Documents showing your humanitarian work requires that you make multiple trips to the DPRK in the next two-year period. 

2. Submit your Request

Email the required information to  [email protected]  or send by mail to:

Office of Adjudication, Passport Services, U.S. Department of State 44132 Mercure Circle, P.O. Box 1243 Sterling, VA 20166-1243 ATTN: Special Validations

3. Notification of Approval or Denial

After you submit your request:

• We will let you know if we approve or deny your request. If we deny your request, we will not further review this decision.
• If approved, we will send you a letter or email certifying your eligibility for travel to the DPRK.
• Follow the steps to  apply in person  using Form DS-11 or  renew by mail  using Form DS-82.
• Email  [email protected]  if you have questions about applying.
• If you are approved for a special validation passport that is good for multiple entries to the DPRK, you must send a final itinerary detailing dates and purpose of travel at least five days before each trip. Email these documents to  [email protected]  or send them by mail to:

U.S. Department of State Harry S. Truman Building 2201 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20520 ATTN: Rm. 4206 EAP/KM/DPRK

Frequently Asked Questions

Who may be approved for a multiple-entry special validation passport.

You may be approved if you meet all of the following requirements:

• Your special validation is in the national interest as described on this page.
• You or your organization has a well-established history of traveling to the DPRK.
• You have itineraries and documents showing that you must make multiple trips to the DPRK in the next two-year period.

I have made arrangements through official channels to visit relatives in the DPRK. Is this potentially grounds for receiving a special validation passport?

Yes. We will consider these applications on humanitarian grounds on a case-by-case basis.

If I am approved, what form should I submit for my special validation passport?

If we approve your request for a special validation, you may be eligible to  apply in person  using Form DS-11 or renew by mail  using Form DS-82. Please email [email protected] if you have questions about applying.

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North Korean soldiers cross border, South Korea fires warning shots

North Korea has been reinforcing the border since abandoning a military agreement with South Korea last November.

South Korea’s military has said that between 20 and 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the border between the two countries early on Tuesday, but returned after South Korean forces fired warning shots.

The incident took place at about 8:30am (23:30 GMT on Monday) when a group of North Korean soldiers in the central part of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) crossed the military demarcation line, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

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Russia's Putin to visit North Korea amid international concerns over their military cooperation

S EOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea for a two-day visit starting Tuesday, both countries announced, amid international concerns about their military cooperation.

Putin is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks as they deepen their alignment in the face of separate, intensifying confrontations with Washington. It will be Putin's first trip to North Korea in 24 years.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Putin will pay a state visit on Tuesday and Wednesday at Kim's invitation. North Korean state media didn’t immediately provide details. Russia confirmed the visit in a simultaneous announcement.

There are growing concerns about an arms arrangement in which Pyongyang provides Moscow with badly needed munitions to fuel Putin’s war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that would enhance the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.

Military, economic and other cooperation between North Korea and Russia have sharply increased since Kim visited the Russian Far East in September for a meeting with Putin, their first since 2019.

U.S. and South Korean officials have accused the North of providing Russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment to help prolong its fighting in Ukraine, possibly in return for key military technologies and aid. Both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied accusations about North Korean weapons transfers.

Any weapons trade with North Korea would be a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions that Russia, a permanent U.N. Security Council member, previously endorsed.

Andrei Lankov, an expert on North Korea at Kookmin University in Seoul, noted that in exchange for providing artillery munitions and short-range ballistic missiles, Pyongyang hopes to get higher-end weapons from Moscow.

Lankov noted that while Russia could be reluctant to share its state-of-the-art military technologies with North Korea, it’s eager to receive munitions from Pyongyang. “There is never enough ammunition in a war, there is a great demand for them,” Lankov told The Associated Press.

There were signs that Kim was preparing to throw a lavish celebration for Putin as he tries to boost the visibility of their relationship to his domestic audience. The North Korea-focused NK News website said Monday that its analysis of commercial satellite images suggest that the North is possibly preparing a huge parade at a square in the country’s capital, Pyongyang.

Kim in recent months has made Russia his primary focus as he tries to strengthen his regional footing and expand cooperation with nations confronting the United States, embracing the idea of what he portrays as a “new Cold War. ”

During telephone talks with South Korea’s vice foreign minister on Friday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell raised concern that Putin’s visit to the North would result in further military cooperation between the countries that potentially undermines stability in the region, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The list of countries willing to welcome Putin is shorter than ever, but for Kim Jong Un, this visit is a victory,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

“Not only does the summit upgrade North Korea’s status among countries standing against the U.S.-led international order, it also helps bolster Kim’s domestic legitimacy. Russia cannot replace China economically, but increasing cooperation with Moscow shows that Pyongyang has options.”

Putin first visited Pyongyang in July 2000, months after his first election when he met with Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, who ruled the country then.

Moscow has said it “highly appreciates” Pyongyang’s support for Russia’s military action in Ukraine and mentioned its “close and fruitful cooperation” at the United Nations and other international organizations.

Russia and China have repeatedly blocked the U.S. and its partners’ attempts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its barrage of banned ballistic missile tests.

In March, a Russian veto at the United Nations ended monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it allegedly violates the sanctions to buy weapons from Pyongyang for use in Ukraine.

During a news conference in March, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik said North Korea had already shipped about 7,000 containers filled with munitions and other military equipment to Russia. In return, Shin said that North Korea had received more than 9,000 Russian containers likely filled with aid.

Kim has also used Russia’s war in Ukraine as a distraction to dial up his weapons development as he pursues a nuclear arsenal that could viably threaten the United States and its Asian allies. This prompted the U.S. and South Korea to expand their combined military exercises and sharpen their nuclear deterrence strategies built around strategic U.S. assets.

Earlier this year, Putin sent Kim a high-end Aurus Senat limousine, which he had shown to the North Korean leader when they met for a summit in September. Observers said the shipment violated a U.N. resolution aimed at pressuring the North to give up its nuclear weapons program by banning the supply of luxury items to North Korea.

Putin has continuously sought to rebuild ties with Pyongyang as part of efforts to restore his country’s global clout and its Soviet-era alliances. Moscow’s ties with North Korea weakened after the 1991 Soviet collapse. Kim Jong Un first met with Putin in 2019 in Russia’s eastern port of Vladivostok.

After North Korea, the Kremlin said Putin will also visit Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday. He is set to meet in Hanoi with Gen. Nguyen Phu Trong, the secretary general of the Vietnamese Communist Party, President To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

They plan to discuss “prospects for the continued development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam in the trade and economy, scientific and technology, and humanitarian fields,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The United States, which has spent years strengthening ties and accelerating trade with Vietnam, criticized Putin’s planned visit.

“As Russia continues to seek international support to sustain its illegal and brutal war against Ukraine, we reiterate that no country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Vietnam said in a statement.

“If he is able to travel freely, it could normalize Russia’s blatant violations of international law and inadvertently send the message that atrocities can be committed in Ukraine and elsewhere with impunity, worsening human suffering, and prolonging the path to sustainable peace and justice,” the statement said.

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Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Andrew Heavens

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Putin vows trade, security with north korea beyond reach of west.

Vladimir Putin promised to build trade and security systems with North Korea that are not controlled by the West as he heads to Pyongyang on Tuesday for the first time in 24 years, seeking partners to boost country's military in its war against Ukraine.

North Korea Building Walls Along Border With South, Yonhap Says

North Korea is constructing walls and digging roads on its side of the demilitarized zone along the border with South Korea, Yonhap News reported Saturday.

The construction has been taking place recently inside parts of the 2-kilometer-wide (1.2 mile) area between the northernmost edge of the DMZ and the military demarcation line, which divides the peninsula, Yonhap said, citing an unidentified military source. North Korea’s motive remains unclear and Yonhap didn’t say how high or wide the walls were.