Noord-Korea - North Korea

	WAARSKUWING: Die Verenigde State verbied reis op Amerikaanse paspoorte sonder spesiale toestemming, en sodanige reis is 'n misdaad wat volgens die Amerikaanse wet strafbaar is. Kanada beveel teen almal reis na die NKR, en Nieu-Seeland, Australië, Ierland en die Verenigde Koninkryk beveel aan dat u u behoefte aan reis heroorweeg.
	Regeringsadvies Australië Kanada Ierland Nieu-Seeland Verenigde Koninkryk Verenigde State
	(Inligting laas opgedateer Augustus 2020)

Noord-Korea (Koreaans: 조선 Chosŏn), amptelik die Demokratiese Volksrepubliek Korea of DPRK (조선 민주주의 인민 공화국 Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk) is die wêreld se mees geïsoleerde land en een van die mees onderdrukkende en onderontwikkelde lande. Dit is geleë in Oos Asië op die Koreaanse skiereiland, wat verdeel is tussen Noord en Suid-Korea sedert die 1950's.

Reis bied die geleentheid om die laaste grens van die land te sien Koue Oorlog, waar 'n samelewing steeds onder 'n streng stalinistiese regering loop met die klem op die weermag, en ekonomiese ontwikkeling agter die ander nasies in die streek lê. Toeriste mag slegs na Noord-Korea reis as deel van 'n begeleide toer en onafhanklike reis is nie toegelaat nie. Besoekers word voortdurend gemonitor om te verseker dat hul interaksie met plaaslike mense bestuur word, om aktiwiteite soos die neem van 'ongeskikte' foto's, kritiek op Noord-Korea, oneerbiedigheid teenoor die Groot Leier of praat met plaaslike inwoners sonder toestemming te voorkom.

Ongeveer 1 500 Westerse toeriste besoek Noord-Korea elke jaar. Die meeste voltooi die reis sonder voorvalle, solank hulle hul immer teenwoordige gidse volg. Voorvalle het voorgekom, en dit is moeilik om behoorlike proses te bewerkstellig. Die waarskynlikste gevolg van enige probleme met die owerhede is 'n tydperk van aanhouding voor deportasie. U moet nie na Noord-Korea reis as u nie bereid is om ernstige beperkings op u beweging en gedrag, of die risiko van arbitrêre, onbepaalde aanhouding, te aanvaar nie.

Streke

Noord-Korea streke - Kleurkode kaart

Donghae-kus (Chongjin, Hamhung, Rason, Noord-Hamgyong, Suid-Hamgyong, Kangwon, Kŭmgang-san)

Baekdu-berge (Ryanggang, Chagang)

Pyongan (Noord-P'yongan, Suid-P'yongan, Kaechon, Nampho, Pyongyang, Shinuiju)

Hwanghae (Noord-Hwanghae, Suid-Hwanghae, Kaesong)

Stede

• 39.019125.7381 Pyongyang (평양 시) - die hoofstad en die voormalige hoofstad van Goguryeo gedurende die Drie Koninkryksperiode
• 41.783129.7662 Chongjin (청진) - Industriële stad in die Noord-Ooste, baie selde besoek deur toeriste
• 39.916127.5333 Hamhung (함흥시) - Noordelike stad, ook selde op amptelike reisroetes
• 39.698125.9064 Kaechon (개천 시)
• 37.966126.555 Kaesong (개성시) - voormalige hoofstad tydens die Goryeo-dinastie
• 38.733125.46 Nampho (남포시) - industriële sentrum en hawe aan die westelike kus
• 42.344130.3847 Rason (라선시) - Vryhandelsone aan die Russiese grens, volledig met casino
• 40.1124.48 Sinuiju (신의주 시) - somber industriële stad reg op die grens met China. Seker die maklikste maniere om van buite die land in te kyk
• 39.147127.4469 Wonsan (원산 시) - Hawestad wat stadig oopgaan vir toeriste, en dit het die eerste ski-oord in die land

Ander bestemmings

• 38.688056128.2002781 Kumgangsan (금강산) - die skilderagtige diamantberge, bereikbaar op toere vanuit die suide
• 40.018611126.3330562 Myohyangsan (묘향산) - hierdie Geheimsinnige Geurige Berg is een van die beste staproetes in die Noorde
• 42.005556128.0552783 Baekdu-berge (백두산) - die hoogste berg in Korea en die mitiese geboorteplek van die Kim-dinastie
• 37.956126.6774 Panmunjom (판문점) - die laaste buitepos van die Koue Oorlog in die DMZ tussen Suid en Noord

Verstaan

Geskiedenis

Voorgeskiedenis en stigting van 'n nasie

Sien ook: Pre-moderne Korea

Argeologiese vondste van prehistoriese gereedskap op die Koreaanse skiereiland dateer uit 70 000 vC met die eerste pottebakkery wat omstreeks 8000 vC gevind is. Aardewerkkultuur van kampatrone het 'n hoogtepunt bereik rondom 3500-2000 vC.

Volgens die legende het Korea begin met die stigting van Gojoseon (ook genoem Antieke Chosun) deur die legendariese Dangun in 2333 vC. Argeologiese en gelyktydige geskrewe verslae van Gojoseon as 'n koninkryk dateer uit ongeveer 7de tot 4de eeu vC. Gojoseon is uiteindelik in 108 vC deur die Chinese Han-dinastie verslaan en sy gebiede word deur vier Chinese kommandantore bestuur, maar dit het nie lank geduur nie. Inboorlinge van die skiereiland en Mantsjoerye het die gebied gou herwin, naamlik die Drie Koninkryke van Korea, Goguryeo, Silla en Baekje. Die Goguryeo-koninkryk (of Koguryo) het die hele gebied van die moderne Noord-Korea regeer, sowel as dele van Mantsjoerië en die noordelike dele van die moderne Suid-Korea. Boeddhistiese en Confuciaanse leerstellings was prominent in die Goguryeo-koninkryk, wat Boeddhisme as staatsgodsdiens in 372 aangeneem het. Ondanks herhaalde pogings van China, naamlik die Sui-dinastie en later die Tang-dinastie, om die Koreaanse skiereiland te verower, het Goguryeo in die noorde geslaag om af te weer hulle. Uiteindelik val Goguryeo in 'n Silla-Tang-alliansie, wat Baekje vroeër verslaan het. Hierdie verenigde Korea onder die Silla-dinastie. Alhoewel Tang later binnegeval het, slaag Silla-magte daarin om hulle uit te dryf en sodoende Korea se onafhanklikheid te behou.

Unified Silla is vervang deur die Goryeo (ook genoem Koryo) dinastie, waarvan die moderne naam "Korea" afgelei is. Een hoogtepunt van die Goryeo-dinastie was dat die wêreld se eerste metaal-roerende soort in 1234 uitgevind is deur 'n Koreaan met die naam Choe Yun-ui (200 jaar voor Gutenberg se drukpers).

Boeddhistiese leer het gedurende hierdie tyd versprei en die voormalige leiers van Baekje en Goguryeo is goed behandel. Die koninkryk het relatiewe vrede gehad tot in die 8ste en 9de eeu toe stamleiers opstande gelei en die Silla omvergewerp het, wat die Goryeo-dinastie tot stand gebring het, waarvan die naam "Korea" deur Westerlinge afgelei is. Gedurende hierdie tydperk het die land Mongoolse invalle gely, wat gelei het tot onrus en die uiteindelike totstandkoming van die Joseon-dinastie in 1392.

Kapitaal	Pyongyang
Geldeenheid	Noord-Koreaanse won (KPW)
Bevolking	25,4 miljoen (2017)
Elektrisiteit	220 volt / 55 ± 5 hertz en 110 volt / 55 ± 5 hertz (NEMA 1-15, Europlug, Schuko)
Landelike kode	850
Tydsone	UTC 09:00
Rykant	reg
wysig op Wikidata

Joseon-dinastie

Die Joseon-dinastie was een van die langlopende dinastieë ter wêreld (512 jaar) en het van 1392 tot 1910 regeer. Koning Sejong die Grote 'se bewind is veral gevier, aangesien hy die Koreaanse skrif help skep het, choson'gul, wat selfs die gewone burgers in staat gestel het om geletterd te raak. Hy het ook die land se militêre mag uitgebrei om Japannese seerowers en noordelike nomades uit te dryf en die verlore gebiede te herwin. Die Japannese het Korea binnegeval onder leiding van Toyotomi Hideyoshi, hoewel die Joseon-dinastie daarin kon slaag om hulle uit te dryf met die steun van China se Ming-dinastie, alhoewel met groot verliese in die Koreaanse skiereiland. Ondanks sy verliese, het die land ongeveer 200 jaar van vrede beleef, en sy isolasie-beleid het dit moontlik gemaak om 'n unieke Koreaanse kultuur en identiteit verder te ontwikkel.

Vinnige modernisering wat deur die Tweede Industriële Revolusie aangewakker is, het spanning tussen China en Japan geskep omdat hulle die druk van Westerse ekspansionisme gevoel het, wat elkeen hul invloed oor Korea wou uitbrei. Die daaropvolgende oorloë tussen Japan, China en Rusland het gelei tot 'n toenemende invloed op die Japannese invloed op die skiereiland, wat daartoe gelei het dat Japan Korea in 1910 geannekseer het en die einde van die Joseon-dinastie en Koreaanse onafhanklikheid aangedui het.

Japannese besetting en 'n verdeelde Korea

Sien ook: Koreaanse oorlog

Die Japannese het die heerskappy van die skiereiland uitgeoefen tot hul nederlaag in die Tweede Wêreldoorlog in 1945. Japan moes noodgedwonge die gebied oorgee en die Geallieerde Magte het die land op die 38ste Parallel verdeel, met die Sowjetunie wat die noordelike helfte beset en die Verenigde State die suidelike helfte. . Die skeiding was veronderstel om tydelik te wees; die politieke magstryd tussen die twee lande om invloed op die verenigde Korea te verkry, het egter daartoe gelei dat regerings binne hul nuutgeskepte gebiede gevestig is. Noord-Korea is in 1948 gestig as sy eie nasie met die steun van die Sowjetunie, volgens die Sowjet-kommunistiese model, met Kim Il-Sung as leier, terwyl Syngman Rhee op ongeveer dieselfde tyd 'n kapitalistiese regime tot stand gebring het met die steun van die Verenigde State in die suide.

Agitasie tussen die Noorde en die Suide het in 1950 tot 'n punt gekom toe die Noorde die Koreaanse oorlog deur die land onder sy voorwaardes te probeer herenig deur 'n inval te loods. Die Sowjetunie en China het langs die Noorde teen die Suide geveg, wat op hul beurt deur die Verenigde Nasies (VN) se leërs gelei Verenigde State. Die VN-troepe het die Noord-Koreaanse troepe tot by die Chinese grens gedryf, waarop Chinese versterkings die VN-troepe gedwing het om suidwaarts terug te jaag. Die oorlog het uiteindelik gelei tot die ondertekening van 'n wapenstilstand in 1953, wat die oorspronklike grense wat voor die oorlog gestel is, grotendeels behou. Omdat daar sedert die wapenstilstand geen vredesverdrag onderteken is nie, het die nasies van Suid-Korea en Noord-Korea is amptelik nog in 'n oorlog.

Moderne Noord-Korea

Die simbole van die Koreaanse Arbeidersparty: die hamer vir die werker, die sekel vir die boer en die kwas vir die intellektuele

Kommunistiese propaganda in Pyongyang

Met die volk in die slag na die oorlog, het Kim Il-Sung 'n veldtog van stapel gestuur om die mense te verenig deur die laster van die Verenigde State met die Sowjet-ondersteuning en die suiwering van die nasie van andersdenkendes en enigiemand wat gedink het om hom teë te staan. Hy het hom tydens die Sino-Sowjet-skeiding aan die kant van China oor die kommunistiese filosofie geskaar, omdat hy nie van Krushchev se hervormings gehou het nie, maar die Sowjetunie weer begin prys het toe China sy Kulturele Revolusie ondergaan het en die betrekkinge met albei bure belemmer het. Gevolglik ontwikkel hy sy eie ideologie, Juche ('selfstandigheid'), om die soort kommunisme te skep wat hy vir sy nasie wou hê. Kim Il-Sung het sy hele lewe lank die Juche-ideologie bygevoeg en verhelder om sy regeringsbesluite te regverdig.

Die Koreaanse oorlog het nie net die mense verdeel nie, maar ook die arbeidsmag. Toe die skiereiland verenig was, het Noord-Korea die meeste nywerhede gehad, terwyl Suid-Korea die landbousentrum was. Hierdie kloof het Noord-Korea in die herbouingsproses aanvanklik vinniger as die Suide laat terugspring. Die Sowjetunie het daarna landbou-pogings in die Noorde gefinansier, in ooreenstemming met die Kommunistiese model. Hierdie stelsel het in die laat 1970's en 1980's begin ontrafel toe die Sowjet-stelsel begin wankel het. Met die einde van die Sowjet-hulp na die ontbinding in 1991, was daar geen manier om voort te gaan om die landboustelsels se behoeftes aan brandstof, kunsmis en toerusting te ondersteun nie. Na soveel jare van wanbestuur deur die regering en die slegte tydsberekening van ernstige oorstromings, het die Noorde se landbousisteem in die middel van die negentigerjare ineengestort, wat gelei het tot talle Noord-Koreane hongersnood en dood. Die dood van Kim Il-Sung in 1994 het plaasgevind terwyl die land die krisis probeer hanteer het, en die regering se reaksie vertraag toe die nuwe leier, Kim Jong-Il, die posisie van sy vader inneem.

Die Noorde het uiteindelik internasionale hulpagentskappe toegelaat om te help, en die ergste aspekte van die hongersnood is vervat. Die DPRK vertrou egter steeds sterk op internasionale voedselhulp om sy bevolking te voed, terwyl hy terselfdertyd steeds hulpbronne aan sy songun, of 'militêre eerste', beleid wat Kim Jong-Il ingestel het en saam met sy vader gebruik het Juche ideologie (wat hy "geïnterpreteer" het).

Vandag hou die DPRK 'n leër van ongeveer 1 miljoen infanteriste in, die meeste naby die DMZ, wat die twee Korea's verdeel. Noord-Korea se langafstand-raketontwikkeling en navorsing oor kern-, chemiese en biologiese wapens en massiewe konvensionele gewapende magte is vir die internasionale gemeenskap van groot belang. In Desember 2002 het Kim Jong-Il afgesien van 'n 1994-ooreengekome raamwerk wat deur sy vader onderteken is, wat die staking van sy kernreaktors vereis, die VN-monitors verdryf en die vrees verder opgewek het dat die land kernwapens sou produseer. Missietoetse is in 1998, 2006 en April 2009 uitgevoer. In Oktober 2006 het Noord-Korea aangekondig dat hy sy eerste kerntoets gedoen het. Hierdie optrede het gelei tot die VN en ander internasionale sanksies.

Huidige onderhandelinge, veral die 'sesparty-gesprekke' waarby China, Rusland, Japan, Noord-Korea, Suid-Korea en die Verenigde State betrokke is, is daarop gemik om 'n einde te maak aan die DPRK-kernwapenprogram, in die hoop dat 'n vredesverdrag tot uiteindelik kan die Koreaanse oorlog amptelik beëindig word, wat die weg baan vir die opening van diplomatieke bande tussen Noord-Korea en die Verenigde State. Ongelukkig is daar in Maart 2010 'n Suid-Koreaanse skip naby die 38ste parallel gesink, wat die spanning tussen Noord- en Suid-Korea verhoog het. Alhoewel Noord-Korea beweer dat hulle nie die skip aangeval het nie, is Noord-Korea grootliks die skuld gegee.

Die dood van Kim Jong-Il aan die einde van 2011 het 'n mate van onsekerheid geskep tydens die oordrag van mag aan sy seun Kim Jong-Un; hoewel dit blyk dat die land sedertdien gestabiliseer het, het daar met tussenposes aansienlike spanning voorgekom.

Regering en politiek

Noord-Korea is 'n totalitêre diktatuur. Die regering word gelei deur die Staatskommissie (SAC), wat die nasionale beleid bepaal en direk verantwoordelik is vir die weermag. Die hoogste leier (Kim Jong-un) is voorsitter van die SAK, sowel as hoof van die Werkersparty van Korea en verskeie ander posisies. Bo-op die administratiewe tak van die regering is die kabinet wat deur die premier gelei word (soos 'n premier). Die kabinet word aangestel deur die Unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) wat aan die hoof staan ​​van die wetgewende tak, alhoewel wetsontwerpe deur die Party opgestel word en die SPA van byna 700 mense dit byna altyd sonder debat of wysiging goedkeur. Boonop is dit net 'n paar dae per jaar in die vakansies, wat die meeste gesag in die hande van die 15-persoon Presidium laat. Die regbank staan ​​onder die hoof van die Hooggeregshof, wie se drie regters verkies, partydig is en verantwoording doen aan die SPA. Die regbank is nie onafhanklik nie en het nie die mag om die wetgewende of uitvoerende gesag van die regering te oorheers nie, en inmenging deur veiligheidsmagte is 'n wydverspreide probleem.

Mense

Noord-Korea is miskien die mees etnies homogene nasie op aarde, met almal Koreaans, behalwe 'n paar honderd buitelanders. Hierdie buitelanders is meestal diplomatieke of hulpverleners, tesame met 'n klein bevolking Japannese wat Koreaanse afkoms het. Byna geen Suid-Koreane woon in Noord-Korea nie.

Die Noord-Koreaanse samelewing is sterk verdeeld en georganiseer volgens 'n kastestelsel bekend as Songbun. Die lidmaatskap van een van drie hoofgroepe word nie net bepaal deur die politieke, sosiale en ekonomiese agtergrond van 'n individu nie, maar ook van die gesin van die vorige drie generasies. Onderwys en professionele geleenthede word effektief deur die klas van 'n individu gedefinieer.

Klimaat

Pyongyang die oggend gesien

Die klimaat word gewoonlik as kontinentaal beskou, met reënval in die somer. Die somermaande is warm, maar die wintertemperature kan tot -30 ° C daal. Laat lente droogtes word dikwels gevolg deur erge oorstromings. In die vroeë herfs is daar soms tifone.

Terrein

Meestal heuwels en berge geskei deur diep, nou valleie; kusvlaktes is wyd in die weste en ononderbroke in die ooste. Die bergagtige binneland is beide geïsoleer en yl bevolk.

Lees

Niks om te beny nie: gewone lewens in Noord-Korea, Barbara Demick. 'N Uitstekende boek wat die lewens vertel van ses Noord-Koreane wat daarin kon slaag om hul weg na Suid-Korea te vind. Verskaf 'n aantreklike beeld van die ellende en af ​​en toe skoonheid in die lewens van gewone Noord-Koreane gedurende die hongersnood van die negentigerjare. ISBN 0385523912

Oë van die stertlose diere: Gevangenisherinneringe van 'n Noord-Koreaanse vrou, deur Soon Ok Lee. Eerstehandse rekeninge van die gevangenisstelsel in Noord-Korea

Ontsnap uit kamp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey van Noord-Korea na Vryheid in die Weste, deur Blaine Harden. Die meeslepende verhaal van Shin Dong-hyuk, een van die enigste bekende oorlewendes van 'n Noord-Koreaanse gevangeniskamp, ​​en sy gevaarlike reis uit die land.

Sonder U is daar geen ons nie, deur Suki Kim. 'N Boeiende stuk ondersoekende joernalistiek oor die onderrig van Engels as vreemdeling in Pyongyang.

Gaan in

Visumbeperkings: Die Amerikaanse staatsdepartement het 'n reisverbod uitgereik wat reis na Noord-Korea met 'n Amerikaanse paspoort verbied. Baie beperkte uitsonderings kan toegestaan ​​word, meestal vir joernaliste en hulpverleners; besonderhede hier. Mense wat Noord-Korea besoek het, mag nie die VSA binne die visumvrystellingsprogram binnegaan nie en moet eerder 'n Amerikaanse visum aanvra. Reiswaarskuwing

	COVID-19 inligting: Noord-Korea het gesluit sy grens aan buitelandse toeriste.
	(Inligting laas op 12 September 2020 opgedateer)

Om Noord-Korea te besoek, kan 'n uitdaging wees en u het nie die vryheid om die land te verken sonder 'n Noord-Koreaanse begeleiding nie, hetsy as deel van 'n groeps- of individuele toer. Toegangsvoorwaardes verander gereeld en sonder kennisgewing, afhangende van die geopolitieke situasie. Noord-Korea was byvoorbeeld tussen Oktober 2014 en Maart 2015 feitlik gesluit vir toerisme as gevolg van 'n ebola-skrik, alhoewel daar geen gevalle van die siekte in of oral in die land was nie.

Visums

Toeristevisums lyk baie soos hierdie Noord-Koreaanse werkvisum

Burgers van amper almal lande het 'n visum nodig wat eers uitgereik sal word nadat u toer deur die Noord-Koreaanse owerhede bespreek en goedgekeur is.

Toeriste reël gewoonlik 'n toeristevisum deur 'n toer te bespreek by 'n reisagentskap wat sulke toere organiseer. Die reisagentskappe sal gewoonlik namens hulle die visum hanteer, hoewel toeriste in sommige gevalle 'n kort telefoniese onderhoud met die Noord-Koreaanse ambassade moet neem om hul identiteit en hul werk te verifieer. In die meeste gevalle word die onderhoud op 'n vriendelike manier gevoer, daarom is dit niks om oor bekommerd te wees nie. Visums word dikwels eers die dag voor die toer bevestig, maar selde sal 'n toeris nooit verwerp word nie, tensy u wys dat u van politieke status of 'n joernalis is.

Noord-Koreaanse toeristevisums word dikwels op 'n toeristekaart uitgereik. As u by 'n toergroep aansluit, word groepvisums dikwels uitgereik op aparte velle papier wat al die lede van die groep bevat, aangeheg met 'n toeristekaart wat die naam van die toerleier bevat. Hierdie visum self word nooit deur die toeriste besit nie, hoewel toeriste wel kan vra om 'n foto van hul visum te neem. In geen geval sal daar geen stempel in die paspoort geplaas word nie. Die enigste manier waarop 'n visum en toegangsstempel op die paspoort gestempel word, is wanneer die visum binne 'n Noord-Koreaanse ambassade in Europa uitgereik word.

Bykomende beperkings

Joernaliste of diegene wat daarvan verdink word dat hulle joernaliste is, het spesiale toestemming nodig, wat moeilik is om te kry. Die Noord-Koreane laat nie joernaliste toe om die land met toeristevisums te besoek nie.

Burgers van Maleisië is verhinder om Noord-Korea te verlaat na die sluipmoord op Kim Jong-Nam in Maart 2017, waar Maleisië verskeie Noord-Koreaanse diplomate en onderdane vir ondervraging wou hê. Terwyl die beperkings vir Maleisiërs wat Noord-Korea verlaat, nou opgehef is, is die era van visumvrye reis tussen hierdie eens relatief 'vriendelike' lande verby.

Burgers van Suid-Korea word nie toegelaat om Noord-Korea binne te gaan nie, tensy hulle toestemming het van die regerings van beide die Noorde vir toegang en die Suide van die Ministerie van Vereniging (통일부). Suid-Koreaanse burgers kan 'n lang tronkstraf opgelê word ingevolge die National Security Act (국가 보안법) met hul terugkeer as hulle nie vooraf toestemming verkry nie. Suid-Koreaanse burgers wat met 'n paspoort van 'n ander land na Noord-Korea reis, kan steeds vervolg word.

In teenstelling met gerugte, Israeli's en Joodse burgers van ander lande word geen bykomende beperkings in die gesig gestaar nie.

Toere

Kijong-dong-dorpie, in die DMZ naby Panmunjom

Noord-Korea kan slegs deur 'n georganiseerde toer besoek word, maar dit kan 'n groot groep of 'n partytjie van een wees. Pryse begin van ongeveer $1,000/€700/£580 vir 'n 5-daagse groeptoer wat akkommodasie, etes en vervoer vanaf Beijing insluit, maar dit kan aansienlik styg as u deur die land of "onafhanklik" wil reis (as u eie begeleide groep). Toeroperateurs / reisagentskappe wat hul eie toere na Noord-Korea reël, sluit in:

• Choson Exchange - Singapoer, die Verenigde Koninkryk en die VSA. Nie 'n toeragentskap nie, maar eerder opleiding in sake- en entrepreneurskap in Noord-Korea aan sakevroue, jong entrepreneurs en navorsers, en bring vrywilligers / toeriste om hulle te help om dit te doen.
• DDCTS - Dandong, China
• Juche Reisdienste - UK, Beijing
• GLO Reis - Hongkong - die grootste Noord-Koreaanse toeroperateur in Hongkong; kliënte kom meestal uit Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapoer en oorsese Chinese gemeenskappe. Organiseer ook kulturele uitruilings, sportbyeenkomste, vrywilligerswerk en TV-programme oor Noord-Korea.
• Korea Konsult - Stockholm, Swede
• Korea Reisedienst - Hannover, Duitsland
• Koryo Tours en Koryo Group - Beijing, Sjanghai, België, die Verenigde Koninkryk. Reël ook skoolbesoeke en sportuitruilings en het al drie dokumentêre films oor Noord-Korea vervaardig. Slegs Engelse toer.
• Asia Senses Travel Travel & Tour - Hanoi, Viëtnam
• Lupine Reis - Wigan, die Verenigde Koninkryk.
• NoordKorea2GO - Amsterdam, Nederland
• Noord-Korea Reis - Sheyang, China
• Pyongyang Reis - Berlyn, Duitsland (bied groeptoere, privaat toere en Oujaarsreise na Noord-Korea aan)
• Viajes Pujol - Barcelona, ​​Spanje
• Regent Vakansies - Bristol, die Verenigde Koninkryk
• Universal Travel Corporation - Singapoer
• Uri Tours Inc. - NYC, VS (hou standaard- en pasgemaakte toere na die DPRK; ook 'n Air Koryo-kaartjiesagent in die VSA)
• VNC Asia Travel - Utrecht, Nederland
• Young Pioneer Tours - Beijing, China. Bied toere met 'n baie lae begroting.
• Jou planeet - Hilversum, Nederland
• INDPRK - Zhejiang, China

Maak nie saak by watter maatskappy u besluit om te bespreek nie, alle toere word bestuur deur die Korean International Travel Company (met die uitsondering van enkele, soos Choson Exchange en The Pyongyang Project, wat albei direk saamwerk met verskillende regeringsministeries en binnelandse NGO's van die Noord-Afrikaanse Republiek) en dit sal hul gidse wees wat jou rondwys. Die gemiddelde aantal toeriste per groep wat elke onderneming neem, sal aansienlik wissel, dus wil u miskien hieroor navraag doen voordat u 'n reis bespreek.

Die meeste mense wat na Noord-Korea reis, sal deurreis Beijing en u sal waarskynlik u visum daarvandaan afhaal, hoewel sommige agente hul visums vooraf elders reël. Die Noord-Koreaanse konsulaatgebou is apart van die hoofambassadeegebou by Ritan Lu en is om die draai by Fangcaodi Xijie. Dit is oop M, W, F 09: 30-11: 30 & 14: 00-17: 30; en Di, Do, Sa 09: 30-11: 30. Bring u reisvergunning, US $ 45 en twee paspoortfoto's saam.

U gidse sal u paspoort neem en dit bewaar tydens u verblyf in Noord-Korea, of ten minste vir die eerste paar dae van u toer, om "veiligheidsredes", of bloot omdat u in- en uittreedatums geregistreer moet word, soos aangedui deur die swart seëls aan die agterkant van u visum of paspoort. Maak seker dat u paspoort goed lyk en nie verskil van die mees algemene paspoorte in u land nie.

Vrywilliger

Groepe soos Choson Exchange bring vrywilligers (of toeriste) om deel te neem aan werksessies oor sakewêreld en ondernemerskap aan sakevroue, jong entrepreneurs en navorsers, waarna vrywilligers op relevante webwerwe in Noord-Korea toer. Sulke vrywilligers reis met 'n amptelike visum, eerder as 'n toeristevisum.

• Choson Exchange - Singapoer, die Verenigde Koninkryk en die VSA. 'N Sosiale onderneming wat opleiding bied in sake- en entrepreneurskap in Noord-Korea aan sakevroue, jong entrepreneurs en navorsers, en bring vrywilligers / toeriste om hulle te help om dit te doen.

Besoek die Noord-Koreaanse grensgebied vanaf Suid-Korea

Die Panmunjom Gesamentlike Veiligheidsgebied vanuit Suid-Korea gesien

Die Panmunjom Gesamentlike Veiligheidsgebied (dikwels deur die verkeerde benaming Panmunjom genoem) is die enigste plek in Noord-Korea wat gereelde toeriste vanuit die Suide kan besoek. Dit is die wapenstilstandsdorp wat gesamentlik beheer word in die Koreaanse gedemilitariseerde sone (DMZ) wat die twee Korea's verdeel. Dit het gereelde eendaagse bustoere vanaf Seoel. Beperkings is van toepassing op spesifieke nasionaliteite.

Groepsbustoere na Kaesong en Kumgangsan in Noord-Korea uit die Suide is nie meer beskikbaar nie.

Met die vliegtuig

Alle internasionale vlugte gaan deur Pyongyang's Sunan Internasionale Lughawe (FNJ ^IATA). Geen ander Noord-Koreaanse lughawe hanteer internasionale vlugte nie. Slegs twee kommersiële lugdienste vlieg na Sunan: Air Koryo, die nasionale Noord-Koreaanse lugdiens, en Air China. Vanaf Augustus 2013 vlieg nie Aeroflot of China Southern Airlines na Noord-Korea nie.

Air Koryo

Een van Tupolev Tu-204 van Air Koryo op Pyongyang se lughawe

Noord-Korea se enigste lugdiens, Air Koryo, het gereelde vlugte vanaf Beijing, wat elke Dinsdag en Saterdag om 11:30 vertrek, en op dieselfde dae om 09:00 van Pyongyang terugkeer. Air Koryo vlieg ook van en na Shenyang elke Woensdag en Saterdag, en aan Vladivostok elke Dinsdagoggend. Hulle vlieg ook na Macau.

Air Koryo was die enigste 1-ster (slegste) lugdiens op Skytrax se lys, 'n onderskeid wat hy jare lank gehad het. Dit is in die EU verbied weens kommer oor veiligheid. Alhoewel Air Koryo in 1983 laas 'n noodlottige ongeluk beleef het, voer die lugdiens slegs 'n handjievol vlugte uit met sy vloot van tien vliegtuie. Die hoofrede vir die vlug met Air Koryo is die ervaring: anders is dit waarskynlik beter om Air China te vlieg. Die Air Koryo-vloot bestaan ​​volledig uit Sowjet- of Russies vervaardigde vliegtuie, met die trots van hul vloot twee Tupolev Tu-204's, wat nou gewoonlik die kernroete Beijing-Pyongyang sowel as die Pyongyang-Shenyang-roete hanteer. Andersins sal u heel waarskynlik op een van hul Ilyushin IL-62-Ms (oesjaar 1979-1988), Tupolev Tu-154's of Tupolev Tu-134's beland.

Air China

Air China, 'n lid van die Star Alliance, vlieg drie keer per week van Beijing na Pyongyang met Boeing 737's. Air China verkies die meeste bo Air Koryo vanweë sy baie moderner vloot.

Met die trein

Trein K27 / K28 verbind Pyongyang met Beijing in China via Tianjin, Tangshan, Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, Shenyang, Benxi, Fenghuangcheng, Dandong en Sinuiju vier keer per week. Daar is net een klas op die internasionale trein tussen Beijing en Pyongyang: sagte slaapplek. Dit kan by die stasie in Beijing bespreek word, maar daar moet 'n paar dae voor die tyd bespreek word. U toeragentskap sal dit gewoonlik vir u doen, tensy u op reisdoeleindes reis. Dit is al hoe moeiliker om plek te bespreek op die Beijing-Pyongyang-roete, dus bevestig u kaartjies vroegtydig.

Een keer per week vervoer trein K27 / K28 ook direkte slaapmotors vanaf Moskou via China na Pyongyang en omgekeerd. Die roete is Moskou - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Chita - Harbin - Shenyang - Dandong - Shinuiju - Pyongyang. Vertrek vanaf Moskou is elke Vrydagaand, aankoms by Pyongyang is een week later op Vrydagaand. Vertrek vanaf Pyongyang is Saterdagoggend, aankoms in Moskou is Vrydagmiddag.

Sommige agente (bv. Lupin Travel) verkies om met die minibus die grens van Dandong in China na Sinuiju oor te steek en dan op 'n binnelandse Noord-Koreaanse trein na Pyongyang te klim. Gewoonlik sit u in 'n wa met harde sitplekke met KPA-soldate en partytjiewerkers wat saam met hul gesinne reis. Daar is toegang tot 'n restaurantmotor met ingevoerde biere (Heineken) en koeldrank, asook plaaslike biere en sterk drank. Hierdie trein neem vermoedelik slegs 4 uur na Pyongyang, maar dit is bekend dat dit 14 neem. As u in die winter reis, moet u voorbereid wees op temperature binne die waens tot -10 ° C.

Daar is ook 'n direkte spoorverbinding vanaf Rusland na Noord-Korea. Hierdie roete is die Rossiya Trans-Siberiese trein tussen Moskou en Vladivostock, met die Koreaanse afrigters losgemaak in Ussuriysk. Van daar af is dit ses uur tot by die grens by Tumangan, met vyf uur wag, dan 'n 24-uur-rit na Pyongyang. Dit ry weekliks, maar slegs twee keer per maand as 'n deurtrein (11de en 25ste vanaf Moskou) en arriveer Pyongyang 9 dae later. Hierdie roete was voorheen vir westerlinge gesluit, maar vanaf 2018 is dit beskikbaar, mits u die regte visum en ander papierwerk het.

Per boot

Daar was 'n onbeplande vrag-passasierskip tussen Wonsan en Niigata, Japan. Die bootdiens is slegs beskikbaar vir gebruik deur sommige Japannese en Noord-Koreaanse burgers, en is onbepaald opgeskort weens Noord-Korea se gerapporteerde kerntoetsing; Japan het alle Noord-Koreaanse skepe verbied om Japanse hawens binne te gaan, en Noord-Koreane verbied om die land binne te gaan. Wees versigtig om in 'n boot te naby die Noord-Koreaanse grens te kom; baie Suid-Koreaanse vissers wag nog om Noord-Korea te verlaat.

Behalwe die ongeplande veerboot, is daar ook 'n cruiseskip wat tussen die kus van Noordoos-China en Mt Kumgang ry. Die cruise line word gesamentlik bedryf deur China en Noord-Korea en gebruik 'n 40-jarige skip. Die vaart is 22 uur lank aan elke been, en dit is 44 uur lank, maar nie-Chinese burgers mag nie op die vaart na Mount Kumgang ry nie.

Met die bus

'N Bus is beskikbaar vanaf Dandong, China, oor die Yalu-rivier na Sinuiju. Dit word bestuur deur die "Dandong China Travel Company", maar is slegs oop vir Chinese burgers. Die bus ry vanaf Dandong oor die Sino-Korea Vriendskapsbrug (dieselfde brug langs die Yalu-rivier wat die treine neem).

Kry rond

'N Tipiese snelwegtoneel in Noord-Korea. Netjiese bome met 'n groot en leë pad tussenin

Al u vervoerbehoeftes sal deur u toermaatskappy hanteer word. Dit beteken meestal busse, hoewel toergroepe afgeleë plekke besoek (bv. Paekdusan, Mount Chilbo) gebruik af en toe huurvlugte deur Air Koryo. Dwaal op u eie is nie toegelaat nie, en u moet te alle tye 'n gids hê om u te begelei.

'N Noukeurige stadiumbestuurde rit met een stasie met die Pyongyang-metro is ingesluit by die reisplan van die meeste reise na Pyongyang, maar die gebruik van enige ander vorm van plaaslike openbare vervoer is oor die algemeen onmoontlik. Sommige toere bevat ook 'n treinrit van Pyongyang na die grensstad Sinuiju, waarin u in Sinuiju kan oornag vir 'n toer van 1 dag, alhoewel hierdie opsie nie vir Amerikaanse burgers beskikbaar is nie.

As u in 'n klein groepie reis, is dit ook moontlik om met sommige reisagente (Koryo) 'n wandeling deur sommige dele van Pyongyang te organiseer.

Praat

Handgeskrewe hangul in 'n advertensie

Sien ook: Koreaanse frase-boek

Die amptelike taal is Koreaans. Noord-Koreane is nogal kieskeurig oor die verwysing na Koreaans as chosŏn-mal (조선말), nie hangugeo. Die taal verskil in sy grammatika nogal drasties van enige Westerse taal, en die uitspraak is taamlik moeilik vir die Engelssprekende om reg te kom (alhoewel nie tonaal nie). Dit het verskillende dialekte; standaard Noord-Koreaans (문화어 munhwaŏ) is blykbaar gebaseer op die Pyong'an-dialek wat in Pyongyang gepraat word, maar is in werklikheid nog steeds diep gewortel in die Seoel dialek wat die standaard was voordat Korea verdeel is.

Die Koreaanse skryfstelsel is bedrieglik eenvoudig. Alhoewel dit op die oog af so kompleks lyk soos Chinees of Japannees, is dit 'n unieke en eenvoudige alfabetiese skryfstelsel chosŏn'gŭl deur Noord-Koreane, en hangul (한글 hangeul) deur die res van die wêreld, waar letters in blokke gestapel word wat lettergrepe voorstel. It was designed by a committee and looks like simple lines, boxes and little circles, but it is remarkably consistent, logical and quick to pick up. A document from 1446 describing hangul said that "A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over; a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sien

A revolutionary scene from the Arirang Mass Games

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sights

Mountainous landscapes near Kaesong

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

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

Doen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Koop

Geld

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

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

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

Souvenirs

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

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

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

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

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

Costs

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

Eet

Die Hibachi restaurant in the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang

See also: Korean cuisine

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

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

Drink

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

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

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

The still unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in P'yŏngyang

Slaap

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

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

Leer

Kim Il Sung University

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

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

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

Werk

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

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

Bly veilig

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emergency numbers

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

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

Stay healthy

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

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

Respek

The first two generations of the Kim dynasty together

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godsdiens

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

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

Verbind

By phone

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

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

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

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

Mobile phones

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

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

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

Calling rates are as follows:

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

By Internet

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

Hanteer

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

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

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