North Korea travel guide

Travel Advice

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to North Korea

The level of tension on the Korean Peninsula remains high. While daily life in the capital city, Pyongyang, may appear calm, the security situation in North Korea can change quickly with no advance warning about possible actions by the authorities. This poses significant risks to British visitors and residents. See Safety and security.

Border restrictions

North Korea’s borders have been closed to general entry since the government imposed COVID-19 border restrictions in 2020.

The government has recently started to relax the COVID restrictions. As a result, some embassies have resumed normal operations and some limited tourism has restarted.

However, the North Korean government has not resumed all passenger routes into and out of North Korea. Many embassies – including the British Embassy in Pyongyang – remain closed. 

Support from the UK government

The North Korean authorities have previously detained foreign nationals for allegedly violating local laws and have denied them access to support from their governments. 

The few British people who visit North Korea are usually part of an organised tour. If you decide to visit North Korea against FCDO advice, follow the guidance of your tour operator and the local authorities. Failure to do so could put your personal safety at risk. 

Support from FCDO is severely limited, especially while there is no British Embassy presence. Remote support is available if you’re able to contact us online or by phone. However, the routine lack of access to internet and mobile networks makes it almost impossible to communicate outside of North Korea. See Getting help.

Before you travel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:  

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance 

If you choose to travel against FCDO advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. 

About FCDO travel advice 

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. 

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of North Korea’s current rules 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 North Korean Embassy in the UK.

Email: prkinfo@yahoo.com

Telephone: 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.  

COVID-19 rules

North Korea’s borders have been closed to general entry since the government imposed COVID-19 border restrictions in 2020. To check the latest restrictions and testing requirements, contact the North Korean Embassy in the UK.

Passport validity requirements

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements, including for China if you are travelling through China. 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 must have a visa to enter North Korea.

Applying for a visa

Send visa applications and enquires directly to the North Korean Embassy in the UK.

Email: prkinfo@yahoo.com

Telephone: 020 8992 4965

Vaccine requirements

To enter North Korea, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s North Korea guide. 

Registering with the authorities

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

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

Customs rules

You can bring a foreign mobile phone into the country, but you must register it at the border. There is no connectivity to international or domestic mobile networks from within North Korea using an international SIM card.

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

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. Customs officers will confiscate any literature or media deemed to have an anti-government message or deemed subversive or pornographic. There could be further severe penalties including imprisonment.

The North Korean authorities also impose restrictions and harsh penalties on their own citizens if they are found in possession of foreign media.

There have been cases of travel guides being confiscated at the airport on arrival and given back on departure.

Taking money into and out of North Korea

It is illegal to import or export the North Korean currency – won. There are no restrictions on importing and exporting foreign currency, but you must declare it at customs.

Shops and restaurants list their prices in won, but usually charge foreign nationals in foreign currency. They convert the won price using official exchange rates.

The US dollar and the euro are the most widely accepted currencies, although some places accept Chinese yuan (‘Renminbi’).

Credit cards and international mobile payments are not accepted.

Terrorism

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.

Terrorism in North Korea

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in North Korea, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Political situation

The level of tension on the Korean peninsula remains high. Political negotiations between North Korea and the United States in 2018 to 2019 broke down and have not resumed. North and South Korea agreed a set of security guidelines in 2019 to reduce the risk of accidental cross-border conflict, but both sides have now withdrawn from this agreement. 

In late 2023, the North Korean government changed its reunification policy, leading to increased tensions with South Korea. North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, although these are banned by UN Security Council resolutions. North Korea’s material and political support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has further strained relations with much of the international community. 

Inter-Korean tensions usually rise around the time of South Korean-US military exercises, often held in the spring and autumn. 

Nuclear and missile tests 

North Korea carried out 6 underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017 and has stated that it reserves the right to carry out further tests.

North Korea also regularly conducts ballistic missile test launches, sometimes without giving the required notice to international aviation authorities, and against UN Security Council resolutions.      

Crime

Crime against foreign nationals in North Korea is rare. Take sensible precautions to protect your belongings.

Fire safety

Levels of fire safety awareness may be low. Check hotel fire procedures with the hotel reception or consult your tour operator.

Laws and cultural differences

Take care with your words and actions during your stay. Insults or jokes about the North Korean political system and its leadership are taken very seriously. Offences that would be considered trivial in other countries can incur very severe penalties in North Korea. This includes the promotion of other religions or beliefs. 

Arrests and trials

Foreign nationals may face arrest for not paying sufficient respect, including not treating images of the current and former North Korean leaders with care. 

The North Korean authorities have previously arrested visitors with or without specified charges, including 4 US citizens and one Canadian citizen. Some have faced public trials and imprisonment.  

In 2016 a US national was convicted of ‘crimes against the state’ and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour. The court had found him guilty of attempting to steal a political banner from the staff quarters of a tourist hotel. He fell into a coma while in detention and was released in 2017, but died soon after his return to the US. 

If arrested, you are not guaranteed access to phone calls with family and friends or the British Embassy, or to independent legal advice or interpretation services. 

Taking photos or videos

Ask permission from your tour guide before taking any photographs. Avoid pointing cameras at North Korean officials or guarded buildings.

LGBT+ travellers

Although there’s no specific legislation outlawing same-sex relationships in North Korea, the authorities do not recognise same-sex rights and consider same-sex relationships and behaviours unacceptable. 

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Travel outside Pyongyang

Foreign nationals living in Pyongyang are normally allowed to travel within the city, but usually require permission to travel outside Pyongyang.

Travel for visitors within North Korea is severely restricted. Whether you are visiting on business or as a tourist, a guide will almost always accompany you. The guide will decide where you can go. It is your guide’s responsibility to get permission to travel outside Pyongyang. Military checkpoints on entry and exit to all towns usually include ID checks.

In 2008 guards shot and killed a South Korean tourist who strayed into a restricted military area. Remain in permitted areas and move away immediately if asked to do so by North Korean officials.

Transport risks

Road travel

You can get taxis from hotels or outside some department stores, but they will be reluctant to take you without a local guide or interpreter. Foreign nationals are not usually allowed to use public transport unless they are accompanied by a local guide. 

If you want to drive in North Korea, see information on driving abroad. International driving permits are not valid in North Korea. Foreign nationals living in North Korea must get a local driving licence by passing a local driving test.

You should take extra care when driving, as roads are often of poor quality with frequent hazards, and pedestrian road safety awareness is low. In 2018 a tour bus carrying Chinese tourists crashed on the road between Pyongyang and the Demilitarized Zone, killing a number of passengers.

Air travel

Most travellers entering North Korea by air take direct flights from Beijing to Pyongyang operated by the North Korean national airline, Air Koryo, or the Chinese state airline, Air China.

The UK Air Safety List has banned Air Koryo from operating commercial air services to the UK, with the exception of 2 Tupolev Tu204 aircraft. The Department for Transport maintains the list, based on advice from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Incidents on Air Koryo flights reported in July 2016 and May 2017 highlight concerns about Air Koryo’s safety record and maintenance standards.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

Flooding is common in the rainy season from July to August. This can disrupt travel, especially to rural areas. Check that routes are passable before setting out on long journeys.

Before you travel check that:

• your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
• you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Vaccine recommendations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip:

• check the latest vaccine recommendations for North Korea
• see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page

See what health risks you’ll face in North Korea.

Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of North Korea. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro.

Japanese encephalitis occurs, especially during the summer.

Cholera also occurs and all water is a potential health risk. You should drink and use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Tuberculosis is also common.

Medication

Basic medication including antibiotics is sometimes unavailable in North Korea.

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries. Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.

Healthcare in North Korea

Health facilities in North Korea are poor. Standards of clinical hygiene in hospitals are low. Anaesthetics are sometimes unavailable.

Evacuation is likely to be necessary for serious illness or injury. Avoid surgery if at all possible. Facilities for dental treatment are also poor.

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding help and services in North Korea
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.

Help abroad in an emergency

If you’re in North Korea and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact FCDO online if you have access to the internet. However, the routine lack of access to internet and mobile networks makes it almost impossible to communicate outside of North Korea.

FCDO in London

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

Find out about call charges