Severna Koreja - North Korea

Travel WarningOPOZORILO: Združene države prepovedujejo potovanje z ameriškimi potnimi listi brez posebnega dovoljenja in takšno potovanje je kaznivo dejanje, ki se po ameriški zakonodaji kaznuje. Kanada odsvetuje vse potovanje v DLRK in Nova Zelandija, Avstralija, Irska in Združeno kraljestvo priporočajo, da ponovno preučite potrebo po potovanju.
(Podatki so bili nazadnje posodobljeni avgusta 2020)

Severna Koreja (Korejski: 조선 Chosŏn), uradno Demokratično ljudsko republiko Korejo ali DLRK (조선 민주주의 인민 공화국 Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk) je najbolj izolirana država na svetu in ena najbolj represivnih in nerazvitih. Nahaja se v Vzhodna Azija na Korejski polotok, ki je bila razdeljena med Severno in Severno Korejo Južna Koreja od petdesetih let 20. stoletja.

Potovanja omogočajo ogled zadnje meje Ljubljane Hladna vojna, kjer družba še vedno deluje pod strogim stalinističnim vodstvom s poudarkom na vojski, gospodarski razvoj pa vidno zaostaja za ostalimi narodi v regiji. Turisti lahko v Severno Korejo potujejo le kot del vodenega ogleda in samostojna potovanja niso dovoljena. Obiskovalce neprestano spremljajo, da bi zagotovili upravljanje njihove interakcije z lokalnim prebivalstvom, da bi preprečili dejavnosti, kot so fotografiranje "neprimernih" fotografij, kritika Severne Koreje, nespoštovanje Velikega vodje ali pogovor z domačini brez dovoljenja.

Vsako leto Severno Korejo obišče približno 1500 zahodnih turistov. Večina potovanja opravi brez incidentov, če le sledijo svojim vedno prisotnim vodnikom. Incidenti so se zgodili in takrat se težko najdejo ustrezni postopki. Najverjetnejša posledica katerega koli težave z oblastmi je obdobje pridržanja pred deportacijo. V Severno Korejo ne smete potovati, če niste pripravljeni sprejeti resnih omejitev gibanja in vedenja ali nevarnosti samovoljnega pridržanja za nedoločen čas.

Regije

Regije Severne Koreje - barvno kodiran zemljevid
 Obala Donghae (Chongjin, Hamhung, Razum, Severni Hamgyong, Južni Hamgyong, Kangwon, Kŭmgang-san)
 Pogorje Baekdu (Ryanggang, Chagang)
 Pjongan (Severni Pjongan, Južni Pjongan, Kaechon, Nampho, Pjongjang, Shinuiju)
 Hwanghae (North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, Kaesong)

Mesta

  • 1 Pjongjang (평양 시) - glavno mesto in nekdanja prestolnica Goguryeo v obdobju treh kraljevin
  • 2 Chongjin (청진) - Industrijsko mesto na severovzhodu, ki ga turisti zelo redko obiščejo
  • 3 Hamhung (함흥시) - Severno mesto, prav tako redko na uradnih potovalnih načrtih
  • 4 Kaechon (개천 시)
  • 5 Kaesong (개성시) - nekdanja prestolnica v času dinastije Goryeo
  • 6 Nampho (남포시) - industrijsko središče in pristanišče na zahodni obali
  • 7 Razum (라선시) - Območje proste trgovine na ruski meji, skupaj z igralnico
  • 8 Sinuiju (신의주 시) - mračno industrijsko mesto tik ob meji s Kitajsko. Verjetno najlažji način, kako v državo pogledati od zunaj
  • 9 Wonsan (원산 시) - Pristaniško mesto na vzhodni obali se počasi odpira turistom in ima prvo smučišče v državi

Druge destinacije

  • 1 Kumgangsan (금강산) - slikovite Diamantne gore, dostopne na izletih z juga
  • 2 Myohyangsan (묘향산) - ta Skrivnostna dišeča gora je eno najboljših pohodniških mest na severu
  • 3 Pogorje Baekdu Paektu Mountain on Wikipedia (백두산) - najvišja gora v Koreji in mitsko rojstno mesto dinastije Kim
  • 4 Panmunjom (판문점) - zadnja postojanka hladne vojne v DMZ med jugom in severom

Razumeti

Zgodovina

Prazgodovina in ustanovitev naroda

Poglej tudi: Predmoderna Koreja

Arheološke najdbe prazgodovinskega orodjarstva na Korejskem polotoku segajo v 70.000 pr. N. Št. S prvo keramiko, ki so jo našli okoli 8000 pr. Lončarska kultura z glavnim vzorcem je dosegla vrh okoli 3500-2000 pr.

Legenda pravi, da se je Koreja začela z ustanovitvijo Gojoseona (imenovanega tudi Starodavni Chosun) legendarnega Danguna leta 2333 pr. Arheološki in sočasni pisni zapisi o Gojoseonu kot kraljestvu segajo okoli 7. do 4. stoletja pr. Kitajska dinastija Han je Gojoseona na koncu premagala leta 108 pred našim štetjem, njena ozemlja pa so upravljala štiri kitajska poveljstva, vendar to ni trajalo dolgo. Domačini polotoka in Mandžurije so kmalu povrnili ozemlje, in sicer Korejsko tri kraljestva, Goguryeo, Silla in Baekje. The Kraljestvo Goguryeo (ali Koguryo) je vladal celotnemu območju sodobne Severne Koreje, pa tudi delom Mandžurije in severnim delom moderne Južne Koreje. Budistični in konfucijanski nauki so bili pomembni v kraljestvu Goguryeo, ki je budizem kot državno vero sprejelo leta 372. Kljub večkratnim poskusom Kitajske, in sicer dinastije Sui in kasneje dinastije Tang, da bi osvojila Korejski polotok, je Goguryeo s sedežem na severu uspel njim. Sčasoma je Goguryeo padel v zavezništvo Silla-Tang, ki je prej premagalo Baekje. Ta združena Koreja pod dinastijo Silla. Čeprav je Tang kasneje napadel, so jih sile Sile uspele pregnati in s tem ohraniti neodvisnost Koreje.

Poenoteno Sillo je zamenjal Goryeo (imenovan tudi Koryo) dinastija, iz katere izhaja moderno ime "Koreja". Eden od poudarkov dinastije Goryeo je bil, da je Korejanec Choe Yun-ui (200 let pred Gutenbergovim tiskarjem) leta 1234 izumil prvi kovinski premični tip na svetu.

V tem času se je razširilo budistično učenje in z nekdanjimi voditelji Baekjeja in Goguryea se je dobro ravnalo. Kraljevina je videla sorazmeren mir do 8. in 9. stoletja, ko so voditelji klanov vodili vstaje in strmoglavili Silo ter ustanovili dinastijo Goryeo, iz katere so zahodnjaki izpeljali ime "Koreja". V tem obdobju je država trpela mongolske invazije, kar je leta 1392 privedlo do nemirov in morebitne ustanovitve dinastije Joseon.

LocationNorthKorea.png
KapitalPjongjang
ValutaSevernokorejska zmaga (KPW)
Prebivalstvo25,4 milijona (2017)
Elektrika220 voltov / 55 ± 5 herc in 110 voltov / 55 ± 5 hercev (NEMA 1-15, Europlug, Schuko)
Koda države 850
Časovni pasUTC 09:00
Vozna stranprav
uredi na Wikidata

Dinastija Joseon

Dinastija Joseon je bila ena najdlje trajajočih dinastij na svetu (512 let), vladala je med letoma 1392 in 1910. Kralj Sejong Veliki 'Pravilo je bilo posebno praznovano, saj je pomagal ustvariti korejsko pisavo, choson'gul, kar je celo navadnim prebivalcem omogočilo, da so se opismenili. Razširil je tudi vojaško moč države, da bi pregnal japonske pirate in severne nomade ter si povrnil izgubljena ozemlja. Japonci so napadli Korejo pod vodstvom Toyotomija Hideyoshija, čeprav jih je dinastiji Joseon uspelo pregnati s podporo kitajske dinastije Ming, čeprav z velikimi izgubami na Korejskem polotoku. Kljub izgubam je država doživela približno 200 let miru in ji je izolacionistična politika omogočila nadaljnji razvoj edinstvene korejske kulture in identitete.

Hitra modernizacija, ki jo je spodbudila druga industrijska revolucija, je ustvarila napetost med Kitajsko in Japonsko, ko sta čutila pritiske zahodnega ekspanzionizma, ki je hotel razširiti svoj vpliv na Korejo. Vodilo vojn med Japonsko, Kitajsko in Rusijo je privedlo do vse večjega vpliva Japonske na polotok, kar je povzročilo, da je Japonska leta 1910 priključila Korejo in pomenila konec dinastije Joseon in korejske neodvisnosti.

Japonska okupacija in razdeljena Koreja

Poglej tudi: Korejska vojna

Japonci so vladali na polotoku do njihovega poraza v 2. svetovni vojni leta 1945. Japonska je bila prisiljena predati ozemlje, zavezniške sile pa so na 38. vzporednici razdelile narod, Sovjetska zveza je zasedla severno polovico, ZDA pa južno polovico. . Delitev naj bi bila začasna; Vendar pa je boj za politično oblast med obema narodoma, da bi pridobil vpliv na enotno Korejo, privedel do ustanovitve vlad na svojih novonastalih ozemljih. Severna Koreja je bila ustanovljena kot lastna država leta 1948 s podporo Sovjetske zveze po vzoru sovjetske komunistike, vodja Kim Il-Sung, medtem ko je Syngman Rhee približno istočasno vzpostavil kapitalistični režim s podporo ZDA na jugu.

Agitacija med severom in jugom se je razvila leta 1950, ko je sever začel Korejska vojna s poskusom ponovne združitve države pod njenimi pogoji z napadom. Sovjetska zveza in Kitajska sta se borili skupaj s severom proti jugu, ki so ga nato podprle sile Združenih narodov (OZN) pod vodstvom Združene države. Sile OZN so severnokorejske sile odpeljale vse do kitajske meje, nato pa so kitajske okrepitve prisilile sile OZN, da so jih odpeljali nazaj na jug. Vojna je leta 1953 končno privedla do podpisa premirja, ki je v veliki meri ohranilo prvotne meje, določene pred vojno. Ker od premirja ni bila podpisana nobena mirovna pogodba, so narodi Slovenije Južna Koreja in Severna Koreja sta uradno še vedno v vojni.

Sodobna Severna Koreja

Simboli korejske delavske stranke: kladivo za delavca, srp za kmeta in krtača za intelektualca
Komunistična propaganda v Pjongčangu

Kim Il-Sung je po vojni razpadel narod in začel kampanjo za združitev ljudi z obrekovanjem Združene države s sovjetsko podporo in čiščenje naroda disidentov in kdorkoli mu je mislil nasprotovati. Med kitajsko-sovjetskim Splitom se je na strani komunistične filozofije postavil na stran Kitajske, ker ni maral Kruščovih reform, vendar je ponovno začel hvaliti Sovjetsko zvezo, ko je Kitajska doživela svojo kulturno revolucijo in zaostrila odnose z obema sosedama. Posledično je razvil lastno ideologijo, Juche ("samozavest"), da bi ustvaril takšen komunizem, kot ga je hotel za svoj narod. Kim Il-Sung je v svojem življenju dodal in pojasnil ideologijo Juche, da bi upravičil svoje vladne odločitve.

Korejska vojna ni razdelila le ljudi, ampak je razdelila tudi delovno silo. Ko je bil polotok združen, je imela Severna Koreja večino nacionalne industrije, medtem ko je bila Južna Koreja kmetijsko središče. Ta delitev je Severni Koreji omogočila, da se je v procesu obnove sprva vrnila hitreje kot Južna. Sovjetska zveza je nato v skladu s komunističnim modelom financirala kmetijska prizadevanja na severu. Ta sistem se je začel razpletati v poznih sedemdesetih in osemdesetih letih, ko je sovjetski sistem začel omahovati. Konec sovjetske pomoči po razpadu leta 1991 ni mogel še naprej podpirati potreb kmetijskih sistemov po gorivu, gnojilih in opremi. Po toliko letih vladnega vladanja in slabem času hudih poplav je severni kmetijski sistem sredi devetdesetih let propadel, kar je povzročilo lakoto in smrt neštetih Severnokorejcev. Smrt Kim Il-Sunga leta 1994 se je zgodila, ko se je država poskušala spoprijeti s krizo, kar je upočasnilo odziv vlade, ko je novi voditelj Kim Jong-Il zavzel položaj svojega očeta.

Sever je končno dovolil mednarodnim agencijam za pomoč, najhujše vidike lakote pa so zajeli. Vendar se DLRK še naprej močno zanaša na mednarodno pomoč v hrani za prehrano prebivalstva, hkrati pa še naprej troši sredstva za songun, ali "najprej vojaška" politika, ki jo je Kim Jong-Il uvedel in uporabljal skupaj z očetovo politiko Juche ideologije (ki jo je "razlagal").

Danes DLRK vzdržuje približno milijon vojaških vojakov, ki so najbolj nameščeni blizu DMZ, ki deli obe Koreji. Severnokorejski razvoj raket na dolge razdalje in raziskave jedrskega, kemičnega in biološkega orožja ter množičnih konvencionalnih oboroženih sil zelo zanima mednarodno skupnost. Decembra 2002 je Kim Jong-Il izstopil iz "dogovorjenega okvira" iz leta 1994, ki ga je podpisal njegov oče, ki je zahteval zaprtje jedrskih reaktorjev, izgon nadzornikov OZN in nadaljnji strah, da bi država proizvajala jedrsko orožje. Preskušanje raket je bilo izvedeno v letih 1998, 2006 in aprila 2009. Oktobra 2006 je Severna Koreja objavila, da je izvedla prvi jedrski poskus. Ta dejanja so privedla do sankcij ZN in drugih mednarodnih sankcij.

Trenutna pogajanja, zlasti "šeststranski pogovori", ki vključujejo Kitajsko, Rusijo, Japonsko, Severno Korejo, Južno Korejo in ZDA, so namenjena odpravi programa jedrske orožja DLRK v upanju, da bo mirovna pogodba o končno se lahko dogovorijo za uradni konec korejske vojne, ki bo odprl pot za odprtje diplomatskih vezi med Severno Korejo in ZDA. Na žalost je bila marca 2010 blizu 38. vzporednika potopljena južnokorejska ladja, kar je povečalo napetost med Severno in Južno Korejo. Čeprav Severna Koreja trdi, da ni napadla ladje, je bila krivda v veliki meri pripisana Severni Koreji.

Smrt Kim Jong-Ila konec leta 2011 je ustvarila mero negotovosti med prenosom oblasti na njegovega sina Kim Jong-Una; čeprav se zdi, da se je država od takrat ustalila, so se občasno pojavljale precejšnje napetosti.

Vlada in politika

Severna Koreja je totalitarna diktatura. Vlado vodi Komisija za državne zadeve (SAC), ki določa nacionalno politiko in je neposredno odgovorna za vojsko. Vrhovni vodja (Kim Jong-un) je predsednik SAC, vodja Korejske delavske stranke in več drugih funkcij. Na vrhu upravne veje vlade je kabinet, ki ga vodi premier (kot premier). Kabinet imenuje enodomna vrhovna ljudska skupščina (SPA), ki vodi zakonodajno vejo, čeprav predloge zakonov pripravlja stranka in jih skoraj 700-člansko SPA skoraj vedno sprejme brez razprave ali sprememb. Poleg tega je v počitnicah vse, razen nekaj dni na leto, večina oblasti pa je v rokah 15-članskega predsedstva. Sodstvo vodi vrhovno sodišče, katerega trije sodniki so izvoljeni, strankarski in odgovorni POV. Sodstvo ni neodvisno in nima moči nadvladati zakonodajne ali izvršne veje oblasti, vmešavanje varnostnih sil pa je zelo razširjena težava.

Ljudje

Severna Koreja je morda najbolj etnično homogena država na svetu, saj so vsi Korejci, razen nekaj sto tujcev. Ti tujci so večinoma diplomatski ali humanitarni delavci, skupaj z majhno populacijo Japoncev s korejskim poreklom. Skoraj noben Južnokorejac ne živi v Severni Koreji.

Severnokorejska družba je močno razdeljena in organizirana po kastnem sistemu, znanem kot Songbun. Članstvo v eni od treh glavnih skupin ne določa samo posameznikovo politično, socialno in ekonomsko ozadje, temveč tudi pripadnost njegove družine v prejšnjih treh generacijah. Izobraževanje in poklicne možnosti učinkovito opredeli posameznikov razred.

Podnebje

Pjongjang videl zjutraj

Podnebje je običajno klasificirano kot celinsko, padavine pa so skoncentrirane poleti. Poletni meseci so topli, vendar lahko zimske temperature padejo tudi do -30 ° C. Pozno spomladanski suši pogosto sledijo močne poplave. V zgodnji jeseni so občasni tajfuni.

Teren

Večinoma hribi in gore, ločeni z globokimi ozkimi dolinami; obalne ravnice so na zahodu široke, na vzhodu pa prekinitvene. Gorska notranjost je tako osamljena kot tudi redko poseljena.

Preberite

Ničesar, čemur ne bi zavidali: običajno življenje v Severni Koreji, Barbara Demick. Odlična knjiga o življenju šestih severnokorejcev, ki jim je uspelo prebegniti in najti pot do Južne Koreje. Zagotavlja prepričljivo sliko bede in občasnih lepot v življenju navadnih Severnokorejcev med lakoto v devetdesetih letih. ISBN 0385523912

Oči brezrepih živali: Zaporniški spomini severnokorejske ženske, kmalu Ok Lee. Računi iz prve roke o zaporniškem sistemu v Severni Koreji

Pobeg iz taborišča 14: Izjemna odiseja enega človeka od Severne Koreje do svobode na Zahodu, avtor Blaine Harden. Priča o zgodbi o Shin Dong-hyuku, enem od edinih znanih preživelih ubežnikov severnokorejskega zaporniškega taborišča, in njegovem nevarnem potovanju iz države.

Brez tebe nas ni, avtor Suki Kim. Fascinanten del raziskovalnega novinarstva o poučevanju angleščine kot tujca v Pjongčangu.

Vstopi

Travel WarningVizumske omejitve:
Ameriško zunanje ministrstvo je izdalo prepoved potovanja v Severno Korejo s potnim listom ZDA. Lahko se odobrijo zelo omejene izjeme, večinoma za novinarje in humanitarne delavce; podrobnosti tukaj.

Ljudje, ki so obiskali Severno Korejo, v ZDA ne smejo vstopiti po programu za odpravo vizumov in se morajo namesto tega prijaviti za ameriški vizum.

Opozorilo o potovanju
CautionCOVID-19 informacije: Severna Koreja je ugasniti meja s tujimi turisti.
(Podatki so bili nazadnje posodobljeni 12. septembra 2020)

Obisk Severne Koreje je lahko zahteven in ne boste mogli prosto raziskovati države brez severnokorejskega spremstva, bodisi v okviru skupinske ali individualne ture. Pogoji za vstop se pogosto in brez predhodnega obvestila spreminjajo, odvisno od geopolitičnih razmer. Severna Koreja je bila na primer skorajda zaprta za turizem med oktobrom 2014 in marcem 2015 zaradi strahu pred ebolo, čeprav v državi ali kjer koli v njej ni primerov bolezni.

Vizumi

Turistični vizumi so zelo podobni tem severnokorejskim delovnim vizumom

Državljani Slovenije Skoraj vsi države bodo potrebovale vizum, ki ga bodo izdali šele, ko bodo turnejo rezervirale in odobrile severnokorejske oblasti.

Turisti običajno organizirajo turistični vizum z rezervacijo potovanja pri turistični agenciji, ki organizira takšne ture. Potovalne agencije se običajno ukvarjajo z vizumom v njihovem imenu, čeprav morajo v nekaterih primerih turisti opraviti kratek telefonski razgovor s severnokorejskim veleposlaništvom, da preverijo svojo identiteto in službo. V večini primerov intervju poteka prijazno, zato vas ni treba skrbeti. Vizume pogosto potrdijo le dan pred ogledom, le redko pa bodo turista kdaj zavrnili, razen če dokažete, da ste političnega statusa ali novinar.

Vizumi za severnokorejske turiste se pogosto izdajo na turistični kartici. Če se pridružijo turistični skupini, se skupinski vizumi pogosto izdajo na ločenih listih z vsemi člani skupine, priloženih turistični kartici z imenom vodje potovanja. Turistov tega vizuma nikoli nima, čeprav lahko turisti prosijo za fotografiranje vizuma. V nobenem primeru v potni list ne bo vstavljen žig. Edini način, da bo vizum in vstopni žig odtisnjen na potnem listu, je, če se vizum izda na severnokorejskem veleposlaništvu v Evropi.

Dodatne omejitve

Novinarji ali tisti, za katere se sumi, da so novinarji, potrebujejo posebno dovoljenje, ki ga je precej težko dobiti. Severnokorejci novinarjem ne dovolijo obiska države s turističnimi vizumi.

Državljani Slovenije Malezija jim je bil po atentatu na Kim Jong-Nam marca 2017 onemogočen, da bi zapustili Severno Korejo, kjer je Malezija želela na zaslišanje več severnokorejskih diplomatov in državljanov. Medtem ko so omejitve za Malezijce, ki zapuščajo Severno Korejo, zdaj odpravljene, je obdobje brez vizumov med temi nekoč razmeroma "prijaznimi" državami konec.

Državljani Slovenije Južna Koreja v Severno Korejo ne smejo vstopiti, če nimajo dovoljenja vlad Severne Koreje za vstop in Južne države Ministrstva za združitev (통일부). Južnokorejski državljani se lahko po vrnitvi soočijo z dolgo zaporno kaznijo po Zakonu o nacionalni varnosti (Security 보안법), če predhodno za to ne dobijo dovoljenja. Državljani Južne Koreje, ki potujejo v Severno Korejo s potnim listom iz druge države, še vedno tvegajo pregon.

V nasprotju s govoricami Izraelci in judovski državljani drugih držav se ne sooča z nobenimi dodatnimi omejitvami.

Ogledi

Vas Kijong-dong, v DMZ blizu Panmunjom

Severno Korejo lahko obišče samo organizirana tura, vendar je to lahko večja skupina ali ena skupina. Cene se začnejo od približno $1,000/€700/£580 za petdnevno skupinsko turnejo, ki vključuje nastanitev, prehrano in prevoz iz Pekinga, vendar se lahko precej dvigne, če želite potovati po državi ali "samostojno" (kot vaša osebna spremljevalna skupina). Organizatorji potovanj / potovalne agencije, ki organizirajo lastne ture v Severno Korejo, vključujejo:

Državljani ZDA

Po smrti junija 2017 ameriškega turista, ki je bil pridržan v Severni Koreji, številne turistične skupine ne bodo več sprejele ameriških državljanov na svoje ture.

Ne glede na to, pri katerem podjetju se odločite rezervirati, vse ture vodi Korejsko mednarodno potovalno podjetje (z izjemo redkih, kot sta Choson Exchange in The Pyongyang Project, ki oba neposredno sodelujeta z različnimi vladnimi ministrstvi in ​​domačimi nevladnimi organizacijami DLRK) in njihovi vodniki vas bodo razstavili. Povprečno število turistov na skupino, ki jih sprejme vsako podjetje, se bo zelo razlikovalo, zato boste morda želeli vprašati o tem, preden rezervirate potovanje.

Večina ljudi, ki potujejo v Severno Korejo, bo potovala skozi Peking in vizo boste verjetno pobrali od tam, čeprav si nekateri agenti vizume že prej uredijo drugje. Stavba severnokorejskega konzulata je ločena od glavne stavbe veleposlaništva v Ritan Luju in je za vogalom pri ulici Fangcaodi Xijie. Odprto je M, W, F 09: 30-11: 30 in 14: 00-17: 30; in vt, čet, sa 09: 30-11: 30. S seboj prinesite dovoljenje za potovanje, 45 USD in dve fotografiji za potni list.

Vodniki vam bodo vzeli potni list in ga obdržali med bivanjem v Severni Koreji ali vsaj prvih nekaj dni turneje zaradi "varnostnih razlogov" ali preprosto zato, ker morajo biti datumi vstopa in izstopa registrirani, kot je zapisal črni žigi na zadnji strani vizuma ali potnega lista. Poskrbite, da bo vaš potni list videti spodoben in se ne bo razlikoval od najpogostejših potnih listov iz vaše države.

Prostovoljec

Skupine, kot je Choson Exchange, prostovoljce (ali turiste) pripeljejo k poučevanju delavnic o podjetništvu in podjetništvu za poslovne ženske, mlade podjetnike in raziskovalce, nato pa prostovoljci obiščejo ustrezna mesta v Severni Koreji. Takšni prostovoljci potujejo z uradnim vizumom in ne s turističnim.

  • Izmenjava Choson - Singapur, Velika Britanija in ZDA. Socialno podjetje, ki podjetnikom, mladim podjetnicam in raziskovalkam nudi usposabljanje iz podjetništva in podjetništva v Severni Koreji ter jim pri tem pomaga prostovoljce / turiste.

Obisk severnokorejskega obmejnega območja iz Južne Koreje

Skupno varnostno območje Panmunjom gledano iz Južne Koreje

The Skupno varnostno območje Panmunjom (pogosto imenuje napačno ime Panmunjom) je edino mesto v Severni Koreji, ki ga lahko z juga obiščejo redni turisti. To je skupaj nadzorovana vas premirja v Ljubljani Korejska demilitarizirana cona (DMZ), ki deli dve Koreji. Ima redne enodnevne izlete z avtobusom iz Seula. Omejitve veljajo za določene narodnosti.

Skupinski izleti z avtobusom do Kaesong in Kumgangsan v Severni Koreji z juga niso več na voljo.

Z letalom

Vsi mednarodni leti potekajo skozi Pjongjang Mednarodno letališče Sunan (FNJ IATA). Nobeno drugo severnokorejsko letališče ne obravnava mednarodnih letov. V Sunan letita le dve komercialni letalski družbi: Air Koryo, nacionalna severnokorejska letalska družba, in Air China. Od avgusta 2013 niti Aeroflot niti China Southern Airlines ne letita v Severno Korejo.

Air Koryo

Eden od Tupoljevih Tu-204 Air Koryo na letališču v Pjongčangu

Edini letalski prevoznik Severne Koreje, Air Koryo, ima na sporedu lete iz Pekinga, ki odhajajo ob 11.30 vsak torek in soboto, iz Pjongčanga pa se vračajo ob 09:00 isti dan. Air Koryo leti tudi od in do Shenyang vsako sredo in soboto ter do Vladivostok vsak torek zjutraj. Tudi letijo do Macau.

Air Koryo je bil edini (najslabši) letalski prevoznik z 1 zvezdico na Skytraxovem seznamu, odlikovanje, ki ga je imel že vrsto let. V EU je bila prepovedana zaradi skrbi glede varnosti. Čeprav je letalski prevoznik Air Koryo nazadnje doživel usodno nesrečo leta 1983, letalski prevoznik opravi le nekaj letov s svojo floto 10 letal. Glavni razlog za letenje Air Koryo so izkušnje: v nasprotnem primeru je verjetno bolje leteti z Air China. Floto Air Koryo v celoti sestavljajo letala sovjetske ali ruske izdelave, s ponosom njune flote pa sta dva Tupoljeva Tu-204, ki danes običajno vodita osrednjo progo Peking – Pjongčang, pa tudi pot Pjongjang – Šenjang. V nasprotnem primeru boste najverjetneje končali na enem od njihovih Iljušinov IL-62-M (letnik 1979–1988), Tupoljevih Tu-154 ali Tupoljevih Tu-134.

Air China

Air China, član zvezde Star Alliance, leti trikrat na teden iz Pekinga v Pjongčang z Boeingom 737. Air China ima zaradi daleč sodobnejše flote večina Air Koryo.

Z vlakom

Vlak K27 / K28 povezuje Pjongjang s Pekingom na Kitajskem prek Tianjin, Tangshan, Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, Shenyang, Benxi, Fenghuangcheng, Dandong in Sinuiju štirikrat na teden. Na mednarodnem vlaku med Pekingom in Pjongčangom je le en razred: mehko ležišče. Lahko ga rezervirate na postaji v Pekingu, vendar je treba rezervacije opraviti nekaj dni vnaprej. Vaša turistična agencija to običajno stori namesto vas, razen če potujete v službene namene. Na progi Peking – Pjongčang je bilo vse težje rezervirati prostor, zato vozovnice potrdite že vnaprej.

Enkrat na teden vlak K27 / K28 prevaža tudi neposredne spalne vagone Moskva prek Kitajske do Pjongjang in obratno. Pot je Moskva - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Chita - Harbin - Shenyang - Dandong - Shinuiju - Pjongjang. Odhod iz Moskve je vsak petek zvečer, prihod v Pjongčang pa teden pozneje v petek zvečer. Odhod iz Pjongčanga je v soboto zjutraj, prihod v Moskvo pa v petek popoldan.

Nekateri agenti (npr. Lupin Travel) raje prečkajo mejo od Dandona na Kitajskem do Sinuiju z minibusom in se nato vkrcajo na domači severnokorejski vlak do Pjongčanga. Običajno boste sedeli v trdi koči z vojaki KPA in partijskimi delavci, ki potujejo z družinami. Na voljo je dostop do restavracijskega avtomobila, v katerem so založena uvožena piva (Heineken) in brezalkoholne pijače ter nekaj lokalnih piv in žganih pijač. Do Pjongčanga naj bi vozil le 4 ure, znano pa je, da vozi 14. Če pozimi potujete, bodite pripravljeni na temperature v vagonih do -10 ° C.

Obstaja tudi neposredna železniška povezava iz Rusije v Severno Korejo. Ta pot je Rossiya Transsibirski vlak med Moskvo in Vladivostokom s korejskimi avtobusi ločenimi v Ussuriysku. Od tam je šest ur do meje pri Tumanganu, pet ur čakanja, nato pa 24-urni prevoz do Pjongčanga. Vozi tedensko, vendar kot vlak skozi vlak le dvakrat mesečno (11. in 25. iz Moskve), v Pjongjang prispe 9 dni kasneje. Včasih je bila ta pot zaprta za zahodnjake, od leta 2018 pa je na voljo z ustreznimi vizumi in drugimi papirji.

Moj čoln

Med Wonsanom in Ljubljano je bila nenačrtovana tovorno-potniška ladja Niigata, Japonska. Na voljo samo nekaterim državljanom Japonske in Severne Koreje, zato je ladja zaradi nedoločenega jedrskega preskusa prekinjena za nedoločen čas; Japonska je vsem severnokorejskim ladjam prepovedala vstop v japonska pristanišča, Severnokorejcem pa prepoved vstopa v državo. Bodite previdni, če se s čolnom preveč približate severnokorejski meji; številni južnokorejski ribiči še vedno čakajo, da zapustijo Severno Korejo.

Poleg nenačrtovanega trajekta vozi tudi potniška ladja, ki vozi med obalo severovzhodne Kitajske in goro Kumgang. Križarjenje skupaj s Kitajsko in Severno Korejo uporablja 40 let staro ladjo. Križarjenje je na vsaki etapi dolgo 22 ur in skupno 44 ur, vendar državljani, ki niso Kitajci, na križarjenju do gore Kumgang ne smejo.

Z avtobusom

Avtobus je na voljo iz Dandonga na Kitajskem čez reko Yalu do Sinuiju. Vodi ga "Dandong China Travel Company", vendar je odprt samo za kitajske državljane. Avtobus vozi iz Dandona čez kitajsko-korejski most prijateljstva (isti most čez reko Yalu, po katerem vozijo vlaki).

Obiti

Tipičen avtocestni prizor v Severni Koreji. Urejeni prameni dreves z veliko in prazno cesto vmes

Za vse vaše potrebe po prevozu bo poskrbelo vaše turistično podjetje. Največkrat to pomenijo avtobuse, čeprav skupine za obiske obiskujejo oddaljene kraje (npr. Paekdusan, Mount Chilbo) občasno uporabljajo čarterske lete družbe Air Koryo. Samostojno tavanje ni dovoljeno, ves čas pa morate imeti vodnika, ki vas bo pospremil.

V načrt potovanja večine potovanj v Pjongčang je vključena natančno vodena etapna vožnja z metrojem v Pjongčangu, vendar uporaba katere koli druge oblike lokalnega javnega prevoza na splošno ni mogoča. Nekatere ture vključujejo tudi vožnjo z vlakom iz Pjongjanga do obmejnega mesta Sinuiju, kjer se lahko v Sinuiju ustavite na enodnevni turneji, vendar ta možnost ni na voljo državljanom ZDA.

Če potujete v dovolj majhni skupini, je mogoče organizirati tudi sprehod po nekaterih predelih Pjongčanga z nekaterimi potovalnimi agenti (Koryo).

Govori

Ročno napisano hangul v oglasu
Poglej tudi: Korejski zvezek izrazov

Uradni jezik je Korejski. Severnokorejci so precej izbirčni pri tem, da bi korejsko označili kot chosŏn-mal (조선말), ne hangugeo. Jezik se v svoji slovnici precej drastično razlikuje od katerega koli zahodnega jezika, angleško govorcu pa je težko izgovoriti (čeprav ne tonsko). Ima različna narečja; standardni severnokorejski (문화어 munhwaŏ) domnevno temelji na pjonganskem narečju, ki se govori v Pjongčangu, v resnici pa je še vedno globoko zakoreninjeno v Seul narečje, ki je bilo standard pred razdelitvijo Koreje.

Razlike med severno in južnokorejsko

Kljub 60-letni ločitvi je korejski jezik tako v Severni Koreji kot v Južni Koreji v bistvu enak. Glavne razlike so v veliki količini angleških samostalnikov, ki si jih je Južna Koreja sposodila, medtem ko Severna Koreja namesto njih uporablja avtohtone ali ruske besede. Popolnoma različni so tudi opisi političnih in družbenih struktur, ki so neposredna posledica različnih ideoloških usmeritev obeh držav; najpomembnejši primer je, da so besede, ki se nanašajo na vladajočo družino Kim, vedno bolded in North Korea.

The Korean writing system is deceptively simple. Although it looks at first glance to be as complex as Chinese or Japanese, it is a unique and simple alphabetic writing system called chosŏn'gŭl by North Koreans, and hangul (한글 hangeul) by the rest of the world, where letters are stacked up into blocks that represent syllables. 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 English (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.

Glej

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 zoo. 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.

Ali

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 v Iceland); 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 zelo 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.

The 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.

Buy

Money

Currency in North Korea

Most short-term tourists in North Korea will not encounter the local currency at all, as the restaurants and souvenir shops geared towards tourists will deal exclusively in hard currency — U.S. dollars, euros, or Chinese yuan. Prices in these stores are listed roughly in U.S. cents. Vendors will rarely have change available, and having small bills to make change yourself will be very helpful in not being over-charged for purchases. Longer term visitors to Pyongyang should consider getting a debit card (labeled 전자결제카드, jeonjagyeoljekadeu) to make getting change easier. These can usually be bought at the Pyongyang store in the diplomatic compound for US$5, and can be used and recharged at most foreigner-targeted stores around the city.

Markets, road-side stands, and stores targeting locals will deal in North Korean won. There are several booths around the city which are able to convert foreign currency into won. The largest note is ₩5000, roughly the cost of a Coke. The smallest is ₩5, which is used for the metro. Notes under ₩500 are generally not used.

If you want smaller notes, ask to convert 1 or 5 Chinese yuan at a currency exchange booth. You may get a strange look, but likely will be given some of the harder to find ₩5 and ₩10 notes.

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.

Spominki

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

Jej

The Hibachi restaurant in the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang
Poglej tudi: 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.

Pijte

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

Sleep

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.

Learn

Kim Il Sung University

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

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

Work

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.

Ostani varen

Travel WarningWARNING: 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.

Respect

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.

Religion

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.

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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". Glej China#Internet censorship.

Cope

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.

This country travel guide to North Korea je uporabno Članek. It has information about the country and for getting in, as well as links to several destinations. Pustolovska oseba bi lahko uporabila ta članek, vendar ga lahko izboljšate z urejanjem strani.