Sjeverna Koreja - North Korea

Travel WarningUPOZORENJE: Sjedinjene Države zabranjuju putovanja na američke putovnice bez posebnog dopuštenja, a takvo je putovanje kazneno djelo kažnjivo prema američkim zakonima. Kanada preporučuje protiv svi putujte u DPRK, a Novi Zeland, Australija, Irska i Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo preporučuju da preispitate svoju potrebu za putovanjem.
(Podaci posljednji put ažurirani u kolovozu 2020.)

Sjeverna Koreja (korejski: 조선 Chosŏn), službeno Demokratska Narodna Republika Koreja ili DPRK (조선 민주주의 인민 공화국 Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk) je najizoliranija zemlja na svijetu i jedna od najrepresivnijih i najnerazvijenijih. Nalazi se u Istočna Azija na Korejski poluotok, koja je podijeljena između Sjevera i Južna Korea od 1950-ih.

Putovanja pružaju mogućnost uvida u posljednju granicu Hladni rat, gdje se društvo i dalje vodi pod strogom staljinističkom upravom s naglaskom na vojsku, a ekonomski razvoj vidljivo zaostaje za ostalim zemljama u regiji. Turisti smiju putovati u Sjevernu Koreju samo kao dio vođenog putovanja, a samostalno putovanje nije dozvoljeno. Posjetitelji se neprestano nadgledaju kako bi se osiguralo upravljanje njihovim interakcijama s lokalnim stanovništvom kako bi se spriječile aktivnosti poput snimanja "neprikladnih" fotografija, kritike Sjeverne Koreje, nepoštovanja prema Velikom vođi ili razgovora s lokalnim stanovništvom bez odobrenja.

Svake godine Sjevernu Koreju posjeti oko 1500 zapadnih turista. Većina putovanja završi bez incidenata, pod uvjetom da slijede svoje uvijek prisutne vodiče. Dogodili su se incidenti, a kada se dogode, teško je doći do odgovarajućeg postupka. Najvjerojatnija posljedica bilo koje nevolja s vlastima je razdoblje pritvora prije deportacije. Ne biste trebali putovati u Sjevernu Koreju ako niste spremni prihvatiti ozbiljna ograničenja u vašem kretanju i ponašanju ili rizik od proizvoljnog, neodređenog pritvora.

Regije

Regije Sjeverne Koreje - Karta označena bojama
 Obala Donghae (Chongjin, Hamhung, Rason, Sjeverni Hamgyong, Južni Hamgyong, Kangwon, Kŭmgang-san)
 Planine Baekdu (Ryanggang, Chagang)
 Pjongan (Sjeverni P'yongan, Južni P'yongan, Kaechon, Nampho, Pjongjang, Shinuiju)
 Hwanghae (Sjeverni Hwanghae, Južni Hwanghae, Kaesong)

Gradovi

  • 1 Pjongjang (평양 시) - glavni grad i nekadašnja prijestolnica Goguryeo tijekom razdoblja Tri kraljevstva
  • 2 Chongjin (청진) - Industrijski grad na sjeveroistoku, koji turisti rijetko posjećuju
  • 3 Hamhung (함흥시) - Sjeverni grad, također rijetko na službenim putopisima
  • 4 Kaechon (개천 시)
  • 5 Kaesong (개성시) - bivši glavni grad za vrijeme dinastije Goryeo
  • 6 Nampho (남포시) - industrijsko središte i luka na zapadnoj obali
  • 7 Rason (라선시) - Zona slobodne trgovine na ruskoj granici, zajedno s kockarnicom
  • 8 Sinuiju (신의주 시) - mračni industrijski grad na samoj granici s Kinom. Vjerojatno najlakši način da se u zemlju pogleda izvana
  • 9 Wonsan (원산 시) - Lučki grad na istočnoj obali polako se otvara turistima i ima prvo skijalište u zemlji

Ostala odredišta

  • 1 Kumgangsan (금강산) - slikovite Dijamantne planine, dostupne na turnejama s juga
  • 2 Myohyangsan (묘향산) - ova Tajanstvena mirisna planina jedno je od najboljih pješačkih mjesta na sjeveru
  • 3 Planine Baekdu Paektu Mountain on Wikipedia (백두산) - najviša planina u Koreji i mitsko rodno mjesto dinastije Kim
  • 4 Panmunjom (판문점) - posljednja ispostava hladnog rata u DMZ-u između Juga i Sjevera

Shvati

Povijest

Prapovijest i utemeljenje nacije

Vidi također: Predmoderna Koreja

Arheološki nalazi prapovijesnog izrade alata na Korejskom poluotoku sežu u 70 000 godina prije Krista, a prva keramika pronađena je oko 8000 godina prije Krista. Keramička kultura s češljastim uzorkom dosegla je vrhunac oko 3500-2000. Pr.

Legenda kaže da je Koreja započela osnivanjem Gojoseona (također zvanog Drevni Chosun) legendarnog Danguna 2333. pr. Arheološki i istodobni pisani zapisi o Gojoseonu kao kraljevstvu datiraju oko 7.-4. St. Pr. Gojoseona je na kraju porazila kineska dinastija Han 108. pne., A njezinim teritorijima upravljala su četiri kineska zapovjedništva, ali to nije dugo potrajalo. Starosjedioci poluotoka i Mandžurije ubrzo su povratili teritorij, naime Tri kraljevstva Koreje, Goguryeo, Silla i Baekje. The Kraljevstvo Goguryeo (ili Koguryo) vladao je čitavim područjem moderne Sjeverne Koreje, kao i dijelovima Mandžurije i sjevernim dijelovima moderne Južne Koreje. Budistička i konfucijanska učenja bila su istaknuta u kraljevstvu Goguryeo, koje je prihvatilo budizam kao državnu religiju 372. godine. Unatoč opetovanim pokušajima Kine, odnosno dinastije Sui i kasnije dinastije Tang, da osvoji Korejski poluotok, Goguryeo sa sjeverom uspio je odbiti ih. Na kraju je Goguryeo pao na savez Silla-Tang, koji je ranije porazio Baekje. Ova ujedinjena Koreja pod dinastijom Silla. Iako je Tang kasnije napao, snage Silla uspjele su ih istjerati, zadržavajući tako neovisnost Koreje.

Ujedinjenu Silu zamijenio je Goryeo (također nazvan Koryo) dinastija, od koje potječe suvremeno ime "Koreja". Jedan od vrhunaca dinastije Goryeo bio je taj da je Korejanac Choe Yun-ui (200 godina prije Gutenbergove tiskare) 1234. godine izumio prvi metalni pokretni tip na svijetu.

Budističko se učenje širilo u to vrijeme i s bivšim vođama Baekjea i Goguryea dobro se postupalo. Kraljevstvo je vidjelo relativni mir sve do 8. i 9. stoljeća kada su vođe klanova vodili pobune i srušili Silu, uspostavljajući dinastiju Goryeo od koje su zapadnjaci izveli naziv "Koreja". U tom je razdoblju nacija pretrpjela mongolske invazije, što je dovelo do nemira i konačnog uspostavljanja dinastije Joseon 1392. godine.

LocationNorthKorea.png
KapitalPjongjang
ValutaSjevernokorejski win (KPW)
Populacija25,4 milijuna (2017.)
Struja220 volti / 55 ± 5 herca i 110 volti / 55 ± 5 herca (NEMA 1-15, Europlug, Schuko)
Kod države 850
Vremenska zonaUTC 09:00
Vozačka stranapravo
uredi na Wikipodacima

Joseon dinastija

Dinastija Joseon bila je jedna od najdugovječnijih dinastija na svijetu (512 godina), vladala je od 1392. do 1910. godine. Kralj Sejong Veliki 'pravilo se posebno slavilo, jer je pomogao u stvaranju korejskog pisma, choson'gul, što je čak i pučanima omogućilo da se opismene. Također je proširio nacionalnu vojnu moć kako bi istjerao japanske gusare i sjeverne nomade i povratio izgubljena područja. Japanci su napali Koreju pod vodstvom Toyotomija Hideyoshija, iako ih je dinastija Joseon uspjela otjerati uz podršku kineske dinastije Ming, iako s velikim gubicima na Korejskom poluotoku. Unatoč gubicima, nacija je doživjela oko 200 godina mira, a njezine izolacionističke politike omogućile su joj daljnji razvoj jedinstvene korejske kulture i identiteta.

Brza modernizacija potaknuta Drugom industrijskom revolucijom stvorila je napetost između Kine i Japana dok su osjećali pritiske zapadnog ekspanzionizma, svaki od njih želeći proširiti svoj utjecaj na Koreju. Izvođenje ratova između Japana, Kine i Rusije dovelo je do sve većeg japanskog utjecaja na poluotok, što je rezultiralo aneksijom Koreje 1910. godine i označavanjem kraja dinastije Joseon i korejske neovisnosti.

Japanska okupacija i podijeljena Koreja

Vidi također: Korejski rat

Japanci su vladali poluotokom do poraza u Drugom svjetskom ratu 1945. godine. Japan je bio prisiljen predati teritorij, a savezničke su snage podijelile naciju na 38. paralelnom, a Sovjetski Savez zauzeo je sjevernu polovicu, a Sjedinjene Države južnu polovicu . Podjela je trebala biti privremena; međutim, borba političke moći između dviju nacija za stjecanje utjecaja na ujedinjenu Koreju dovela je do uspostave vlada unutar njihovih novostvorenih teritorija. Sjeverna Koreja osnovana je kao vlastita nacija 1948. godine uz potporu Sovjetskog Saveza, slijedeći sovjetski komunistički model, s Kim Il-Sungom na čelu, dok je otprilike u isto vrijeme Syngman Rhee uspostavio kapitalistički režim uz potporu Sjedinjene Države na jugu.

Agitacija između Sjevera i Juga došla je do vrhunca 1950. Godine kada je Sjever započeo Korejski rat pokušajem ponovnog ujedinjenja zemlje pod njezinim uvjetima pokretanjem invazije. Sovjetski Savez i Kina borili su se zajedno sa Sjeverom protiv Juga, koje su zauzvrat podržavale snage Ujedinjenih naroda (UN) predvođene Ujedinjene države. UN-ove snage potjerale su sjevernokorejske snage sve do kineske granice, nakon čega su kineska pojačanja natjerala UN-ove snage natrag na jug. Rat je konačno rezultirao potpisivanjem primirja 1953. godine, uglavnom održavajući izvorne granice postavljene prije rata. Budući da od primirja nije potpisan nikakav mirovni ugovor, narodi Južna Korea a Sjeverna Koreja službeno još uvijek ratuju.

Moderna Sjeverna Koreja

Simboli Korejske radničke stranke: čekić za radnika, srp za seljaka i četka za intelektualca
Komunistička propaganda u Pjongčangu

Nakon nacije u rasulu nakon rata, Kim Il-Sung pokrenuo je kampanju za ujedinjenje naroda klevetom Ujedinjene države uz sovjetsku podršku i pročišćavanje nacije od neistomišljenika i svi koji su mu se mislili suprotstaviti. Priključio se Kini tijekom kinesko-sovjetskog Splita na temu komunističke filozofije, jer nije volio Kruščovljeve reforme, ali je počeo još jednom hvaliti Sovjetski Savez kada je Kina doživjela svoju kulturnu revoluciju, zaoštravajući odnose s oba susjeda. Slijedom toga, razvio je vlastitu ideologiju, Juche ("oslanjanje na sebe"), da stvori komunizam kakav je želio za svoju naciju. Tijekom svog života Kim Il-Sung dodao je i pojasnio ideologiju Juche kako bi opravdao svoje vladarske odluke.

Korejski rat ne samo da je podijelio ljude, već je podijelio i radnu snagu. Kada je poluotok bio ujedinjen, Sjeverna Koreja imala je većinu nacionalnih industrija, dok je Južna Koreja bila poljoprivredno središte. Ova podjela omogućila je Sjevernoj Koreji da se u početku vrati brže od juga u procesu obnove. Sovjetski je savez tada financirao poljoprivredne napore na sjeveru, u skladu s komunističkim modelom. Taj se sustav počeo raspetljavati potkraj 1970-ih i 1980-ih kad je sovjetski sustav počeo posustajati. Prestankom sovjetske pomoći nakon njenog raspada 1991. godine, nije bilo načina da se nastavi podržavati potrebe poljoprivrednih sustava za gorivom, gnojivom i opremom. Nakon toliko godina lošeg upravljanja vladom i lošeg vremena jakih poplava, poljoprivredni sustav Sjevera propao je sredinom 1990-ih, što je dovelo do široke gladi i smrti za bezbroj Sjevernih Korejaca. Smrt Kim Il-Sunga 1994. godine dogodila se dok se nacija pokušala nositi s krizom, usporavajući vladin odgovor dok je novi čelnik Kim Jong-Il zauzeo položaj svog oca.

Sjever je napokon dopustio međunarodne agencije za pomoć da pomognu, a sadržani su i najgori aspekti gladi. Međutim, DPRK se i dalje u velikoj mjeri oslanja na međunarodnu pomoć u hrani za prehranu svog stanovništva, dok istodobno nastavlja trošiti sredstva na svoje songun, ili "prvo vojna" politika, koju je Kim Jong-Il uveo i koristio zajedno s očevom politikom Juche ideologija (koju je "protumačio").

Danas DPRK održava vojsku od oko milijun pješaka, većina smještena blizu DMZ-a koji dijeli dvije Koreje. Razvoj projektila dalekog dometa i istraživanje nuklearnog, kemijskog i biološkog oružja i masivnih konvencionalnih oružanih snaga glavni su problem međunarodne zajednice. U prosincu 2002. Kim Jong-Il odustao je od "dogovorenog okvira" iz 1994. godine koji je potpisao njegov otac, a koji je zahtijevao gašenje nuklearnih reaktora, protjerivanje promatrača UN-a i daljnje izazivanje straha da će država proizvesti nuklearno oružje. Ispitivanje projektila provedeno je 1998., 2006. i travnja 2009. U listopadu 2006. Sjeverna Koreja objavila je da je provela svoje prvo nuklearno ispitivanje. Te su akcije dovele do UN-a i drugih međunarodnih sankcija.

Trenutni pregovori, ponajviše "Šestostrani pregovori" u kojima su sudjelovali Kina, Rusija, Japan, Sjeverna Koreja, Južna Koreja i Sjedinjene Države, usmjereni su na okončanje programa nuklearnog naoružanja DLRK, u nadi da će mirovni sporazum s o službenom završetku Korejskog rata konačno se može dogovoriti, otvarajući put za otvaranje diplomatskih veza između Sjeverne Koreje i Sjedinjenih Država. Nažalost, u ožujku 2010. godine, južnokorejski brod je potopljen blizu 38. paralele, povećavajući napetost između Sjeverne i Južne Koreje. Iako Sjeverna Koreja tvrdi da nije napala brod, krivnja je velikim dijelom svaljena na Sjevernu Koreju.

Smrt Kim Jong-Ila krajem 2011. stvorila je mjeru nesigurnosti tijekom prijenosa vlasti na njegovog sina Kim Jong-Una; iako se čini da se zemlja od tada stabilizirala, povremeno su se javljale značajne napetosti.

Vlada i politika

Sjeverna Koreja je totalitarna diktatura. Vladu vodi Povjerenstvo za državne poslove (SAC), koje utvrđuje nacionalnu politiku i izravno je odgovorno za vojsku. Vrhovni vođa (Kim Jong-un) predsjednik je SAC-a, kao i šef Korejske radničke stranke i nekoliko drugih funkcija. Na vrhu administrativne grane vlade nalazi se kabinet na čijem je čelu premijer (poput premijera). Kabinet imenuje jednodomna Vrhovna narodna skupština (SPA) koja je na čelu zakonodavnog ogranka, iako zakone izrađuje Stranka i SPA s gotovo 700 osoba gotovo ih uvijek donosi bez rasprave i izmjena. Štoviše, u prekidu je, osim nekoliko dana u godini, ostavljajući većinu ovlasti u rukama Prezidija od 15 osoba. Na čelu pravosuđa je Vrhovni sud, čija su tri suca izabrana, stranačka i odgovorna SPA-u. Sudstvo nije neovisno i nema moć nadvladavanja zakonodavne ili izvršne grane vlasti, a uplitanje sigurnosnih snaga raširen je problem.

narod

Sjeverna Koreja možda je etnički najhomogenija država na svijetu, s tim da su svi Korejci, osim nekoliko stotina stranaca. Ti su stranci uglavnom diplomatski ili agenti za pomoć, zajedno s malom populacijom Japanaca koji imaju korejsko porijeklo. Gotovo nijedan Južnokorejac ne živi u Sjevernoj Koreji.

Sjevernokorejsko društvo snažno je podijeljeno i organizirano po kastinskom sustavu poznatom kao Songbun. Članstvo u jednoj od tri glavne skupine ne određuje samo politička, socijalna i ekonomska pozadina pojedinca, već i njihova obitelj u prethodne tri generacije. Obrazovanje i profesionalne mogućnosti učinkovito definira razred pojedinca.

Klima

Pjongjang viđen ujutro

Klima je općenito klasificirana kao kontinentalna, s padalinama koncentriranim ljeti. Ljetni mjeseci su topli, ali zimske temperature mogu pasti i do -30 ° C. Kasne proljetne suše često prate jake poplave. Tijekom rane jeseni povremeno postoje tajfuni.

Teren

Uglavnom brda i planine odvojene dubokim, uskim dolinama; obalne ravnice su široke na zapadu, a diskontinuirane na istoku. Planinska unutrašnjost je i izolirana i slabo naseljena.

Čitati

Ništa za zavidjeti: Uobičajeni život u Sjevernoj Koreji, Barbara Demick. Izvrsna knjiga koja govori o životima šest sjevernokorejaca koji su uspjeli prebjeći i pronaći put do Južne Koreje. Pruža uvjerljivu sliku bijede i povremene ljepote u životu običnih sjevernokorejaca tijekom gladi devedesetih. ISBN 0385523912

Oči životinja bez repa: Zatvorski memoari sjevernokorejske žene, uskoro Us Lee. Izvještaji iz prve ruke o zatvorskom sustavu u Sjevernoj Koreji

Bijeg iz kampa 14: Izvanredna odiseja jednog čovjeka od Sjeverne Koreje do slobode na zapadu, Blaine Harden. Zakovana priča o Shin Dong-hyuku, jednom od jedinih poznatih preživjelih bjegunaca sjevernokorejskog zatvorskog logora, i njegovom opasnom putovanju izvan zemlje.

Bez tebe nema nas, Suki Kim. Fascinantan dio istraživačkog novinarstva o podučavanju engleskog jezika kao stranca u Pjongčangu.

Uđi

Travel WarningOgraničenja viza:
Američki State Department izdao je zabranu putovanja zabranjujući putovanje u Sjevernu Koreju na američku putovnicu. Mogu se odobriti vrlo ograničene iznimke, uglavnom za novinare i humanitarne radnike; detalje ovdje.

Ljudima koji su posjetili Sjevernu Koreju nije dopušten ulazak u SAD u okviru programa za ukidanje viza i oni se umjesto toga moraju prijaviti za američku vizu.

Upozorenje na putovanju
CautionCOVID-19 informacija: Sjeverna Koreja je ugasiti njegova granica prema stranim turistima.
(Podaci posljednji put ažurirani 12. rujna 2020.)

Posjet Sjevernoj Koreji može biti izazov i nećete imati slobodu istraživati ​​zemlju bez sjevernokorejske pratnje, bilo u sklopu grupne ili individualne turneje. Uvjeti ulaska često se mijenjaju i bez najave, ovisno o geopolitičkoj situaciji. Primjerice, Sjeverna Koreja bila je praktički zatvorena za turizam između listopada 2014. i ožujka 2015. zbog straha od ebole, unatoč tome što nije bilo slučajeva bolesti u zemlji niti bilo gdje u njenoj blizini.

Vizama

Turističke vize izgledaju vrlo slično ovoj sjevernokorejskoj radnoj vizi

Građani gotovo sve zemljama će trebati viza koja će se izdati tek nakon što vašu turneju rezerviraju i odobre sjevernokorejske vlasti.

Turisti obično dogovaraju turističku vizu rezerviranjem putovanja kod turističke agencije koja organizira takve ture. Turističke agencije obično će se baviti vizom u njihovo ime, iako su u nekim slučajevima turisti dužni obaviti kratki telefonski razgovor sa sjevernokorejskim veleposlanstvom kako bi provjerili svoj identitet i posao. U većini slučajeva intervju se provodi prijateljski, pa se ne treba brinuti. Vize se često potvrđuju samo dan prije obilaska, ali rijetko će turista ikad odbiti ako ne pokažete da ste političkog statusa ili ste novinar.

Vize za sjevernokorejske turiste često se izdaju na turističkoj kartici. Ako se pridružite grupi za obilazak, grupne se vize često izdaju na posebnim listovima papira koji sadrže sve članove grupe, priloženim turističkom karticom koja nosi ime vođe putovanja. Turisti nikad ne drže ovu vizu, iako turisti mogu tražiti da je fotografiraju. U svakom slučaju u putovnicu neće biti stavljen pečat. Jedini način na koji će se na putovnicu utisnuti viza i ulazni pečat jest izdavanje vize u okviru sjevernokorejskog veleposlanstva u Europi.

Dodatna ograničenja

Novinari ili oni za koje se sumnja da su novinari trebaju posebno dopuštenje, što je prilično teško dobiti. Sjevernokorejci ne dopuštaju novinarima da posjećuju zemlju po turističkim vizama.

Građani Malezija bili su spriječeni da napuste Sjevernu Koreju nakon atentata na Kim Jong-Nam u ožujku 2017., gdje je Malezija tražila nekoliko sjevernokorejskih diplomata i državljana na ispitivanje. Iako su ograničenja za Malezijce koji napuštaju Sjevernu Koreju sada ukinuta, doba bezviznog putovanja između ovih nekada relativno 'prijateljskih' zemalja je završeno.

Građani Južna Korea im nije dopušten ulazak u Sjevernu Koreju ako za to nemaju dozvolu vlada Sjeverne i Južne strane od Ministarstva ujedinjenja (통일부). Državljani Južne Koreje mogu se suočiti s dugotrajnom zatvorskom kaznom prema Zakonu o nacionalnoj sigurnosti (국가 보안법) po povratku ako prethodno ne dobiju dopuštenje. Građani Južne Koreje koji putuju u Sjevernu Koreju s putovnicom iz druge zemlje i dalje riskiraju kazneni progon.

Suprotno glasinama, Izraelci i židovski građani drugih zemalja ne suočavaju se s nikakvim dodatnim ograničenjima.

Ture

Selo Kijong-dong, u DMZ u blizini Panmunjom

Sjevernu Koreju može posjetiti samo organizirana turneja, ali ovo može biti velika grupa ili jedna stranka. Cijene počinju otprilike $1,000/€700/£580 za petodnevnu grupnu turneju koja uključuje smještaj, prehranu i prijevoz iz Pekinga, ali može znatno porasti ako želite putovati po zemlji ili "samostalno" (kao vaša vlastita grupa u pratnji s jednom osobom). Turoperatori / putničke agencije koje organiziraju vlastite ture u Sjevernu Koreju uključuju:

Državljani Sjedinjenih Država

Nakon smrti američkog turista koji je bio u pritvoru u Sjevernoj Koreji u lipnju 2017. godine, mnoge turističke grupe više neće primati američke državljane na svoje turneje.

Bez obzira s kojom tvrtkom ste odlučili rezervirati, sve ture vodi Korejska međunarodna putnička tvrtka (osim nekoliko, poput Choson Exchange i The Pyongyang Project koji oboje izravno surađuju s raznim vladinim ministarstvima i domaćim nevladinim organizacijama DLRK-a) i bit će to njihovi vodiči koji će vas pokazati. Prosječni broj turista po grupi koje svaka tvrtka uzme znatno će se razlikovati pa ćete možda htjeti pitati o tome prije nego što rezervirate putovanje.

Većina ljudi koji putuju u Sjevernu Koreju putovat će kroz Pekingu i vizu ćete vjerojatno pokupiti od tamo, iako neki agenti ipak unaprijed dogovaraju svoje vize negdje drugdje. Zgrada sjevernokorejskog konzulata odvojena je od glavne zgrade veleposlanstva u Ritan Luu i nalazi se iza ugla u ulici Fangcaodi Xijie. Otvoreno je M, Z, Ž 09: 30-11: 30 i 14: 00-17: 30; i Uto, Čet, Su 09: 30-11: 30. Ponesite dozvolu za putovanje, 45 američkih dolara i dvije fotografije putovnice.

Vodiči će uzeti vašu putovnicu i zadržati je tijekom vašeg boravka u Sjevernoj Koreji, ili barem prvih par dana vaše turneje, iz "sigurnosnih razloga" ili jednostavno zato što datumi ulaska i izlaska moraju biti registrirani, kako je napomenuo crne marke na poleđini vize ili putovnice. Pazite da putovnica izgleda pristojno i da se ne razlikuje od uobičajenih putovnica iz vaše zemlje.

Dobrovoljac

Grupe poput Choson Exchange dovode volontere (ili turiste) da sudjeluju u podučavanju radionica o poslovanju i poduzetništvu za poslovne žene, mlade poduzetnike i istraživače, nakon čega volonteri obilaze relevantna mjesta u Sjevernoj Koreji. Takvi volonteri putuju po službenoj, a ne turističkoj vizi.

  • Razmjena Choson - Singapur, Velika Britanija i SAD. Socijalno poduzeće koje pruža poslovne poduke, mlade poduzetnike i istraživače u poslovnom i poduzetničkom obrazovanju u Sjevernoj Koreji i dovodi volontere / turiste da im pomognu u tome.

Posjet sjevernokorejskom pograničnom području iz Južne Koreje

Zajedničko sigurnosno područje Panmunjom gledano iz Južne Koreje

The Zajedničko sigurnosno područje Panmunjom (često naziva pogrešnim nazivom Panmunjom) jedino je mjesto u Sjevernoj Koreji koje s juga mogu posjetiti redoviti turisti. Ovo je zajedništvo pod nadzorom primirja u Korejska demilitarizirana zona (DMZ) koji dijeli dvije Koreje. Ima redovite jednodnevne autobusne ture iz Seula. Ograničenja se primjenjuju na određene nacionalnosti.

Grupne autobusne ture do Kaesong i Kumgangsan u Sjevernoj Koreji s juga više nisu dostupni.

Avionom

Svi međunarodni letovi prolaze kroz Pyongyang Međunarodna zračna luka Sunan (FNJ IATA). Nijedna sjeverna korejska zračna luka ne upravlja međunarodnim letovima. Samo dvije komercijalne zrakoplovne kompanije lete do Sunana: Air Koryo, nacionalni sjevernokorejski zračni prijevoznik, i Air China. Od kolovoza 2013. ni Aeroflot ni China Southern Airlines ne lete za Sjevernu Koreju.

Air Koryo

Jedan od Tupoljovih Tu-204 kompanije Air Koryo u zračnoj luci u Pjongčangu

Jedini sjevernokorejski zračni prijevoznik, Air Koryo, ima na rasporedu letove iz Pekinga, koji polaze u 11:30 svakog utorka i subote, a vraćaju se iz Pyongyanga u 09:00 istog dana. Air Koryo također leti do i od zrakoplova Shenyang svake srijede i subote i do Vladivostok svakog utorka ujutro. Oni također lete u Makao.

Air Koryo bio je jedini (najgori) zrakoplovni prijevoznik s 1 zvjezdicom na Skytraxovoj listi, što je razlika koju je držao dugi niz godina. U EU je zabranjena zbog zabrinutosti zbog sigurnosti. Iako je Air Koryo posljednji put doživio fatalnu nesreću davne 1983. godine, zrakoplovna kompanija obavlja samo nekoliko letova sa svojom flotom od 10 zrakoplova. Glavni razlog letenja Air Koryo je iskustvo: inače je vjerojatno bolje letjeti Air Chinaom. Flota Air Koryo u potpunosti se sastoji od zrakoplova sovjetske ili ruske proizvodnje, s ponosom njihove flote dva zrakoplova Tupoljev Tu-204, koji sada obično upravljaju središnjom rutom Peking-Pjongjang, kao i rutom Pjongjang-Šenjang. Inače ćete najvjerojatnije završiti na nekom od njihovih Iljušinovih IL-62-M (berba 1979-1988), Tupoljevih Tu-154 ili Tupoljevih Tu-134.

Air China

Air China, član Star Alliancea, leti tri puta tjedno iz Pekinga u Pjongjang koristeći Boeing 737. Air China je većina preferirana od Air Koryo zbog svoje daleko modernije flote.

Vlakom

Vlak K27 / K28 povezuje Pjongjang do Pekinga u Kini putem Tianjin, Tangshan, Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, Shenyang, Benxi, Fenghuangcheng, Dandong i Sinuiju četiri puta tjedno. U međunarodnom vlaku između Pekinga i Pjongjanga postoji samo jedna klasa: mekani spavač. Može se rezervirati na stanici u Pekingu, ali rezervacije se moraju izvršiti nekoliko dana unaprijed. Vaša turistička agencija to će obično učiniti umjesto vas, osim ako ne putujete u poslovne svrhe. Sve je teže rezervirati prostor na relaciji Peking – Pjongjang, zato potvrdite svoje karte unaprijed.

Jednom tjedno vlak K27 / K28 također prevozi izravne spavaće automobile Moskva preko Kine do Pjongjang i obrnuto. Ruta je Moskva - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Čita - Harbin - Shenyang - Dandong - Shinuiju - Pjongjang. Polazak iz Moskve je svakog petka navečer, a dolazak u Pjongjang je tjedan dana kasnije u petak navečer. Polazak iz Pjongjanga je subota ujutro, a dolazak u Moskvu petak popodne.

Neki agenti (npr. Lupin Travel) radije prelaze granicu od Dandonga u Kini do Sinuiju minibusom, a zatim se ukrcavaju u domaći sjevernokorejski vlak za Pjongjang. Obično ćete sjediti u kočiji s tvrdim sjedištem s vojnicima KPA i stranačkim radnicima koji putuju s obiteljima. Pristup je restoranskom automobilu u kojem se nalaze uvozna piva (Heineken) i bezalkoholna pića, kao i neka lokalna piva i žestoka pića. Ovom vlaku navodno treba samo 4 sata do Pjongjanga, ali poznato je da traje 14. Ako putujete zimi, budite spremni na temperature u vagonima od -10 ° C.

Postoji i izravna željeznička veza iz Rusije u Sjevernu Koreju. Ova ruta je Rossiya Transsibirski vlak između Moskve i Vladivostoka, s korejskim kočijama odvojenim u Ussuriysku. Odatle je šest sati do granice u Tumanganu, čeka se pet sati, a zatim 24-satna vožnja do Pjongjanga. Vozi se tjedno, ali kao vlakić samo dva puta mjesečno (11. i 25. iz Moskve), a Pjongjang stiže 9 dana kasnije. Ova je ruta nekad bila zatvorena za zapadnjake, ali od 2018. godine dostupna je pod uvjetom da imate ispravnu vizu i ostale papire.

Brodom

Između Wonsana i. Nalazio se neplanirani teretno-putnički brod Niigata, Japan. Dostupna samo nekim državljanima Japana i Sjeverne Koreje, brodska usluga obustavljena je na neodređeno vrijeme zbog nuklearnih ispitivanja koja je izvijestila Sjeverna Koreja; Japan je zabranio svim sjevernokorejskim brodovima ulazak u japanske luke, a Sjevernim Korejcima je zabranio ulazak u zemlju. Budite oprezni pri približavanju brodom sjevernokorejskoj granici; mnogi južnokorejski ribari još uvijek čekaju da napuste Sjevernu Koreju.

Osim neplaniranog trajekta, postoji i brod za krstarenje koji prometuje između obale sjeveroistočne Kine i planine Kumgang. Kružna linija kojom zajednički upravljaju Kina i Sjeverna Koreja koristi 40 godina star brod. Putovanje krstarenjem traje 22 sata na svakoj dionici, a ukupno je ukupno 44 sata, ali državljani koji nisu Kinezi ne smiju krstariti do planine Kumgang.

Autobusom

Autobus je dostupan iz kineskog Dandonga preko rijeke Yalu do Sinuiju. Vodi ga "Dandong China Travel Company", ali otvoren je samo za kineske građane. Autobus vozi od Dandonga preko kinesko-korejskog mosta prijateljstva (isti most preko rijeke Yalu kojim voze vlakovi).

Zaobiđi se

Tipična scena autoputa u Sjevernoj Koreji. Uređeni pramenovi drveća s velikom i praznom cestom između

Sve vaše potrebe prijevoza riješit će vaša turistička tvrtka. To najčešće podrazumijevaju autobuse, iako grupe za obilazak obilaze udaljena mjesta (npr. Paekdusan, Mount Chilbo) povremeno koriste unajmljene letove kompanije Air Koryo. Samostalno lutanje nije dopušteno, a vi morate imati vodiča koji će vas uvijek pratiti.

Pažljivo vođena etapna vožnja metroom Pjongčangom uključena je u plan putovanja većine putovanja u Pjongjang, ali upotreba bilo kojeg drugog oblika lokalnog javnog prijevoza uglavnom je nemoguća. Neke ture uključuju i vožnju vlakom od Pjongjanga do pograničnog grada Sinuiju, u kojem se možete zaustaviti u Sinuijuu na jednodnevnu turu, iako ova opcija nije dostupna američkim građanima.

Ako putujete u dovoljno maloj grupi, također je moguće organizirati šetnju nekim područjima Pjongjanga s nekim putničkim agentima (Koryo).

Razgovor

Rukopisno hangul u oglasu
Vidi također: Korejski rječnik fraza

Službeni jezik je korejski. Sjevernokorejci su prilično izbirljivi u pogledu pozivanja na korejski jezik chosŏn-mal (조선말), nije hangugeo. Jezik se prilično drastično razlikuje od bilo kojeg zapadnog jezika u svojoj gramatici, a izgovoru je prilično teško za govornika engleskog jezika da se uspravi (iako ne i tonski). Ima razna narječja; standardni sjevernokorejski (문화어 munhwaŏ) tobože se temelji na pjonganskom dijalektu koji se govori u Pjongčangu, ali u stvarnosti je još uvijek duboko ukorijenjen u Seul dijalekt koji je bio standard prije cijepanja Koreje.

Razlike između sjeverne i južne Koreje

Unatoč 60 godina razdvajanja, korejski jezik i u Sjevernoj i u Južnoj Koreji u osnovi je isti. Glavne razlike su oko velike količine engleskih imenica koje je Južna Koreja posudila, dok Sjeverna Koreja umjesto njih koristi autohtone ili ruske riječi. Opisi političkih i društvenih struktura također su potpuno različiti kao izravni rezultat različitih ideoloških pravaca obiju zemalja; najznačajniji je primjer da su riječi koje se odnose na vladajuću obitelj Kim uvijek podebljano u Sjevernoj Koreji.

Korejski sustav pisanja varljivo je jednostavan. 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 Engleski (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.

Vidjeti

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 Pekingu) 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, ili Diamond Mountains, where you'll find beautiful vistas, waterfalls, lakes and ancient Buddhist temples.

Čini

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 u 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 vrlo 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.

Kupiti

Novac

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.

Souvenirs

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

Jesti

The Hibachi restaurant in the Haedanghwa Health Complex in Pyongyang
Vidi također: 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.

Piće

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

Spavati

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.

Naučiti

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, in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in north eastern Kina 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.

Ostati siguran

Travel WarningUPOZORENJE: 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.

Poštovanje

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.

Spojiti

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". Vidjeti 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 is a iskoristiv article. It has information about the country and for getting in, as well as links to several destinations. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page .