Since February, North Korea has welcomed tourists, starting with Russian nationals. This comes as a surprise as North Korea has reopened tourism post-COVID-19. Citizens of all countries, excluding the U.S. and South Korea, can visit North Korea. However, strict regulations apply to tourists in North Korea. Even a slight deviation from these regulations could lead to detention, imprisonment, or even the death penalty.
One of the dangerous behaviors in North Korea is expressing one’s political views. Anyone raising objections to the regime or system can be immediately sent to a forced labor camp for ideological education or even publicly executed. This applies to tourists visiting North Korea as well.
You can be detained or arrested in North Korea for criticizing the North Korean system. As the number of foreigners arrested in North Korea increases, governments around the world have issued travel guidelines for North Korea for the safety of their citizens. These guidelines emphasize that you should not criticize North Korea’s supreme leaders. They warned to stay clear of insulting North Korean leaders like Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un, as severe punishment follows.
The most important thing is to be careful not to insult the dignity of North Korean leaders with words or actions. You should not damage publications such as books, magazines, newspapers, or banknotes that contain their images.
When taking pictures of places where portraits or photos of the Kim family are hung, you must ensure that the images are not cut off. The principle is to include everyone in the photo.
If you behave disrespectfully in front of a statue, you could end up in jail. It would be best not to damage propaganda posters or slogans on buildings or streets. Drinking is also prohibited on the memorial days of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. In North Korea, anyone drinking or laughing these days can be punished for not showing respect and courtesy to the supreme leaders.
North Korea’s constitution and laws explicitly state that freedom of religion is guaranteed. However, in reality, they suppress individual religious beliefs. According to testimonies of defectors, possessing religious texts itself is illegal, and if caught, you could be punished or even executed. Also, religious proselytizing activities are considered a threat to regime stability and anti-republic hostile acts.
There have been foreigners who were punished for religious activities in North Korea. In 2014, American Jeffrey Fowle was arrested on suspicion of leaving a Bible in a nightclub while traveling in Chongjin, Hamgyong Province. He was released after five months of detention.
During a trip to North Korea, tourists cannot travel freely. Tourists must travel in groups to approved destinations with a guide. You can’t even take pictures at will. You can only take photos at designated places with the guide’s permission. Moreover, it is completely forbidden to photograph soldiers, workers, or construction sites.
You are also not allowed to take pictures showing the impoverished state of North Korea, like empty store shelves. If you take photos without permission for any reason, you could be fined or arrested according to North Korean law.
During a trip to North Korea, customs thoroughly inspect USB flash drives, laptops, computers, and other devices. Suppose these electronic devices contain content criticizing the North Korean regime or its leaders. In that case, it is considered a criminal act punishable by long-term re-education through labor and heavy fines.
Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American, was sentenced to 15 years of re-education through labor after unintentionally bringing a computer hard drive into North Korea and getting caught. There’s also a risk of confiscation if the contents are deemed obscene.
You should not carry books or documents written in Korean, particularly during a trip to North Korea. Additionally, you must be careful when bringing items like mobile phones.
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