North Korea – The Hermit Kingdom

Notes

Essentials

Visas
Most nationals including UK, EU and US visitors require a visa for entry to both North Korea and China. You will need to obtain your own Chinese visa, but we will obtain the North Korean visa for you. Please note that you will need to obtain a double entry Chinese visa. We recommend that you check with your nearest embassy for the most up to date details.

Airport Tax
There are no departure taxes when leaving China by air.

Health and Immunisations
As with travel to most parts of Asia, we strongly recommend that you contact your doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice and the necessary vaccinations. For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Meningitis. The use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended.

Insurance

• What should my travel insurance policy cover?
• medical and health cover for an injury or sudden illness abroad
• 24 hour emergency service and assistance
• personal liability cover in case you’re sued for causing injury or damaging property
• lost and stolen possessions cover
• cancellation and curtailment (cutting short your trip) cover
• Extra cover for activities that are commonly excluded from standard policies, such as certain sports

The policy should cover the whole time that you are away.

Your policy may also have:

• personal accident cover
• personal accident cover

Common travel insurance policy exclusions

Always check the conditions and exclusions of your policy:

• most policies will not cover drink or drug-related incidents

You must take reasonable care of your possessions or your policy will not cover you.

Practical information

Local Currency
The currency in North Korea is the won. However, tourists are largely restricted to using the Euro, and this is what you should bring to North Korea. It will therefore not be necessary to exchange any further currency on tour. For current exchange rates visit www.xe.com.

Credit cards and travellers cheques
We do not recommend relying on either of these – although it is theoretically possible to use credit cards in better hotels and restaurants, and exchange traveller’s cheques, it is so problematic to do so that we simply advise that you bring sufficient Euros for your whole stay.

Best time to go
Generally speaking, the best time to go to North Korea is from March to June, and September to October. In the winter it can be very cold, with temperatures dropping several degrees below freezing, while in the summer months of July and August North Korea experiences its monsoon with large amounts of rain.

Main Language
The main language is Korean. The North Korean dialect varies slightly from that spoken in South Korea.

Main Religion
Officially there are very few religious adherents in North Korea. Historically North Korea has been home to followers of Christianity, Buddhism, shamanism and Confucianism.

Food and drink
Typical North Korean food consists of noodles, pickled cabbage, rice and meat. Barbecued meat is quite popular and often barbecued at your table. Potatoes and eggs feature fairly widely in North Korean cuisine cropping up in all manner of dishes from soups to stews.

North Korea has some drinkable local beer, as well as exported brands, but for a typical drink try rice wine.

If you have any special dietary requirements you must notify us at the time of booking. While we will make every effort to cater for you, we cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

All meals are included in North Korea, so you won’t be spending money on food. A bottle of beer will cost you around $2-3.

Transport
Our tour in North Korea will either use private cars or private buses.

This tour also may use Air Koryo to fly into Pyongyang. You should be aware that North Korean airlines do not always operate to European standards, and that Air Koryo has been prohibited from operating in the EU.

On returning to China we use the sleeper train, and you will be accommodated in ‘soft sleeper’ class. Carriages are partitioned into cabins, each with four berths, with a corridor running along the side of the carriage. Cabins have luggage storage area, a small table and reading lamps. A wash basin and toilets are located at the end of each carriage. These are usually Chinese style (i.e. ‘squat’) toilets though more and more trains feature at least one western toilet. Generally a pillow, blanket and sheets are provided. We suggest that you consider bringing a cotton sleeping sheet but most manage without. Meals are served on the train.

Local conditions
Travelling in the destinations that we visit requires a good deal of understanding that often standards simply won’t be as they are at home. While we aim to make your trip as comfortable as possible, please be aware that we are often visiting remote or less developed regions that may have little infrastructure. While we aim to make your trip run as smoothly as possible there may be times when we need to ask for your patience while we rectify any problems.

What to take with you

First Aid Kit
The first thing on your list should be a first aid kit. Whilst there is no undue cause for alarm, travellers are best advised to travel well-prepared: adequately immunized, with sufficient supplies of prescription drugs, along with a medical kit.

Clothing
When it comes to clothing it is usually recommended that lighter clothes are worn through the day, and warmer ones at night. A hat is also advised to be worn through the day to protect from the sun, along with at least one piece of waterproof clothing for any days that the weather may be wet or windy.

Footwear
Footwear is a main priority on this tour. Comfortable walking shoes/boots are recommended.

Luggage
Your luggage should not exceed 20kgs (44lbs). One large suitcase/rucksack, and one small hand luggage rucksack is acceptable.

Other
Suncream/sunblock is a must – please ensure you bring enough as it may not be available locally. Insect repellent, including a bite spray will also be useful to have.

Please note that foreign mobile phones are not allowed into North Korea and will be confiscated upon arrival. These will be handed back to you upon departure.

Fitness
This tour does not require any special degree of fitness but you will find it more enjoyable if you are reasonably fit.

Cultural and environmental guidelines
Travelling in North Korea is a unique experience, and one which is subject to certain ‘rules’. Please follow the instructions and advice of your guide at all times – whether that is for taking photos, or how to behave in certain situations. Most importantly you should not in any way insult or be disrespectful towards Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong Il – to do so would be extremely rude and will cause enormous offence. Whatever your feelings for the leaders or for North Korea’s political system, you should not criticise either – this will not only cause offence and sour relations with your guide, but could also have serious repercussions for them once you are gone.

It is generally not possible to wander around alone in North Korea, and you must be accompanied by a guide at all times.

For those used to independent travel this may prove frustrating but is simply part of travel in North Korea – accept it and you are likely to have a far better time.

You will be expected to pay your respects at statues or monuments of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il – again, not to do so will cause offence and can have repercussions for your guide.

Please make sure that you take any rubbish back to the hotels with you where it can be properly disposed of – this includes cigarette butts as well.

Please do not buy any products made from endangered species – this is not sustainable and hastens the species’ decline.

Photography
You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no. In addition to this you should seek advice from your guide as to whether it is acceptable to take photographs – if they say no, please respect this.

Please note that digital cameras will be checked for content at customs prior to leaving North Korea.

Tipping
Tipping is not expected in North Korea.

Foreign Office Advice
We constantly monitor the advice posted by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In particular we will always advise clients of any travel warnings. At present there are no warnings against travel to North Korea. Please feel free to contact us should you have any specific concerns or would like to know in detail what measures are being taken to ensure visits remain trouble free and without incident.

It should be noted that this information applies to British citizens. Other nationals are asked to check the current position of their respective government.

Further Information

Public Holidays in North Korea:

1 Jan  New Year's Day
16 Feb Kim Jong Il’s Birthday
15 Apr Kim Il Sung’s Birthday
25 April Army Day
1 May May Day
27 Jul Victory Day
15 Aug  Independence from Japan Day
9 Sept Republic Foundation Day 
10 Oct Korean Workers’ Party Foundation Day
27 Dec Constitution Day

Dates are for guidance only and may vary year to year

Electrical Supply
Generally electrical supply is 220V and plugs have two round prongs.

Recommended Reading

North Korea – The Bradt Guide
Robert Willoughby

Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea
Michael Harrold

The Reluctant Communist
CR Jenkins

Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty
Bradley Martin

Please note that with the exception of the Bradt Guide, we do not recommend that you bring these books into North Korea.

IMPORTANT NOTES – PLEASE READ

Please note that the information provided is correct at the time of writing but may change. It is intended as a guide only. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health visit www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk or contact your local healthcare provider.

In addition we strongly advise you to check the information and any travel advice provided by your government. For British citizens you should visit the Foreign Office website www.fco.gov.uk.

Furthermore, you should be aware that any travel warnings or advisories may affect the validity of your travel insurance. Therefore, at the time of booking your tour it is essential you check any restrictions on cover with your insurance provider.

Issue Date – 30/07/09

For possible changes to this dossier please visit www.undiscovered-destinations.com or call +44 (0)191 296 2674

Historical background

The self styled hermit state of North Korea is simply one of the most unusual places in the world, a country so vastly different from anything that one has experienced before that it regularly rates as visitors’ most interesting destination. Regularly portrayed as a political bogeyman in the western media, almost everyone arrives with a set of preconceptions about the country, but while some of these may be confirmed, others are frequently shattered. Travelling here is difficult, and you can forget about being able to go off and explore on your own, but those willing to accept curtailed freedoms will come away with a fascinating insight into one of the most secretive and intriguing countries in the modern world. Bizarre and often surreal at times, North Korea can be bewildering. But it is also utterly fascinating, a glimpse of a society the likes of which exists nowhere else in the world. Forget politics for a moment – to travel here is to rediscover the essence of travel itself, the experience of the alien and unfamiliar. While many places claim to be unique, this is one country where the hype is real. Miss it at your peril.

It is not possible to tell the history of North Korea without referring to the whole peninsula. The earliest records of the people of Korea tell us that in the 4th century BC, Korea was the territory of five different tribes, one of which, the Choson, became the most powerful and initiated trade with neighbouring China. By the second century BC, Chinese forces had invaded Korea to exact tribute from the Choson and subjugate the other tribes – in this they were successful, and quickly absorbed Korea into their empire. Korea sat uneasily with its new rulers however, and resistance was common. Unifying under one ruler, the Koguryo people of the north came to pose a threat to Chinese rule, and in the 3rd century AD, together with newly unified Silla and Paekche kingdoms of the south, absorbed China’s military and administrative bases, quashing their role on the peninsula.

This was the time of the Three Kingdoms, the states of Silla, Paekche and Koguryo. The kingdoms were largely aggressive and expansionist, conquering new territory and absorbing lesser tribes into their midst. From its capital at Pyongyang, larger Koguryo struck out into Manchuria and Inner Mongolia, making inroads into Chinese territory and bringing Chinese influences including Buddhism to the peninsula. The three kingdoms fought often against each other, making and breaking alliances depending on the prevailing political wind of the day. In the 7th century however Tang China was able to turn its attention back to the peninsula and attacked Koguryo. Seizing its chance, Silla made common cause with the Tang, defeating Koguryo and Paekche, and was promptly conquered itself, forcing a new alliance between all three powers to oust the Chinese, which they did ten or so years later.

From this Silla emerged as a dominant force, with Koguryo merging with other tribes to form the state of Palhae, based in the north and predominantly in modern day China and Russia. The Silla established their dominance on the peninsula, although influenced by China through trade. A capital was built at Kjongju which grew to hold more than a million inhabitants, and the arts and education flourished. However by the end of the 8th century Silla fell into a pattern of coups, revolts and political assassinations which lasted until the 10th century, weakening the state considerably and leading to a general state of lawlessness and chaos. Out of this rose the kingdom of Koryo, formed from the ashes of Koguryo, which took Silla’s place as the dominant force in the region. To prevent invasion from China, a wall was constructed along the northern border, largely successful at keeping out marauding forces until the arrival of the Mongols in the 13th century. Having taken China, the Mongols launched campaigns against Koryo and overwhelmed local forces, prompting the eventual signing of a treaty between the royal court and the Mongol Yuan dynasty which reduced Koryo to little more than a vassal state.

As with all empires, the Mongol Yuan dynasty weakened. Its hold on Korea was threatened by Japanese pirates attacking its coastline, but more importantly the Chinese Ming dynasty was fighting against its dominance of the region and forcing the Mongols to concentrate their resources elsewhere. In 1392 the pro-Mongol Koryo court was ousted, relations with the Ming were established, and the capital was moved to Hanyang, renamed Seoul. During this time Confucianism was adopted as the state religion, resulting in a loss of power, influence and prestige for the Buddhist monasteries. Tribute was paid to China, and Korea consolidated its regional position by seeing off the threat from pirates, strengthening its borders, and fortifying the capital. Korea entered into a period of prosperity, with good trading links with both Ming China and Japan.

The late 16th century saw Japan rise further as a power within the region, its eyes set on imperial expansion and in particular the riches of China. Seeing the Korean peninsula as an easy access point into China, they first requested Korean assistance, and when that was not forthcoming invaded in 1592. The capital was easily taken and both Korean and Ming forces repelled, but Korean naval supremacy meant that Japan was forced to make peace. This did not last long however – five years later Japan invaded again, with less success. Both in the interwar years and beyond, peaceful trade with Japan continued. In the early years of the 17th century the Ming dynasty of China was being threatened by Manchus from the north east, who pushed the Ming from the area and demanded tribute from Korea – upon refusal, Korea was invaded in 1627 and 1637, eventually to capitulate and meet the terms that the Manchu demanded.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw increasing western involvement in the region, driven by a desire to trade and to spread the word of Christianity. Korea pursued a largely isolationist policy, wary of allowing European influence to permeate the region, although Catholic priests managed to infiltrate the country and begin converting large numbers of Koreans. In a response to what was seen as the undermining of traditional values, nine French priests were executed in 1866, prompting the French to invade Kanghwa Island, only to be pushed back by Korean forces. Korea also clashed with American forces a few years later, after an attempt at trading had gone disastrously wrong and ended in the deaths of both Korean local inhabitants and American sailors.

In the late 19th century pressure from Japan on trading rights turned into conflict, both against Japan and inside the country, as the royal court fought amongst itself over the determination of Korea’s future. China, now ruled by the Manchu Qing dynasty, stepped in to ‘protect’ Korea and once more reasserting its power over its much smaller neighbor. Korea also faced threats from Russia and its ever expanding Siberian empire, now pushing up against their frontiers. A combination of these pressures and a desire to become more than a vassal state of China led to the opening up of Korea’s relations with the world, as trade agreements were made regional and global powers.

The last decades of the 19th century saw power in Korea shift back and forth between a number of competing factions. Japan invaded and pushed out the Qing in 1894, European powers such as France, Russia and Germany demanded trade concessions, and Russia increased its influence in the region, only to be checked by its decisive defeat in the 1904 war with Japan. After a maelstrom of political manoeuvring in which the desire of Korea to be an independent country was barely given a thought, Japan effectively annexed the peninsula in 1910, ostensibly to ‘protect’ it from further foreign intervention. Occupation by Japan was met with continued resistance, but Korean guerrillas were sadly no match for Japanese forces who dealt with any uprisings brutally. Japan was now the pre-eminent power in the region, having pushed the Qing out and prevented any further Russian designs on Korea. It set about establishing total dominance, banning political freedoms and modernizing the country to serve its own trade needs. Koreans were prevented from getting the best jobs and education, had their land confiscated and were forced to work in factories producing goods for Japan’s colonial ambitions on the rest on the region. Following the First World War independence movements began to gather pace, with guerrillas carrying out attacks on Japanese troops and clandestine political parties emerging.

Japan’s occupation of Korea was to end with the Second World War and its comprehensive defeat by Allied forces. The US and the Soviet Union agreed to split the peninsula between them in a trustee arrangement while the country was being rebuilt, each with their own aims and directly opposed to each other. While the USSR set about strengthening communist influence, the US attempted to eradicate it, with the result that many from each side fled across the unofficial border. The USSR installed Kim Il Sung as leader and through the North Korea Worker’s Party set about nationalising industry and introducing radical social reforms such as land distribution. The two Korea’s began to drift further apart. The US pushed for elections in the south, and proclaimed that this was the legitimate government of Korea, a claim that was recognized by western powers. The Soviets did the same, claiming that Kim Il Sung was the legitimate leader. It was simply a matter of time before events came to a head.

North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel, the line dividing north from south in June 1950, and quickly pushed south to Seoul. Under UN command but principally consisting of US troops, an international force entered Korea to push North Korean forces back across the border, taking Pyongyang and other northern regions. Fearful of a non-communist state on its border, China entered the fray. A drawn out and bloody war resulted in an effective stalemate, with an armistice agreement signed between the US, China and North Korea ended the hostilities although crucially did not formally end the war. All in all, around five million lives were lost during this Cold War showdown, three million of them Korean.

Since the Korean War, relations between North and South Korea have been frosty at best and downright hostile at other times, and unification of the peninsula looks increasingly unlikely. Under Kim Il Sung North Korea developed into a Stalinist style state, where purges of those considered to harbour suspect sympathies have been imprisoned or executed, especially those with links with the outside world. North Korea sees South Korea as a puppet state of the US, while the south cannot accept the authoritarian communist rule of the Pyongyang government. The last fifty years have been characterised by mutual distrust and several incidents – the capture of a US ship by North Korea and the attempted assassination of the South Korean president are the more notable events, although there are several others which serve to increase the gap between the two Korea’s. There have been a number of talks concerning reunification, but none seem to reach much of a conclusion. While South Korea has become an economic powerhouse, North Korea has taken a very different route. No longer receiving Soviet and Chinese aid, North Korea, never the most open of nations is today more isolated than ever and has developed a society that is utterly unique. The death of Kim Il Sung in 1994 saw his son, Kim Jong Il, assume the helm and steer the country further through the waters of its own brand of Communism. Relations with the outside world are often dominated by the country’s nuclear capacity – much pressure, in many different ways, has been put on North Korea to relinquish their weapons but as of yet this remains a seemingly distant goal, provoking ire from nations such as the United States.

There is no other place in the world that even compares to North Korea. It is a nation dominated by its recent history, the legacy of which you see all around when walking through Pyongyang, and even more so at the macabre yet fascinating site of the DMZ, the most heavily fortified border in the world and witness to events which have heavily influenced the wider world. It can be difficult to break through the surface of North Korea, but every now and again you see a chink in the armour – whether that be a smile from a friendly local or a snippet of information that shatters your preconceptions and makes you re-evaluate everything you thought you knew about this isolated hermit state. For certain, North Korea is not for everyone. But for those who are interested in delving into one of the world’s most secretive countries, and unwrapping mysteries that can seldom be found elsewhere, it might just prove to be one of the most enthralling trips you ever make.