I am planning a trip to North Korea in the coming month, both as a holiday and for business. For those of you who travel a lot, I was wondering anybody been to the country who can offer some advices? I heard that tourists can get arrested if you wonder off with out your 'guide'? Is that true? I heard that movement outside of assigned areas are strictly prohibited. Any other activities or actions which are forbidden and could get me into trouble? How much money should I prepare for 2 people for maybe around 2 weeks for stay in North Korea? Thanks in Advance
You are not seriously going, are you : \ www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBywKrTf4 It's a about a Nat Geo reporter travelling to N.Korea with a team of doctors, may pick up a thing or two in there.
Vice (VBS.tv) did a segment on traveling to NK a while back. Three part video series. <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?video_pcode=JqcWY6ikg5nwtXilzVurvI-vU6Ik&height=360&embedCode=FtZjZyMjqOntywjQPKZBGeLNHAssBC9P&deepLinkEmbedCode=FtZjZyMjqOntywjQPKZBGeLNHAssBC9P&width=640"></script>
Does this sound like a holiday/vacation spot to you? About a day or two. You will either be on TV, on a plane back, or dead by then.
I've lived in South Korea. Went to the DMZ between the two countries. Never actually went to North Korea. Apparently, you do get tailed and there are only designated areas you can go to. You aren't allowed to leave your guide at any times. All foreigners are put in the same location so you can't really mingle with the local population.
I have been to North Korea. I visited the "special tourist zone" in the Kumgang-San Mountains. The hiking there was absolutely incredible -- very beautiful. Aside from hiking, visitors were limited to the compound grounds, so individual guides were not needed, but you were not allowed to walk over the painted lines indicating restricted areas. Actually, I'm not sure, but I think the Kumgang tourist zone might be closed now ever since a South Korean woman got shot for passing into a restricted zone. Being bussed across the North Korean countryside was very surreal. Barren, rolling grass hills as far as the eye can see, with lone soldiers spaced out intermittently into the distance. Going through North Korean "customs" -- basically an outdoor tent with a security scanning checkpoint (like at an airport) was a pretty tense experience. My girlfriend and I were the only non-Koreans in the group. Overall, it was one of the standout experiences of my life, and I would not change it for anything.
Try proclaiming "AMURCA NUMBER ONE" and asking the soldiers around you why `they dont embrace democracy` and explain why they should.