Despite what the majority of people think, it's possible to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ('DPRK' or 'North Korea') as a tourist, and we have been doing so since 1993. The whole process is surprisingly easy — we can arrange it all for you, including travel, guides, food, accommodation, and even your North Korean visa. Please see here for a list of our group tours to North Korea scheduled throughout the year.

South Korea and US citizens

The only nationalities restricted from travel to North Korea as tourists are citizens of the Republic of Korea (ROK), the United States of America (USA). South Korean citizens must obtain permission from both the ROK and DPRK governments to legally travel to North Korea. Those travelling on American passports are legally allowed to visit by the DPRK, but not by their own government without special permission. See our blog post 'Can Americans travel to North Korea?' for details on the US State Department Travel restrictions for American passport holders.

It should be noted that the US recently updated their ESTA Visa Waiver Program policy. Those who have travelled to the DPRK since 2011 are not permitted to travel to the US on the ESTA Visa Waiver Program, but instead, they must get a full US visa. Read more about this here.

Malasia

In 2017 Malaysians were not permitted to visit North Korea, but this ban was lifted in 2018. If you are Malaysian and travelling to the DPRK you should inform your government.

Photographers & Journalists

The North Korean government places restrictions on professional photographers and journalists travelling on tourists visas without prior permission. Please note that conducting journalism in North Korea without prior permission is illegal.

Active military personnel from most countries can travel to North Korea, but may require obtaining permission from their senior commanding officer and/or human resources department.

Here are a list of occupations that you might not think can travel to North Korea, but actually can: police officers, diplomats using diplomatic passports, international NGO workers, and former military personnel.

If you have any questions about eligibility to travel to North Korea, please feel free to contact us directly.

Updated 09 August 2019