Tourism in North Korea

Tourism in North Korea is organized by one of several state-owned tourism bureaus, including Korea International Travel Company (KITC), Korean International Sports Travel Company (KISTC) and Korean International Youth Travel Company (KIYTC). Tourism in North Korea is highly controlled by the government, which is one of the reasons it is not a frequently visited destination — between 3,000 to 4,000 Western tourists visit North Korea each year, along with thousands of Asians. Tourists must go on guided tours and must have their tour guides with them at all times. As of June 2011, the northern border to China has been opened and Chinese citizens are free to drive their own vehicles to Luo, a small North Korean northeast border region where they are free to explore, mingle and photograph. This is seen as a first step towards expanded tourism and development in that region. Photography and interaction with local people has historically been tightly controlled, however, from photos seen around the internet and anecdotal evidence from travelers to the DPRK, those restrictions seem to have been relaxed a bit in the past few years. In fact, as of January 2013, foreigners are allowed to buy SIM cards at the Pyongyang airport, giving them access to international calling.

For westerners, there are a handful of private tour operators that help provide access to the country. Well known amongst these operators are Uri Tours (recently in the news for their role in the Dennis Rodman and Eric Schmidt trips to the DPRK), Koryo Tours (known for its DPRK-related films and strong history in the region) and Young Pioneer Tours (traditionally aimed at the budget traveler). Companies like these are full-service shops that will take care of visas, flights, etc. for a single fee.