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THE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A PARTICULAR CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN ATTORNEYS. THIS CIRCULAR SEEKS ONLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION; IT IS NOT AN OPINION ON ANY ASPECT OF U.S., FOREIGN, OR INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOES NOT INTEND BY THE CONTENTS OF THIS CIRCULAR TO TAKE A POSITION ON ANY ASPECT OF ANY PENDING LITIGATION.

The United States and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) do not have any treaty relationships that provide for judicial assistance. 

The DPRK is not party to either the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra-Judicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters, or the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters. Moreover, the United States does not maintain diplomatic relations with the DPRK and does not have U.S. representatives there.  Therefore, the U.S. Government cannot provide normal consular services in the DPRK, including the transmission of judicial documents via diplomatic channels.  Nor does the United States have in place a protecting power or other arrangement that would permit another sovereign to transmit letters rogatory requesting service of process or the taking of evidence, or to effect service of process upon the government of the DPRK on behalf of U.S. litigants as provided for in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.