Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Country Specific Information
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December 02, 2011

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea or the DPRK) is a highly militaristic Communist state located on the Korean Peninsula between northeast China and the Republic of Korea (South Korea or the ROK), with land borders with China, Russia and South Korea. Currently the border between North and South Korea is closed. The United States does not maintain diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea. The Swedish Embassy located in Pyongyang acts as the United States’ interim protecting power and provides basic consular services to U.S. citizens traveling in North Korea. For additional information, please refer to the section on “Special Circumstances” below. Also read the Department of State Background Notes on North Korea.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: There is no U.S. embassy or consulate in North Korea. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against entering North Korea (see Travel Warning ), without first having received explicit official permission and an entry visa from the government of North Korea. If you have received official permission and are going to visit North Korea by transiting China, please take the time to tell the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, about your trip. Please also notify the Embassy of Sweden, U.S. Protecting Power, in Pyongyang. If you check in, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. Here is the link to the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

The Embassy of Sweden (U.S. Protecting Power):

Swedish Embassy (U.S. Protecting Power)
Munsu-Dong District
Pyongyang, DPRK
Telephone: (850-2) 3817 485 (reception)
Telephone: (850-2) 3817 904, (850-2) 3817 907 (First Secretary)
Telephone: (850-2) 3817 908, (850-2) 3817 905 (Ambassador)
Facsimile: (850-2) 3817 663
Email: ambassaden.pyongyang@foreign.ministry.se

U.S. Embassy Beijing: The Embassy is located near the Ladies' Street (Nuren Jie) and Laitai Flower Market, opposite the Kempinski Hotel and Lufthansa shopping Center.

U.S. Embassy Beijing
American Citizens Services Unit
No. 55 An Jia Lou Road
Chaoyang District
Beijing, China 100600
Telephone: (86-10) 8531-4000
Facsimile: (86-10) 8531-3300
Email: amcitbeijing@state.gov
Emergency after-hours telephone: (86-10) 8531-4000

U.S. Embassy Seoul: The Embassy is located across the street from Sejong Cultural Center and next to the Ministry of Information and Communication/KT Building.

U. S. Embassy Seoul
American Citizen Services Unit
32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Telephone: (82-2) 397-4114
Facsimile: (82-2) 2-397-4101
E-mail: seoulinfo@state.gov
Emergency after-hours telephone: (82-2) 721-4114.

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ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea without proper documentation have been subject to arrest and long-term detention. You are required to have a valid passport and a valid North Korean visa to enter the DPRK. The U.S. government does not issue letters to private U.S. citizens seeking North Korean visas. If you are entering and departing North Korea through China, you must also obtain a multiple-entry visa for China, because a valid Chinese visa is required to leave North Korea at the conclusion of your visit. Routine travel from South Korea to North Korea is currently prohibited. Travel across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) is allowed only infrequently for official and government-authorized cultural and economic exchanges or aid shipments. There are no regularly operating direct commercial flights between South and North Korea.

If you arrive in North Korea without a valid passport and a valid North Korean visa, you may be detained, arrested, imprisoned, fined, or denied entry. The government of North Korea imposes heavy fines and long prison sentences with hard labor on persons who enter the country without the proper documentation. Even with the proper documentation, visitors are subject to arbitrary arrest and imprisonment and may not receive appropriate legal protection against inhumane treatment. North Korea's penalties for knowingly or unknowingly violating North Korean laws are much harsher than are those in the United States for similar offenses.

Where to Obtain a North Korean Visa: There is no North Korean embassy in the United States. U.S. citizens and residents planning travel to North Korea may obtain DPRK visas only at the DPRK Embassy in Beijing, China, which will issue visas upon authorization from the DPRK Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang.

Before departing for China, you may wish to confirm that the Embassy of the DPRK in Beijing has received authorization from Pyongyang to issue you a visa.

The Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Beijing
No. 11, Ritan Bei Lu,
Jianguomen Wai,
Chaoyang District
Beijing, China 100600
Telephone: (86-10) 6532-6639 (Visa Office)
Telephone: (86-10) 65312-1186
Facsimile: (86-10) 6532-6056

If you wish to ask the DPRK whether your application for a visa would be approved, you can address your inquiry to the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York.

The Permanent Representative of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations
820 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 972-3105
Facsimile: (212) 972-3154

If you are living abroad in a country with a DPRK embassy, you can ask there whether you would be issued a visa.

HIV/AIDS restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of North Korea.

Information on dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet. Please see those sections below under “Special Circumstances.”

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: Please see the sections on “Special Circumstances” and “Criminal Penalties.”Stay up to date by:

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CRIME: The North Korean government does not release statistics on crime. Violent crime is rare, and street crime is uncommon in Pyongyang. Petty thefts have been reported, especially at the airport in Pyongyang.

Don't buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but you may also be breaking local law.

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: Please report the loss or theft of your passport immediately to your local host/liaison who handles contacts with authorities in case of a crime and telephone the Swedish Embassy. If you or someone you know becomes the victim of any crime while in North Korea, you should report the crime to your local host/liaison and contact the Embassy of Sweden for assistance.

See our information on Victims of Crime.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign visitors to North Korea may be arrested, detained, or expelled for activities that would not be considered criminal outside the DPRK, including involvement in unsanctioned religious and political activities, engaging in unauthorized travel, or interaction with the local population.

If you do something illegal in North Korea, your U.S. passport won't help, and protections guaranteed under the U.S. legal system won’t apply. It's very important to know what's legal and what's not in North Korea.

If you travel unescorted inside North Korea without explicit official authorization, North Korean security personnel may view your actions as espionage. Security personnel may also view any unauthorized attempt you make to talk to a North Korean citizen as espionage. North Korean authorities may fine or arrest you for unauthorized currency transactions, for taking unauthorized photographs, or for shopping at stores not designated for foreigners. It is a criminal act in North Korea to show disrespect to the country's current and former leaders, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung. North Korean authorities have threatened foreign journalists who questioned the policies or public statements of the DPRK or the actions of the current leadership.

North Korean government security personnel closely monitor the activities and conversations of foreigners in North Korea. Hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. Do not take pictures unless you are told you can. North Korean government authorities may view taking unauthorized pictures as espionage, confiscate cameras and film and/or detain the photographer. DPRK border officials routinely confiscate visitors’ cell phones upon arrival, returning the phone only upon departure. Persons violating the laws of North Korea, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Engaging in sexual conduct with minors or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see additional information on Criminal Penalties.

Arrest Notification: Please see “Consular Access” below under “Special Circumstances.”

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: North Korea is one of the world’s most isolated countries. The continuing dispute over North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons programs has resulted in tensions in the region and between the United States and the DPRK. North Korea limits trade and transportation links with other countries and tightly restricts the circumstances under which foreigners may enter the country and interact with local citizens. Telephone, facsimile, and Internet access are unavailable in many areas of the country, and foreigners can expect their communications to be monitored by North Korea officials. In the past few years, North Korea has experienced famine, flooding, fuel and electricity shortages, and outbreaks of disease. In November 2009, North Korea initiated a currency revaluation and placed restrictions on the use of foreign exchange. The result has been rampant inflation and serious disruption to the distribution of core goods, including food, throughout the country. Many countries, including the United States, have contributed to international relief efforts to assist the people of North Korea.

Tourism: Foreign tourists are a means for North Korea to earn much needed foreign currency, but an underdeveloped service sector, inadequate infrastructure, and political tensions with surrounding countries have stymied any significant tourist flow. North Korean efforts to expand tourism have focused primarily on group tours from China. The South Korean government suspended tours originating from South Korea to the Mount Kumgang tourist area after a North Korean soldier shot and killed a South Korean tourist near Mount Kumgang in July 2008. North Korean authorities suspended tours to the city of Kaesong in December 2008. In four separate incidents between 2009 and 2010 North Korea arrested five U.S. citizens. Four were arrested for crossing into North Korea without proper documentation, and a fifth was arrested inside North Korea on unspecified charges even though he had a valid DPRK visa in his U.S. passport.

Consular Access:The United States does not maintain diplomatic or consular relations with the DPRK. The U.S. government therefore cannot provide normal consular protective services to U.S. citizens in North Korea. On September 20, 1995, the U. S. government signed a consular protecting power agreement with the Swedish government. This agreement allows the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang to provide basic consular protective services to U.S. citizens traveling in North Korea who are ill, injured, arrested or who have died while there.

If you require emergency services, you should inform your North Korean escorts and then inform the Swedish Embassy. Please see the section above on "Information for Victims of Crime." You are encouraged to carry photocopies of your passport data and photo pages with you at all times so that you have evidence of your U.S. citizenship readily available. The U.S.-DPRK Interim Consular Agreement provides that North Korea will notify the Swedish Embassy within four days of an arrest or detention of a U.S. citizen and will allow consular visits within two days after a request is made by the Swedish Embassy. However, consular access has not been readily granted – and sometimes not granted at all - in recent cases when U.S. citizens have been detained.

Customs Regulations: North Korean authorities may seize documents, literature, audio and videotapes, computer equipment, compact discs, and letters deemed by North Korean officials to be intended for religious proselytizing or subversive activities. If you carry large quantities of religious materials into North Korea, you can be detained, fined, and expelled. It is advisable to contact the DPRK Mission to the United Nations or a DPRK embassy or a DPRK consulate in a third country for specific information regarding customs requirements. Please see our information on customs regulations.

Dual Nationality: North Korea does not recognize dual nationality. If you are of Korean heritage – even if you are a U.S. citizen, you may be subject to military obligations and taxes on foreign source income. See our dual nationality flyer. Additional questions on dual nationality may be directed to Overseas Citizens Services, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520 or by telephone at 1-888-407-4747.

U.S. Government Economic Sanctions Against North Korea: At this time, goods of North Korean origin may not be imported into the United States either directly or indirectly without prior notification to and approval of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Most exports to North Korea are subject to licensing by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security. U.S. travel service providers are allowed to organize group travel to North Korea. Commercial U.S. ships and aircraft carrying U.S. goods are allowed to call at North Korean ports with prior clearance. In May 2006, OFAC began prohibiting U.S. persons from “owning, leasing, operating, or insuring any vessel flagged by North Korea.” Full text of the regulation can be found in the Federal Register at http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/fr/2000/061900-a.txt.

The United States maintains various additional sanctions on North Korea due to its human rights record, nuclear weapons programs, weapons proliferation activities, and other reasons. Exports of military and sensitive dual-use items are prohibited, as are most types of U.S. economic assistance. The United States also abides by multilateral restrictions and sanctions with respect to North Korea, including those contained in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 adopted in response to the North Korean nuclear testing and missile launches.

For additional information, see the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) website and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security home page.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: If you have medical problems, you should not travel to North Korea. For decades, medical facilities in the DPRK have suffered from a lack of resources and electricity, as well as medical personnel with inadequate and often outdated skills. Hospitals in Pyongyang can perform basic examinations and lifesaving measures but functioning x-ray facilities are not generally available. If possible, avoid surgery. If you have an accident outside Pyongyang, transport back to the capital can be lengthy and without medical assistance. According to DPRK Customs, most prescription medication can be brought into the country with no restrictions. If you require regular medication, you should bring a sufficient amount for your personal use along with the doctor’s prescription since most drugs are unavailable locally. Hospitals will expect immediate U.S. dollar cash payment for medical treatment. You cannot use credit cards or checks in the DPRK. Local DPRK hosts are often not aware of options available for medical evacuations and might claim that no such options exist. It is important to insist on immediate contact with the Swedish Embassy if you have serious medical problems.

The United States does not currently have any information about tuberculosis in North Korea.

Medical Evacuations: In the case of a critical illness or accident, the Swedish Embassy will attempt to arrange flight clearances for air ambulances performing emergency medical evacuations. Costs for medical air evacuation vary, but according to SOS International, an evacuation from Pyongyang to Beijing averages approximately USD 40,000 including medical personnel (1 doctor and 1 nurse), the aircraft, and clearance costs. The General Bureau of the Koryo Civil Aviation of the DPRK says that it provides round-the-clock service and that requests for air clearance will be granted within 24 hours. If a U.S. citizen with a medical emergency is in Pyongyang, the Swedish Embassy can usually arrange a medical evacuation to Beijing in one day. If the patient is located outside Pyongyang, it will take longer. Medical evacuation by regularly scheduled airlines can be arranged, but very few flights operate from Pyongyang to Beijing (Air Koryo and Air China), Shenyang (Air Koryo), Shanghai (Air Koryo), and Vladivostok (Air Koryo). In order to transit China, Chinese visas for injured foreigners and any escorts must be obtained prior to the evacuation from North Korea. Even in the case of a medical emergency, transit visas may take several days to arrange. Evacuation across the DMZ to South Korea is not allowed.

Vaccinations: You should get all necessary vaccinations prior to traveling to North Korea. You can find information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC Internet site. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website. If you have special dietary requirements, you are advised to bring food with you to North Korea, as the restaurants available to foreigners have limited menus that lack variety and nutritional adequacy.

Companies that may be able to arrange evacuation services include, but are not limited to, those listed below. You may wish to contact these or other emergency medical assistance providers for information about their ability to provide medical evacuation insurance and/or assistance for travelers to North Korea.

International SOS (www.internationalsos.com/en/)
Telephone: (U.S.) (1-800) 468-5232
Telephone: (China) (86-10) 6462-9100, 6462-9112

Medex Assistance Corporation (www.medexassist.com)
Telephone: (U.S.) (410) 453-6300 / 6301
Telephone: (Toll free within China) 10-8888-800-527-0218
Telephone: (China) (86-10) 6595-8510)

Global Doctor
Telephone: (China) (86-10) 8315-1914.
Telephone: (Shenyang, Liaoning Province) (86-24) 24330678

You can find useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, on the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Also, see our extensive tips and advice on Traveling Safely Abroad.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can't assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It's very important to find out BEFORE you leave. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I'm in North Korea? In China?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or an evacuation from North Korea? From China?

If your policy doesn't go with you when you travel, it's a very good idea to take out one for your overseas trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: Road conditions and driving habits in a foreign country can differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning North Korea is provided for general reference only. You are not allowed to drive in North Korea unless you hold a valid DPRK driver’s license. Bicycles are unavailable for rental or purchase. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

Foreigners are not allowed to use public buses or the subway. North Korea has a functioning rail transport system; however, delays occur often, sometimes for days. On occasion, service may cease altogether before a traveler has reached his/her final destination.

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service between the United States and North Korea, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed North Korea’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s Internet website.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children's Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international child abduction.

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This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated February 23, 2011, to update the sections for Entry/Exit Requirements for U.S. Citizens and Special Circumstances.

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