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North Korea: The Perfect Summer Holiday Destination?
The phrase "Let's try somewhere new this year" is one that has passed many a Briton's lips. A list of possible destinations might go something like this: Cycling in the Dordogne… Beachcombing in Croatia… Island hopping in Greece… A visit to the last bastion of oppressive state communism, the DPRK…
Maybe scratch that last one.
And yet each year thousands of people do visit North Korea, enticed by a country that, going by world historical models, might not be around for much longer.
But a visit to North Korea does pose an ethical problem: should one be providing a totalitarian state with funds? Funds that are unlikely to benefit any of the impoverished ordinary people of the DPRK?
A 2014 UN report on human rights in North Korea found the country to be sorely lacking – far more so than other popular destinations ruled by questionable governments.
Despite these worries, however, a number of tour companies find that business to North Korea is booming. Koryo Tours, a UK firm based in Beijing, shepherds up to 2,000 adventurers through the country each year. And 'shepherds' is an understatement. Two guides and a driver are assigned to each group and guests are told not to go off by themselves. Visitors' activities are keenly observed by officials.
Founding Father
Visitors only see what the government wants them to see. Trips invariably begin in the capital Pyongyang with a visit to monuments to the founder of the DPRK, Kim Ill Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il – the present leader's father.
The DMZ
One of the highlights is the rather inaccurately named Demilitarized Zone (DMZ); the amount of military hardware here serves as a reminder that North and South Korea are technically still at war.
Factories and Ski Resorts
Less fascinating, perhaps, are the Sonbong Textile Factory, the Hungnam Fertiliser Factory and the Tae‘an Heavy Machine Tool Complex – common features of a state-approved tour.
But if you need to unwind after all that industriousness, Koryo Tours can take you to the DPRK's first ever ski resort near the border with China – but don't expect the state's eagle eye to be off you for a second.
Why Go To North Korea?
Aside from the obvious interest in visiting a country that may go the way of the dodo before too long, there are other reasons to visit:
In a recent Independent article, the general manager of Koryo Tours', Simon Cockerell, explained that while we in the west may have a dim view of how the DPRK is run, North Koreans have a far worse impression of foreigners – thanks to the leadership's virulent anti-Western propaganda.
Meeting North Koreans in person may help to dispel the notion that outsiders are inherently bad, or that they wish to do the DPRK harm.
What About Insurance?
As with all destinations, the Foreign Office highly recommends visitors to North Korea take out comprehensive travel insurance. As long as the FCO does not warn against travelling to a particular country, most insurers will provide cover.
As the FCO states on its website, "Most visits are trouble-free". However, foreigners have been arrested in the past. "Offences that would be considered trivial in other countries can incur very severe penalties in North Korea," says the FCO.
If you're toying with the notion of visiting North Korea, Koryo Tours offers packages starting at €990 (£854), all inclusive.
Don't forget, travel cover to the DPRK is available from starttravel.co.uk.
But we also cover cycling trips in the Dordogne!
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