North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the KoreanPeninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer area between North Korea and South Korea. The AmnokRiver and the TumenRiver form the border between North Korea and People's Republic of China. A section of the TumenRiver in the extreme north-east is the border with Russia.
The peninsula was governed by the Korean Empire until it was annexed by Japan following the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. It was divided into Soviet and American occupied zones in 1945, following the end of World War II. North Korea refused to participate in a United Nations–supervised election held in the south in 1948, which led to the creation of separate Korean governments for the two occupation zones. Both North and South Korea claimed sovereignty over the peninsula as a whole, which led to the Korean War of 1950. A 1953 armistice ended the fighting; however, the two countries are officially still at war with each other, as a peace treaty was never signed. Both states were accepted into the United Nations in 1991. On May 26, 2009, North Korea unilaterally withdrew from the armistice.
North Korea is a single-party state under a united front led by the Korean Workers' Party. The country's government follows the Juche ideology of self-reliance, developed by the country's late Eternal President Kim Il-sung. Juche became the official state ideology when the country adopted a new constitution in 1972, though Kim Il-sung had been using it to form policy since at least as early as 1955. Officially a socialist republic, North Korea is considered by many in the outside world to be a totalitarian Stalinist dictatorship. The current secretary of the KWP Central Committee Secretariat and leader of the armed forces is Kim Jong-il, son of Kim Il-sung.
Visa is a must for all; around 5 working days. Service fee inclusive RMB 500/per person
Travel inside North Korea is tightly controlled by the government, there are some scheduled domestic flights but these are closed to foreigners. Similarly there are some trains which service the major tourist destinations but the timetables are not published and tickets must generally be arranged through a tour operator. There are hardly any public buses in the country either so the most likely way you will be able to get around is by car, in the accompaniment of an official driver and guide.
Climate
North Korea has a continental climate with four distinct seasons. Long winters bring bitter cold and clear weather interspersed with snow storms as a result of northern and northwestern winds that blow from Siberia. Average snowfall is 37 days during the winter. The weather is likely to be particularly harsh in the northern, mountainous regions. Summer tends to be short, hot, humid, and rainy because of the southern and southeastern monsoon winds that bring moist air from the Pacific Ocean. Typhoons affect the peninsula on an average of at least once every summer. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons marked by mild temperatures and variable winds and bring the most pleasant weather. Natural hazards include late spring droughts which often are followed by severe flooding. There are occasional typhoons during the early fall.
Sightseeing
Tourism in North Korea is organized by the state owned Tourism Organisation ("Ryohaengsa"). Every group of travelers as well as individual tourists/visitors are permanently accompanied by one or two "guides" who normally speak the mother language of the tourist. While tourism has increased over the last few years, tourists from Western countries remain few.
The majority of the tourists who visit come from China, Russia and Japan. Russian citizens from the Asian part of Russia prefer North Korea as a tourist destination due to the relatively low prices, lack of pollution and the warmer climate. For citizens of the US and South Korea it is practically impossible to obtain a visa for North Korea. Exceptions for US citizens are made for the yearly Arirang Festival.
The capital Pyongyang is at once one of the most spectacular and unbelievable attractions of the country. The capital is very tightly controlled by the government to project an air of progress and above all discipline. Only government supporters from a high class background are even allowed to live in the city which means that you won't see any of the things that are typical of Asian cities such as bicycles, street markets, animals or even the elderly. Attractions include two fountains situated in the Taedong River which reach a height of 150m making them the tallest fountains in the world. Landmarks include the Arch of Triumph which was built to commemorate Kim II-sung's victory over the Japanese, the impressive Tower of Juche Idea and the Taedong Gates.
Kaesong, formerly the country's capital during the Koryo Dynasty is definitely an essential stop on any tour of North Korea. In its heyday Kaesong was a fabulously wealthy imperial metropolis but was destroyed during thress wars and is now only a shadow of its former glory. Now it is however the site of some of the country's most ancient buildings. Of particular note is the Tomb of King Kongmin just outside the city which is an impressively decorated 12th century tomb. The old quarter of the city itself boasts several attractions such as the Songin Monument at the 11th century SonjukBridge. Also of interest is the Koryo Museum which houses a number of exhibits, mostly of Korean pottery or of Buddhist relics.
Time zone
GMT+9
Language
korean
Currency
EURO, USD, RMB