What is not allowed in North Korea?

North Korea has strict laws about what you can bring into the country. It's illegal to bring in religious, pornographic or political items. Declare all published material and electronic devices when you arrive. It's also illegal to knowingly or unknowingly possess items that breach North Korean law.

What are North Korean citizens not allowed to do?

Freedom of movement

North Korean citizens usually cannot freely travel around the country, let alone travel abroad. Emigration and immigration are strictly controlled.

Why are tourists not allowed in North Korea?

Tourism in North Korea is tightly controlled. Individual travelers are not permitted into the country, and groups are accompanied by minders. Tourism revenue is used to support the regime of dictator Kim Jong Un. Traveling to the “hermit kingdom” is not without significant risks.

Is it illegal to go to North Korea?

Since September 2017, the U.S. State Department has made it illegal to travel to North Korea with an American passport. “Travel to, in, or through North Korea on a U.S. passport without this special validation may justify revocation of your passport for misuse,” said the State Department's website.

Which things are banned in Korea?

Korea - Prohibited and Restricted ImportsKorea - Prohibited Imports. Includes a list of goods that are prohibited from being exported to the country or are otherwise restricted. Guns, narcotics, pornography, subversive material, treasonous material, and counterfeit goods are prohibited from entering Korea.

10 Things You Cannot Do In North Korea

Is ice cream illegal in North Korea?

Buying ice cream on the street is a common thing in North Korea, but not for a foreigner. Even though ice cream costs something like 40 Euro Cents, you are not allowed to have Korean Wons. As a tourist you are restricted to special foreign currency stores.

Is blue jeans banned in North Korea?

North Korea has declared wearing blue jeans as illegal as it symbolises American imperialism, which the east Asian nation terms as its enemy. The country, in an attempt to restrict western influence on its people, has also banned piercings, and issued strict guidelines for choosing a hairstyle.

Can you smile in North Korea?

From Friday forward, people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, generally known as North Korea, are prohibited from smiling, shopping, or drinking as part of an 11-day mourning period commemorating the death of former leader Kim Jong-il. From 1994 to 2011, North Korea was controlled by Kim Jong-il.

Can a Canadian go to North Korea?

Canadian citizens must obtain a visa before entry into North Korea. Reach North Korea embassy or consulate for the instructions how to apply the visa. Updated: 02/09/2024.

Is North Korea safe for female?

Traveling in North Korea, especially as a solo female traveler might involve significant risks, more so at night. Strict governance and high levels of surveillance make it almost impossible to explore unaccompanied.

Are any North Koreans allowed to travel?

Physical Isolation. It's illegal for North Koreans to leave their country without the government's permission. North Koreans who do attempt to leave the country illegally and are caught can face severe consequences including torture, forced labor, and life-imprisonment in a political prison camp.

Does North Korea get tourists?

Tourism in North Korea is tightly controlled. Individual travelers are not permitted into the country, and groups are accompanied by minders. Tourism revenue is used to support the regime of dictator Kim Jong Un. Traveling to the "hermit kingdom" is not without significant risks.

Has anyone escaped North Korea?

Earlier this year, Mr Kim pulled off a seemingly impossible escape from North Korea. He fled by sea with his entire family - his pregnant wife, his mother, his brother's family, and an urn containing his father's ashes. They are the first people to have fled the country this year and make it to the South.

What is punishable by death in North Korea?

NORTH KOREAN CRIMINAL LAW ON THE DEATH PENALTY

A large number of offences carried the death penalty: grave crimes against the very existence or essential interests of the state and of the socialist cause, such as state crimes, military crimes, crimes against the state administration and homicide.

Can you own a Bible in North Korea?

According to the NGO Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), under these two provisions, ownership of religious materials brought in from abroad is illegal and punishable by imprisonment and other forms of severe punishment, including execution.

Is there a child limit in North Korea?

Promoting population growth

According to one Korean American scholar who visited North Korea in the early 1980s, the country has no birth control policies; parents are encouraged to have as many as six children.

How many people have escaped North Korea?

The number of defectors since the 1950–1953 Korean War is more than 26,000.

Does North Korea have alcohol?

Firstly there is no shortage of booze in North Korea, and no limit on consumption. It could even be considered a national pastime – much like life in South Korea, China and much of East Asia. The main drink of choice is soju. Soju is a clear spirit made from rice, wheat or barley.

Are tattoos allowed in North Korea?

There is no law against tattoos in North Korea, but they are subject to certain regulations and need to have some sort of ideological element. “In North Korea, tattoos must carry praise of the Kim family or carry a teaching of the state,” said Hyun Namhyuk, who escaped North Korea and recently settled in South Korea.

Can tourists wear jeans in North Korea?

Are jeans banned in North Korea? Yep. They're seen as a symbol of capitalism. In fact your guides before entering North Korea will ask you to change your jeans with something else if you're wearing them.

Are people allowed to wear jeans in North Korea?

North Korea has banned piercings, skinny jeans, and hairstyles, including mullets, since last May, in a bid to keep the country free from "decadent" Western fashion trends. It came after the country's leader Kim Jong Un described foreign speech, hairstyles, and clothes as "dangerous poisons," per BBC.

Is it illegal to use condoms in North Korea?

While it may sound like a violation of human rights by many across the globe, citizens of that country apparently have no problem heeding such laws. Getting a condom is next to impossible because the country has banned all sorts of birth control measures.

What can you not take pictures of in North Korea?

– You can't take pictures of poverty. – If you take a picture of the leaders images, but they should always be completely on the picture. – You may also not take photos of soldiers, military installations, police officers or government buildings. In North Korea you get more than enough to eat every day.

Are shorts allowed in North Korea?

Popular public sports in North Korea include table tennis, football, basketball and volleyball. Popular sports in North Korea are similar to those in the South. Football is popular from spring to fall, while basketball takes center stage in winter.

Is pizza illegal in North Korea?

No, pizza is served primarily in Pyongyang but it is expensive for the locals. A few local Koreans can be found in these specialty restaurants.