Related North Korea Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: The following was taken from a forum question reply in regards to visiting as an American.

1. Cost - your trip will be a prepaid package. Americans are in the highest price bracket and it will be ~$1500 (from Beijing). That includes airfare, hotels, meals, everything. The only spending money you'll need is for the souvenir (if you find anything other than postcards or books) and drinks at the hotel.

2. Reactions to Americans - They think that Americans are the infidel. Many of the hard nosed ones would wipe us out if they could. While most of our tour was cordial, one guy was spit upon while on the sidewalk.

3. Group or solo - You will not be requested to share a room if you book a solo package, but you will be with a group during the days. The largest I saw was probably about 12 people. You'll be returned to the hotel about ~6pm, at that point you're free to do what you want, provided it is in the hotel.

4. Favorite part - I spent over 3 years in South Korea. My favorite part was to see the polarities between the two as they have evolved.

5. Dress code - DPRK is one of the most conservative countries I've been to. All locals will be wearing black or sometimes grey. If you're paying for the tour, they will tolerate to some extent, but it is not prudent to be loud in your appearance.

6. Food - Have you ever eaten Korean food? That's all you'll get. Snacks only if you buy them from the hotel gift shop or the department store if you can get your guides to stop there. Beer is limited, but is a basic pilsner.

7. Guides - our guides were cordial and helpful. They have been screened and groomed to deal with foreigners. They will not tolerate any negative remarks, but will attempt to answer any questions you have. I found that behind closed doors, they did show a bit more curiosity about western life, but they cannot dare show this in public view.

8. Internet/phone - Both are illegal in DPRK. Your cell phone will be confiscated upon arrival and only returned upon departure. Your hotel may allow you to send an email, but that means you draft it, they read it, then send it from their address. Cost will be several dollars.

Favorite thing: Not long back from the DPRK and went with Korea Konsult as previously mentioned.

No matter which company you go with, its pretty much the same schedule (if you check the days etc as ones from Dandong for example can have roughly the same days but remember their is a lot of travelling taken off that)

Korea Konsult were good although it would have been good to have a "western" guide as well as the North Koreans who had done the trip several times. (they can interpret a little better as they would know whats going on and also ask for parts of trips which may not always happen if theres bad weather etc. (koryo had a Brit and and American with them).

Otherwise, Korea Konsult were excellent in their correspondence and on the other tour which accompnaied us, they had one rep.

Fondest memory: How weird it can be!!!

Outwith that, the Mass Games are absolutely amazing and worth it alone for the trip.

Favorite thing: N Korea uses 220V, 60Hz

Typical outlet will be the 2-pin outlet with side grounding:
http://electricaloutlet.org/type-f

This will universally accept the European 2-pin plug:
http://electricaloutlet.org/type-c

Favorite thing: When I was there, the hotels would send emails for you. You could compose the emails, but they would be sent from their address and no doubt be read for content before sending. There was no access to internet as I know of.

Phone calls were possible from the hotels, but not from within the rooms (you had to go to the concierge desk). Phone call rates were extraordinarily high (nearly $5 USD per minute).

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Favorite thing: At a few places that we visited we were met by female tour guides who showed us around. We basically turned up at the doorstep in our bus at each attraction and were shown around by these guides. Some spoke English and some just Korean which was then translated into English for us by either one of our government appointed tour guides.

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Favorite thing: One thing you'll notice everywhere you go in North Korea is that there'll always be at least one Kim looking down on you whether it be Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il or both. I first noticed this whilst walking around a Children's palace shortly after we had arrived from Beijing as their portraits were in all of the classrooms. They're even in every single train carriage on the Pyongyang metro! Most public buildings will also have their portraits hanging from the walls.

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Favorite thing: You will hear and read about these two terms given to each of the Kim’s. The 'Great Leader' refers to Kim Il Sung (1912-94). He was Prime Minster of the DPRK from 1948 to 1972 and then President from 1972 until his death in 1994. Following his, he was not replaced but instead received the designation of "Eternal President". This means that no other person can ever be president and, as such, means that he still is president even though he is dead. This means he is the world's longest serving head-of-state.

The term 'Dear Leader' is given to Kim Il Sung's son Kim Jong Il (born either in 1941 or 1942), depending on what reports you believe. As his father is always president, his official titles are: Chairman of the National Defence Commission, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. In essence he is Leader of the DPRK. Since he is not the president, he is not constitutionally required to hold elections to confirm his legitimacy and has not done so. He is a reclusive man who rarely appears in public and reports indicate that he is seriously ill, having missed the 60th Anniversary of the DPRK celebrations in September 2008.

Favorite thing: This was our tour cameraman whose name I've forgotten but who I nicknamed Mr Spielberg, during the tour. He came along with us wherever we went during our week in North Korea and filmed us visiting attractions and eating in restaurants. I was warned about this sort of thing before I left Beijing. When we arrived in Pyongyang, we were introduced to him and it was mentioned that we could buy a 2xCD set of our tour that he had filmed for €40. At first I and other tour members were a bit wary of his motives but then I thought, where else in the world would you get your own private cameraman filming you visiting a country for a week and then be able to buy that film for €40? We watched what he was filming and bought the CD's and he became a friend to us all even though he didn't speak any English.