can north korean travel abroad

Can North Koreans Travel Abroad? (2021)

By Gergo Vaczi

Can North Koreans Travel Abroad?

Simply put yes North Koreans can travel abroad. However, only a selected few.

So how do North Koreans Travel Abroad?

We often say that the North Korean experience starts at Beijing Airport at the Air Koryo check-in counter.

The check-in process from the passenger’s point of view for Air Koryo is like for any other airlines at Beijing Capital Airport, only that it’s much slower.

The reason for that is twofold;

1. Air Koryo is cut off from the international ticketing systems as a result of the sanctions and hence each passenger’s name has to be identified on a printout passenger list and put into the Air China Ground Handling system manually.

2. Koreans travelling home tend to have a lot of check-in luggage which slows down the whole process.

(NB: Air Koryo allows plus 10kg on Business Class for the Beijing-Pyongyang route than the other way round).

This is amplified by the fact that Beijing security screening takes place at the check-in desks.

A typical scene at the Air Koryo check-in counter is long queues of trolleys packed with suitcases and carton boxes and people chatting and negotiating with Air Koryo ground staff.

(Not to mention the duty-free shops where Korean who return from overseas stock up on 7 Star and Mevious cigarettes, and whiskey.) 

One of the most typical realization of travellers who check-in into an Air Koryo flight is “oh, I didn’t know North Koreans can travel abroad” which leads to the question;

“Who are these Koreans”?

A Brief History of North Koreans Abroad

During the Korean War (1950-1953) North Korea sent orphans of war and students to study in allied socialist countries. 

In November 1951, 200 orphans of war arrived at the Hungarian capital, followed by 21 students in January 1952 to study at universities, colleges, and polytechnics. Throughout the 1950s, around 1,000 Koreans lived in Hungary. Among them, 379 studied at different universities.

According to Hungarian archives, in 1953, North Korea planned to send around 1,500 students to study abroad while Lankov claims that ca. 1,800 Koreans lived in the Soviet Union during the 1940s and 1950s.

Some of these students married to women in their host countries and returned with them throughout the 1950s.

In 1962, there were Soviet (around 70-80) and East European wives living in North Korea, among them 2 Hungarians. 

Throughout the 1960s the number of Koreans living and studying abroad decreased dramatically as the country started to shift away from the Soviet Union and systematically closed down. This was also the time when foreign wives were urged to divorce and return to their homelands.

Korean students in Hungary reappeared again in the 1970s until the late 1980s when Hungary set up economic and diplomatic relations with South Korea.

From the 1980s till the 2010s some North Koreans even visited the US on international school trips, as well as experts in agriculture and computer science. 

Who are the North Koreans that Travel Abroad? 

Travel for leisure is unknown for North Koreans. At least internationally.

Domestic tourism In North Korea has been on the rise since 2018.

Also, it doesn’t mean that an official trip overseas can’t have leisurely elements like sightseeing, excursions, shopping, and the culinary experience. They certainly do.

Leisure tourism apart, North Koreans travel for the same reason as nationals of other countries do; business, exchanges, conferences, international sports events, medical treatment, study and work.

I personally know or met North Koreans who have been to African countries, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Hungary, Lebanon, Mongolia, Poland, Russia (USSR), South Korea, Switzerland, the UK, and Vietnam.

China and Russia estimated to have up to 20,000 Korean guest works and students, and there used to be a considerable number of Korean guest workers in countries of the Persian Gulf.

Obtaining a passport is not easy though, and they have to be submitted to the authorities upon return from overseas.

Since the 2000s the DPRK started to issue certificates to travel to China and Koreans holding these documents – mostly merchants – can stay for up to 4 days without a visa.

Koryo Tours North Korea Tours

Gergo Vaczi

Greg is the Koryo Tours DPRK Tour Manager.

He grew up in post-socialist Hungary and first travelled to North Korea as a tourist in 2016 following in the footsteps of his grandparents, who visited in 1988. He has since lived in the Netherlands, Israel, China, Korea and Iceland and holds a degree in Sociology and Anthropology. He has taken 26 groups to North Korea and lived in Seoul studying the Korean language full-time for two years. He also completed a long study course in Korean at a university in Pyongyang.

Read more about Greg's journey to become a North Korean Tour Leader  here.

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Are North Koreans Allowed to Travel Abroad?

North Koreans are technically allowed to travel abroad, but they’re subject to multiple restrictions, including needing to have government approval to travel internationally.

In practice, the North Korean government rarely permits citizens to travel abroad.

At most, government officials, high-ranking military personnel, athletes, and artists, are allowed to travel internationally only for work.

The North Korean passport gives access to 8 countries for visa-free travel, and citizens can visit another 42 countries on an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Table of Contents

• 1 North Koreans Need Government Approval to Travel
• 2 Some North Korean Citizens Can Travel Abroad
• 3 North Koreans Can Travel to Almost Anywhere in the World
• 4 Countries North Koreans Can Travel to
• 5 The Process for North Koreans Who Want to Travel
• 6 Why North Koreans Aren’t Allowed to Travel
• 7 You Can Visit North Korea as a Tourist

North Koreans Need Government Approval to Travel

North Koreans are permitted to travel abroad with their government’s permission.

Technically, North Korean citizens have no official restrictions from traveling to other countries. But it’s still difficult for them to leave. 

The North Korean government rarely permits citizens to leave the country for any reason. They also tightly regulate travel between North Korea and the rest of the world.

So while North Koreans are allowed to travel abroad on paper, they’re rarely given the opportunity or approval to do so. 

Some North Korean Citizens Can Travel Abroad

The North Korean government permits only a small number of citizens to travel abroad, mostly for work purposes.

North Korean athletes, artists, and officials are permitted to travel abroad for work purposes only, but even they are subject to tight regulation and rarely get to leave. 

It’s even rarer, but not impossible, for North Korean citizens to travel abroad as long as it is for medical or educational purposes, although a few are able to do so.

Overall, a very small percentage of the North Korean population is permitted to travel abroad. 

North Koreans Can Travel to Almost Anywhere in the World

North Korean citizens can travel anywhere in the world where they have a valid visa, and their government permits them to go.

North Koreans cannot go to Sri Lanka or Japan as they are completely banned from these two countries.

Countries North Koreans Can Travel to

North Korean passport holders are given visa-free travel to the following eight countries: 

• Dominica 
• The Gambia 
• Guyana 
• Haiti 
• Kyrgyzstan 
• Micronesia 
• Palestine 
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines 

North Koreans also have eVisa and visa on arrival in another 42 countries.

The Process for North Koreans Who Want to Travel

There is no official or public information on the process for North Korean citizens who want to travel abroad.

But there is some information out there.

North Korean citizens who are issued passports are normally expected to have clean backgrounds. Most high-ranking members of the country’s armed forces and government receive these. 

Ordinary North Koreans are less likely to receive passports in most instances.

Some North Koreans get a visa for a labor program with Russia . They’ve also recently begun issuing certificates to travel to China for merchants. These certificates permit a stay in China for up to 4 days without a visa. 

Why North Koreans Aren’t Allowed to Travel

North Koreans aren’t allowed to travel for geopolitical and historical reasons.

North Korea is a traditional ally of China and an enemy of western countries, plus Japan and South Korea.

Most other countries don’t have diplomatic relations with North Korea. And the country is one of the world’s most isolationist. 

The North Korean government also prevents citizens from traveling abroad to avoid defections and loss of power.

Many North Korean citizens attempt to flee the country every year, which worries the government.

So they prevent citizens from leaving to hold onto power. 

You Can Visit North Korea as a Tourist

Tourists are allowed in North Korea, subject to multiple restrictions by the government.

All tourism is state-controlled in North Korea.

So all tourism businesses in the country are also state-owned bureaus.

This includes the Korea International Travel Company (KITC), the Korean International Sports Travel Company (KISTC), and the Korea International Youth and Children’s Travel Company ( KIYTC ). 

All tourists in North Korea are required to be part of guided tours, so tourists cannot freely wander the country.

Most of these tours are also restricted to the capital city of Pyongyang

In conclusion:

• North Koreans are allowed to travel internationally if their government approves it, but this approval is rarely given to most citizens.
• The North Korean government rarely lets citizens travel abroad due to political reasons.
• The country’s government fears defections and a loss of control if citizens are allowed to travel freely.
• Tourism is still permitted in North Korea, but it’s highly regulated.
• All tourists are required to participate in state-approved guided tours. They cannot freely move in the country or travel wherever they want.
• Most of these tours have also historically been restricted to the country’s capital, Pyongyang. 

Ella Dunham

Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.

Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.

Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).

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Can North Koreans Travel?

Can north koreans travel abroad.

Similar to communist regimes of the past, international travel can prove to be quite difficult but does it exist? Can North Koreans travel abroad?

It’s a question that frequently arises on our North Korea Tours . In short – Yes they can, but only with the necessary permission.

While waiting for your train to Pyongyang at Dandong station or your flight from Beijing you will encounter hundreds of Travelling North Koreans. Who are these travellers and where are they going?

Overseas Workers

The vast majority of North Koreans who travel do so for business. North Korea maintains 48 embassies around the world so you’ll commonly find diplomats flying in and out via Beijing.

During the 2017 Malaysia / DPRK diplomatic crisis this author traveled to Kuala Lumpur to meet & support some North Korean colleagues who had become stranded in Malaysia. Each country had banned their respective citizens from leaving. It showed how large the North Korean population was in Malaysia at the time.

North Korea also exports a lot of labor for overseas construction projects. Particularly in Russia and eastern Europe. This is a source of hard currency for the regime and a better income for the workers themselves.

The country is famous too for it’s overseas restaurant chain. These Pyongyang restaurants are staffed by North Korean waitresses who typically can stay up to 3 years abroad at a time working in one of the 130 locations around the globe. 

Foreign Students

The largest number of overseas North Koreans are students studying abroad. Many North Korean students dream of studying overseas to enhance their capabilities but only the most privileged are chosen.

According to a UN report from 2012, 1,400 North Korean students were studying abroad that year. The vast majority of these were in China followed by Russia, India, France, Germany & Australia.

For the North Korean government the goal is to gain knowledge for the purpose of advancing the state power. Historically the Soviet Union was the preferred destination for nuclear physicists – some 300 were sent to Russia from the mid-1990s to learn theories and technologies related to nuclear weapons development.

Many North Korean who have risen to the top of domestic politics have studied abroad. None other than Marshal Kim Jong Un himself who spent his school years in Bern, Switzerland.

Who get’s chosen to study abroad? Usually students with clean family backgrounds who excel academically.  These are mostly children of government officials and they are expected to monitor each other while abroad.

Travel to   North Korea!

International athletes.

North Korea sends a lot of athletes abroad for international competition. Notably they have sent delegations to the Olympic games since 1964 and in 2018 they sent 22 athletes and a 400 strong supporter group to the winter games in South Korea.

Some North Korean footballers are currently plying their trade abroad. Most famously is Han Kwan-Song who currently plays in Qatar and was the first North Korean to play in Italy’s top flight – Serie A.

Can they travel for tourism?

This doesn’t happen but in theory it’s possible. There are actually a few countries where North Koreans can travel without a visa. These are Guyana, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia and the Gambia. 

Kyrgyzstan actually allows North Koreans to stay in their country indefinably. Why? North Korea used to have a reciprocal travel agreement with the USSR. As Kyrgyzstan was part of the USSR, it still upholds its end of the bargain today.

Domestic Travel

As International travel for pleasure is practically unheard of, North Koreans do travel domestically for tourism. Nowadays there are a number of travel companies who solely deal with domestic travel. The most popular place to travel to is the beach resort town of Wonsan or the mountainous areas of Myohyang, Chilbo and Kumgangsan. 

When do you want to travel to North Korea? Check out a full list of our tours and start planning your visit today. Contact us for more information!

About Post   Author

Shane Horan

When Shane is not endlessly writing award winning content for Rocky Road, he's usually kayaking to and from the beer garden along Berlin's River Spree. 

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Exploring North Korea’s Travel Restrictions: Who Can and Cannot Leave the Country?

By Happy Sharer

Introduction

North Korea is one of the most isolated nations in the world. Its citizens are subjected to a wide range of restrictions when it comes to travelling outside of the country, making it difficult for them to explore the world beyond their own borders. In this article, we will examine the travel restrictions imposed by North Korea, who can and cannot leave the country, and how they are able to navigate travelling abroad.

Examining North Korean Travel Restrictions: Who Can and Cannot Leave the Country?

North Korea has some of the strictest travel restrictions in the world. According to research conducted by Human Rights Watch, the government imposes “severe restrictions on freedom of movement” and does not recognize the right of its citizens to leave the country. The regime also uses a system of surveillance and control to monitor people’s movements and activities both within and outside the country.

Overview of Travel Policies

Under North Korean law, all citizens must obtain an exit permit from the authorities before they can leave the country. This includes travel for business, personal reasons, or even to visit relatives in other countries. The government also requires all citizens to register with local security forces if they plan to travel more than 25 kilometres (15 miles) outside their hometown. These regulations are strictly enforced and those who violate them can face imprisonment, torture, or execution.

Who is Allowed to Leave North Korea?

The North Korean government allows certain groups of people to leave the country, including athletes, students studying abroad, and diplomats. However, most of these people are closely monitored by the authorities and are expected to return to the country after a certain period of time. In addition, those who are granted permission to leave the country often have to pay hefty fees to do so.

Who is Not Allowed to Leave North Korea?

On the other hand, there are many groups of people who are not allowed to leave the country. These include people with ‘unfavourable’ backgrounds, such as former political prisoners, defectors, and individuals believed to be a threat to the regime. In addition, anyone suspected of having contact with foreigners or foreign organisations may also be denied permission to leave the country.

Exploring North Korea’s Strict Travel Policies: What Do They Mean for Its Citizens?

The North Korean government’s strict travel policies have a significant impact on the everyday lives of its citizens. From access to education and jobs, to the ability to visit family and friends abroad, the restrictions imposed by the regime limit the freedoms of ordinary people.

Overview of Travel Regulations

North Korea’s travel regulations are designed to prevent citizens from leaving the country without permission. For example, all passports must be renewed every five years, and people must obtain special permits before they can travel abroad. In addition, the government also enforces a ‘closed city’ system, which restricts access to certain places and limits the movement of people.

Impact on People Living in North Korea

These restrictions have a direct impact on the lives of people living in North Korea. For example, they limit access to information and educational opportunities, as well as the ability to find work outside of the country. In addition, they also make it difficult for people to visit family and friends abroad, as they must obtain special permission from the authorities to do so.

Implications for Those Wishing to Travel Abroad

The travel restrictions imposed by the North Korean government also have implications for those wishing to travel abroad. For instance, it can be difficult for people to obtain visas to other countries, as the government does not grant exit permits easily. In addition, those who do manage to leave the country may face difficulties re-entering, as the government strictly monitors the comings and goings of its citizens.

Investigating How North Koreans Navigate Travelling Abroad

Despite the challenges posed by North Korea’s travel restrictions, some people still manage to leave the country. While this is illegal, it is possible to do so through a variety of methods, such as bribes and forged documents.

Overview of the Process Involved

In order to successfully leave North Korea, people must first obtain an exit permit from the authorities. This can be done through bribery or by using a forged passport. Once they have obtained the necessary documents, they must then arrange transport to a neighbouring country, such as China, South Korea, or Russia. This can be done either by land or by air.

Requirements for Obtaining Visas

Once in a neighbouring country, those wishing to travel further must then obtain a visa for their destination of choice. Depending on the country, this process can be complicated and expensive. For example, the US requires North Koreans to apply for a visa at least three months in advance and to provide proof of financial stability. Those wishing to travel to other countries may also need to prove that they have family ties or a job offer in the destination country.

Challenges People Face When Travelling Outside the Country

Travelling outside of North Korea can also be dangerous, as it is illegal and those caught doing so can be punished severely. In addition, people may face difficulties obtaining visas, as many countries are reluctant to accept North Korean citizens due to their restrictive travel policies. Finally, financial constraints can also be a barrier, as travelling abroad is expensive and many North Koreans lack the necessary funds to do so.

Analyzing the Impact of North Korea’s Travel Regulations on Its Citizens

North Korea’s travel restrictions have a significant impact on the lives of its citizens, both socially, economically, and politically.

Social Impacts

The travel regulations imposed by the North Korean government have a direct impact on the social lives of its citizens. For example, it makes it difficult for people to visit family and friends abroad, as they must obtain special permission from the authorities to do so. In addition, it also limits access to educational opportunities, as those wishing to study abroad must receive approval from the government.

Economic Impacts

The restrictions also have an economic impact, as they limit the ability of North Koreans to find work outside of the country. Many people rely on remittances sent back by family members living abroad, but the restrictions make it difficult for them to do so. In addition, the high cost of travelling abroad can also be a financial burden for those wishing to leave the country.

Political Impacts

Finally, the travel regulations also have political implications. By limiting access to information and restricting the movement of people, the North Korean government is able to maintain control over its citizens and limit any dissent against the regime.

Understanding the Challenges of North Koreans Travelling Outside the Country

Despite the difficulties posed by North Korea’s travel regulations, some people still manage to leave the country. However, they face a number of challenges, both financial and safety-related.

Financial Constraints

Travelling outside of North Korea can be expensive, as people must pay for exit permits, transport costs, and visas. In addition, they may also need to pay bribes to obtain the necessary documents. As a result, many North Koreans are unable to afford to travel abroad, as they lack the necessary funds.

Safety Concerns

Leaving North Korea is also risky, as it is illegal and those caught doing so can be punished severely. In addition, there is always the risk of being arrested or deported once abroad, as many countries are reluctant to accept North Korean citizens due to their restrictive travel policies.

Difficulty Obtaining Visas

Finally, North Koreans also face difficulties obtaining visas to other countries. For example, the US requires North Koreans to apply for a visa at least three months in advance and to provide proof of financial stability. This can be a challenge for many people, as they may not have the necessary documents or funds to do so.

North Korea’s travel regulations are some of the strictest in the world. They limit the freedom of movement of people living in the country, making it difficult for them to explore the world beyond their own borders. The restrictions also have a direct impact on the lives of ordinary citizens, from access to education and jobs, to the ability to visit family and friends abroad. Despite the challenges posed by the travel regulations, some people still manage to leave the country, although they face a number of financial and safety-related risks.

Summary of Key Points

In this article, we have explored the complex travel restrictions imposed by North Korea. We examined who is allowed to leave the country and who is not, as well as the impact of these policies on the lives of ordinary citizens. We also looked at how North Koreans navigate travelling abroad and the challenges they face, such as financial constraints, safety concerns, and difficulty obtaining visas.

Recommendations for Further Research

Further research should be conducted on the long-term impacts of North Korea’s travel regulations on its citizens, as well as the effectiveness of measures taken to ease the restrictions. In addition, more research should also be done on the experiences of North Koreans who have managed to leave the country and the challenges they faced when travelling abroad.

(Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.)

Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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Can North Koreans leave the country?

Can North Koreans leave the country? Despite the common misconception that North Koreans can’t travel abroad, a lot of them in fact do, and the North Korean passport is a lot more valuable than you might expect.

North Koreans (at least, those with permission to travel) have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 42 countries. This makes a North Korean passport as versatile as that of Ethiopia!

List of visa free/visa on arrival countries for North Korean citizens:

Antigua and Barbuda – electronic entry visa

Armenia – E-Visa/Visa on arrival

Bangladesh – Visa on arrival

Benin – E-visa/Visa on arrival

Cambodia – 30 day visa on arrival (Cambodia have traditionally strong relations with the DPRK)

Cape Verde – Visa on arrival

Comoros – Visa on arrival

Djibouti – 31 day e-visa

Dominica – 21 days completely visa free

Egypt – 30 day visa on arrival

Ethiopia – 90 day visa on arrival

Gabon – E-visa

Guinea-Bissau – 90 day visa on arrival

Guyana – Visa free 90 days

Haiti – Visa free for 90 days

Iran – 30 day visa on arrival

Jordan – 30 day visa on arrival

Kyrgyzstan – Completely visa free (unlimited time)

Laos – 30 day visa on arrival

Lesotho – E-visa

Madagascar – 90 days visa on arrival

Malawi – 90 day visa on arrival

Maldives 30 day visa on arrival

Mauritania – 30 day visa on arrival

Micronesia – visa not required for 30 days

Mozambique – 30 day visa on arrival

Myanmar (Burma) – 28 day e-visa

Nepal – Visa on arrival

Nicaragua – 90 day visa on arrival

Palau – 30 day visa on arrival

Qatar – 30 day e-visa

Rwanda – Evisa/visa on arrival 30 days

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Visa not required for 30 days

Samoa – 60 day entry permit on arrival

São Tomé and Príncipe – E-visa

Seychelles – 90 day visitor permit on arrival

Singapore – e-visa

Somalia – 30 day visa on arrival

Tanzania – E-visa

Timor-Leste (East Timor) – 30 day visa on arrival

Togo – 7 day visa on arrival

Tuvalu – 30 day visa on arrival

Uganda – Visa on arrival

Uzbekistan – E-visa

Zambia – E-visa

Zimbabwe – E-visa

I have yet to find out if unrecognized countries, such as Abkhazia or Transnistria, require visas for citizens of North Korea. Maybe that will be a new blog! So: can North Koreans leave the country? See for yourself.

To travel in the opposite direction then check out our list of tours !

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Gareth Johnson

Gareth Johnson is the founder of Young Pioneer Tours and has visited over 180+ countries. His passion is opening obscure destinations to tourism and sharing his experience of street food.

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Can North Koreans Travel Abroad? (2021)

Can North Koreans Travel Abroad?

Simply put yes North Koreans can travel abroad. However, only a selected few.

So how do North Koreans Travel Abroad?

We often say that the North Korean experience starts at Beijing Airport at the Air Koryo check-in counter.

The check-in process from the passenger’s point of view for Air Koryo is like for any other airlines at Beijing Capital Airport, only that it’s much slower.

The reason for that is twofold;

1. Air Koryo is cut off from the international ticketing systems as a result of the sanctions and hence each passenger’s name has to be identified on a printout passenger list and put into the Air China Ground Handling system manually.

2. Koreans travelling home tend to have a lot of check-in luggage which slows down the whole process.

(NB: Air Koryo allows plus 10kg on Business Class for the Beijing-Pyongyang route than the other way round).

This is amplified by the fact that Beijing security screening takes place at the check-in desks.

A typical scene at the Air Koryo check-in counter is long queues of trolleys packed with suitcases and carton boxes and people chatting and negotiating with Air Koryo ground staff.

(Not to mention the duty-free shops where Korean who return from overseas stock up on 7 Star and Mevious cigarettes, and whiskey.) 

One of the most typical realization of travellers who check-in into an Air Koryo flight is “oh, I didn’t know North Koreans can travel abroad” which leads to the question;

“Who are these Koreans”?

A Brief History of North Koreans Abroad

During the Korean War (1950-1953) North Korea sent orphans of war and students to study in allied socialist countries. 

In November 1951, 200 orphans of war arrived at the Hungarian capital, followed by 21 students in January 1952 to study at universities, colleges, and polytechnics. Throughout the 1950s, around 1,000 Koreans lived in Hungary. Among them, 379 studied at different universities.

According to Hungarian archives, in 1953, North Korea planned to send around 1,500 students to study abroad while Lankov claims that ca. 1,800 Koreans lived in the Soviet Union during the 1940s and 1950s.

Some of these students married to women in their host countries and returned with them throughout the 1950s.

In 1962, there were Soviet (around 70-80) and East European wives living in North Korea, among them 2 Hungarians. 

Throughout the 1960s the number of Koreans living and studying abroad decreased dramatically as the country started to shift away from the Soviet Union and systematically closed down. This was also the time when foreign wives were urged to divorce and return to their homelands.

Korean students in Hungary reappeared again in the 1970s until the late 1980s when Hungary set up economic and diplomatic relations with South Korea.

From the 1980s till the 2010s some North Koreans even visited the US on international school trips, as well as experts in agriculture and computer science. 

Who are the North Koreans that Travel Abroad? 

Travel for leisure is unknown for North Koreans. At least internationally.

Domestic tourism In North Korea has been on the rise since 2018.

Also, it doesn’t mean that an official trip overseas can’t have leisurely elements like sightseeing, excursions, shopping, and the culinary experience. They certainly do.

Leisure tourism apart, North Koreans travel for the same reason as nationals of other countries do; business, exchanges, conferences, international sports events, medical treatment, study and work.

I personally know or met North Koreans who have been to African countries, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Hungary, Lebanon, Mongolia, Poland, Russia (USSR), South Korea, Switzerland, the UK, and Vietnam.

China and Russia estimated to have up to 20,000 Korean guest works and students, and there used to be a considerable number of Korean guest workers in countries of the Persian Gulf.

Obtaining a passport is not easy though, and they have to be submitted to the authorities upon return from overseas.

Since the 2000s the DPRK started to issue certificates to travel to China and Koreans holding these documents – mostly merchants – can stay for up to 4 days without a visa.

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North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 24, 2023, north korea - level 4: do not travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Do not travel to North Korea due to  the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals.  Exercise increased caution to North Korea due to  the critical threat of wrongful detention.

• All U.S. passports are invalid for travel to, in, or through the DPRK unless specially validated for such travel under the authority of the Secretary of State. 
• Special validations are granted only in very limited circumstances. More information on how to apply for the special validation is available  here .

The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea. Sweden serves as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services. The North Korean government routinely delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained U.S. citizens.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of North Korea, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to North Korea.

If you receive a special validation to travel to North Korea:

• Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
• Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
• Visit our website for  Travel to High-Risk Areas .
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Travel Advisory Levels

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North Korea to allow its citizens abroad to return home, a sign of further easing of pandemic curbs

FILE - People walk in the Ryomyong street in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. North Korea said Sunday, Aug. 27, it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian pandemic restrictions. (AP Photo/Cha Song Ho, File)

FILE - Ground crew work near an Air Koryo commercial plane on the tarmac at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. North Korea said Sunday, Aug. 27, it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian pandemic restrictions. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

FILE - North Koreans line up to check in for a flight to Astana at the Capital Airport in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. North Korea said Sunday, Aug. 27, it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian pandemic restrictions. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - North Korean women wearing track suits with the North Korean flag and the words Taekwon-Do printed on the back walk to check in for a flight to Astana at the Capital Airport in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. North Korea said Sunday, Aug. 27, it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian pandemic restrictions. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - An Air Koryo commercial plane takes off from the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. North Korea said Sunday, Aug. 27, it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian pandemic restrictions. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Sunday it will allow its citizens staying abroad to return home in line with easing pandemic situations worldwide, as the country slowly eases its draconian coronavirus restrictions.

In a brief statement carried by state media, the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters said those returning to North Korea will be put in quarantine for a week for “proper medical observation.”

The statement didn’t elaborate. But analysts predicted the announcement would lead to the return of North Korean students, workers and others who have had to stay abroad, mostly in China and Russia, because of the pandemic. The workers are a key source of foreign income for the country.

North Korea banned tourists, jetted out diplomats and severely curtailed border traffic and trade after the pandemic began. The lockdown has further worsened the North’s chronic economic difficulties and food insecurity.

Earlier this month, South Korea’s spy agency said North Korea was preparing to further reopen its borders gradually in a bid to revive its economy.

On Tuesday, a North Korean commercial jet landed in Beijing in what was the North’s first such commercial international flight known to leave the country in about 3½ years. The plane returned from Beijing later in the day, but it wasn’t known who was aboard it.

Earlier in August, a group of North Korean taekwondo athletes and officials traveled by land to Beijing and then took a flight to Kazakhstan to participate in an international competition.

The group of around 80 men and women wearing white track suits with the North Korean flag on the front were seen in the departure hall of Beijing’s international airport. It was the first time such a big delegation from North Korea made an international trip since the pandemic began.

Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the private Sejong Institute, said the return of workers from abroad will mean the loss of a rare source of foreign currency for North Korea, so the government will likely push to send other workers to replace them in China and Russia.

Accepting new North Korean workers would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution that required member states to repatriate all North Korean laborers from their territories by late 2019.

Given that North Korea intends to quarantine returnees for one week, Cheong said it seems unlikely North Korea would resume receiving Chinese and other foreign tourists anytime soon. He said North Korea is expected to allow foreigners to enter the country next year if the return of its nationals does not cause any coronavirus outbreaks.

In August 2022, North Korea made a highly dubious claim to have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. In the following month, the North resumed freight train service with China, its biggest trading partner and economic pipeline, but much of its restrictions on border crossings by individuals have remained in effect.

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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

North Korea travel advice

Latest updates: Editorial change

Last updated: June 5, 2024 06:24 ET

On this page

Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, north korea - avoid all travel.

There is no resident Canadian government office in the country. The ability of Canadian officials to provide consular assistance in North Korea is extremely limited.

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Safety information

Canadian (and Swedish) authorities may encounter major difficulties and delays in obtaining consular access to you if you are detained, particularly outside of Pyongyang. The provision of consular access is solely at the discretion of the North Korean government. Knowledge of North Korean police and judicial systems is limited, which may further affect our ability to provide assistance to you.

Tourist facilities are minimal and telecommunications are unreliable. Individual tourism can be arranged only through a handful of North Korean government-approved travel agencies. Travel must be authorized in advance by the government. Travellers are closely observed, and their accommodations and telecommunications are monitored.

There are serious shortages of food, electricity and clean water.

You have no right to privacy. Your movements and communications may be under surveillance at any time. Your personal belongings may be searched, and authorities may review the contents stored on your electronic devices.

Register with the Embassy of Canada to South Korea in Seoul and with the Embassy of Sweden in Pyongyang.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula can escalate with little notice. They may increase before, during and after North Korean nuclear and missile tests, military exercises and incidents such as inter-Korean border skirmishes or other incidents that one or the other side finds offensive. Due to very limited access to international media broadcasts in North Korea, you may be taken by surprise by events that could affect your security.

The crime rate is low. Petty crime occurs, especially at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

Road safety

Travel within North Korea is severely restricted. Transportation is usually provided by local tour representatives or authorities. Major highways are in good condition, while rural roads can be hazardous. Police checkpoints, usually located at the entry to towns, may require that travellers provide documentation before onward travel is permitted.

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the North Korean authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave North Korea.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Canadians must have a visa to enter North Korea. You can obtain a visa from a North Korean mission in a third country after approval from the government in Pyongyang. The process for obtaining visas can be extremely slow and arduous.

Canadians arriving without a valid Canadian passport and visa may be detained, arrested, fined or denied entry.

Professional journalists must apply for special permission to visit North Korea and may not enter the country on a tourist visa, even if they are travelling for personal reasons.

Tourist visa: required Business visa: required Student visa: required

Other entry information

Foreigners can enter North Korea either by air or by train. It is not possible to enter North Korea from South Korea or to enter South Korea from North Korea.

Even if you meet all entry requirements, you may be arbitrarily arrested and/or detained at your point of entry.

Dual citizenship

If you are a Korean citizen or have family ties with North Korea, you should carefully consider your decision to visit. Authorities periodically subject dual citizens and children of former Koreans to certain laws and obligations.

Canadians who also have South Korean citizenship must obtain approval from South Korean authorities for travel to North Korea. For more information, contact the Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea in Seoul, South Korea.

Unauthorized points of entry

Foreigners have been detained, and in one instance shot, for entering the country at unauthorized points. Ensure that you stay within permitted zones and strictly follow North Korea’s procedures and protocols.

• Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre

* It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that can cause swelling of the brain.  It is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Risk is very low for most travellers. Travellers at relatively higher risk may want to consider vaccination for JE prior to travelling.

Travellers are at higher risk if they will be:

• travelling long term (e.g. more than 30 days)
• making multiple trips to endemic areas
• staying for extended periods in rural areas
• visiting an area suffering a JE outbreak
• engaging in activities involving high contact with mosquitos (e.g., entomologists)

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes.   Limited malaria transmission may occur in this destination, but risk to travellers is very low.    Antimalarial medication is not recommended for most travellers. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving.    Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times: 

• Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.
• Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows.
• Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.
• Wear permethrin-treated clothing. 

If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living. 

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

• In this country, risk of  dengue  is sporadic. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
• Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
• The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
• Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue fever.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

Medical services and facilities

The level of medical services and facilities is poor. Hospitals often lack heat and medicine, and suffer from frequent power outages. Immediate payment in cash is expected for treatment. Pyongyang Friendship Hospital, in the Munsu-dong district of Pyongyang, is staffed by English-speaking professionals. If possible, avoid undergoing surgery. Medical evacuations are very difficult to arrange and are not guaranteed. You should take this into account prior to travel if you have an unstable medical condition. If you show symptoms of a serious communicable disease, you may be subject to strict quarantine conditions.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

North Korea is under international and Canadian sanctions . These sanctions could be relevant to and affect your travel.

Foreigners must register through their host organization within 24 hours of arrival in the country.

You must be accompanied by an official guide at all times. Follow all instructions from your guide. Unauthorized conversations with locals or currency exchange, as well as making a purchase in a store not designated for foreigners, could lead to fines or arrest.

Foreigners are prohibited from using public buses or the subway.

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Import and exports

Importation of satellite telephones and shortwave radios is prohibited. Such items are confiscated upon entry and usually returned upon departure.

The import and export of local currency is prohibited.

Authorities may seize any material that they deem to be pornographic, political or intended for religious proselytizing. If you plan to bring material written in the Korean language, ensure that it will not be interpreted by local authorities as being against the interests of the North Korean regime.

Involvement in politics and unsanctioned religious activity can result in detention.

Photography of airports, roads, bridges, seaports and rail stations is prohibited. Any pictures or video taken outside of tourist areas could result in confiscation of equipment or detention. Seek permission from your tour guide before taking photographs.

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in North Korea.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of North Korea, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and North Korea.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in North Korea by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in North Korea to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

Ensure that you are not seen to be critical of the country’s political system or its current and former leaders Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-Sung and their family members.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

North Korean law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex. However, homosexuality is not widely accepted in North Korean society.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers have experienced harassment and verbal abuse.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

The currency is North Korean won (KPW). Cash is the most accepted form of payment. Foreigners are expected to use the Euro or, alternatively, the Chinese renminbi or U.S. dollar. Change in foreign currency is often unavailable. Banking facilities are limited. There are no ATMs. Some hotels accept credit cards, if you give them advance notice.

The rainy (monsoon) season extends from the end of June until August. Typhoons occur in August and September.

Severe rainstorms can cause flooding and landslides, which in turn can result in significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, as well as hamper the provision of essential services. North Korea is also prone to drought. Keep informed of regional weather forecasts, avoid disaster areas and follow the advice of local authorities.

Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons

Local services

There is no centralized number to reach emergency services. Research and carry contact information for local police and medical facilities.

Consular assistance

There is no resident Canadian government office in North Korea. You can obtain consular assistance from the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang.

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada in South Korea and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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North Korea

Safety and security.

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. You should remain vigilant at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad .

Terrorism in North Korea

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in North Korea, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Political situation

The level of tension on the Korean peninsula has remained high since 2017 when North Korea began a series of nuclear and missile tests. A halt in nuclear testing and ballistic missile tests, announced in April 2018, came to an end in May 2019, when the North and South Korean governments temporarily restored direct contact. North Korea and the United States also restored contact at this time.

North Korea resumed missile tests in 2019, after the breakdown of the Hanoi Summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un. North Korea has tested ballistic missiles frequently since 2019.

In the past, similar periods of diplomatic engagement have not lasted. This has led to further missile or nuclear tests and a return to instability in the region. Tensions usually rise around the time of South Korean-US military exercises, often held in the spring and autumn.

Crime against foreigners in North Korea is rare. Take sensible precautions to protect your belongings.

Fire safety

Levels of fire safety awareness may be low. You may wish to check hotel fire procedures or consult your tour operator.

Laws and cultural differences

Insults or jokes about the North Korean political system and its leadership are severely frowned upon. Foreigners have sometimes found themselves in trouble for not paying what was deemed to be a sufficient level of respect, including not treating images of the leader with care.

In recent years, the North Korean authorities have arrested some visitors on various or unspecified grounds, including 4 US citizens and 1 Canadian. Some have faced public trials.

In 2016 a US national was sentenced to 15 years hard labour after a conviction for crimes against the state. He was found to have attempted to steal a political banner from the staff quarters of a tourist hotel. When he was released in 2017, he was in a coma and died soon after his return to the US.

Public offences

Offences that would be considered trivial in other countries can incur very severe penalties in North Korea, particularly actions the authorities deem to be disrespectful towards the North Korean leadership or government.

Using cameras and binoculars

Ask permission before taking photographs. Avoid taking photographs of North Korean officials or guarded buildings.

LGBT+ travellers

Although there’s no specific legislation outlawing same sex relationships in North Korea, these are considered unacceptable by the authorities.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .

Travel outside Pyongyang

Foreigners living in Pyongyang are usually able to travel within the city, but will often require permission for travel outside Pyongyang.

Travel for visitors within North Korea is severely restricted. Whether you are visiting on business or as a tourist, a guide will almost always accompany you. The guide will decide where you can go. It is your guide’s responsibility to get permission to travel outside Pyongyang. Military checkpoints at the entry and exit to all towns usually include ID checks.

In 2008 guards shot and killed a South Korean tourist who strayed into a restricted military area. Remain in permitted areas and move away immediately if asked to do so by North Korean officials.

Transport risks

Road travel.

You can get taxis from hotels or outside department stores, but they will be reluctant to take you without a local guide or interpreter. Foreigners are not generally allowed on public transport.

International driving permits are not valid in North Korea. Foreigners living in North Korea must get a local driving licence by passing a local driving test. You should take extra care when driving, as roads are often of poor quality with frequent hazards, and pedestrian road safety awareness is low.

See more information on driving abroad .

Most travellers enter North Korea on direct flights from Beijing to Pyongyang operated by the North Korean national airline Air Koryo or Air China.

The UK Air Safety List (ASL) has banned Air Koryo from operating commercial air services to the UK, with the exception of 2 Tupolev Tu204 aircraft. The Department for Transport maintains the list, based on advice from the UK Civil Aviation Authority .

Incidents reported in July 2016 and May 2017 involving Air Koryo flights highlight the lack of official information about Air Koryo’s safety record and standards.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

Flooding is common in the rainy season (July to August). This can disrupt travel especially to rural areas. Check that routes are passable before setting out on long journeys.

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South Korea Residents on Border With North Fear Spike in Tensions

Yoon Seol-hyun, who runs a guesthouse near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, rests before an interview with Reuters in Paju, South Korea, June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Hyunyoung Yi

By Hyun Young Yi and Hyunsu Yim

PAJU, South Korea (Reuters) - When North Korea sent hundreds of balloons carrying trash over the border to South Korea last week, the move sparked emergency alerts and round-the-clock media coverage in its neighbour.

But while many South Koreans likely did not linger for too long on the incident, for residents living near the heavily fortified border, it was just the latest in a worrying rise in tensions between the Koreas.

"Some people consider it a problem for someone else's neighbourhood," said Yoon Seol-hyun, who owns a guesthouse and a travel agency in the border town of Paju, urging all South Koreans to pay attention and help do more to calm the situation.

Friction has been increasing as the South responded to the balloons by resuming military activities along the demarcation line. Seoul has not ruled out the return of loudspeakers to blast propaganda at the border with the North.

The border area is popular with local and foreign tourists keen to take a peek at the isolated North, but Yoon said his business in Paju, which is about 35 km (22 miles) north of the capital Seoul, had been hurt by the rise in tensions.

No Hyun-ki, 60, another Paju resident, is also worried about the recent tit-for-tat retaliation between the Koreas.

"Then there's no choice... but to have a sense of fear that North Korea's artillery might fly towards this place," said No, describing Paju as "the tensest city".

The two Koreas remain technically at war since an armistice agreement ended fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Their militaries face off across the inter-Korean border and North Korea has deployed missiles and rockets aimed at the South and routinely threatens to annihilate its neighbour.

North Korea has said it will suspend sending trash balloons but vowed to resume the practice if leaflets critical of the country were flown from the South again.

Nonetheless, North Korean defector and activist Park Sang-hak has vowed to keep sending balloons carrying anti-North Korean leaflets unless the North's leader Kim Jong Un apologises for his "wrongdoings".

Park could not immediately be reached for comment, but a statement on his civic group's website said it had sent 20 balloons carrying 300,000 leaflets and 2,000 USB cards containing K-pop and Korean dramas into the North in early May.

South Korea's Unification Ministry which handles relations with the North said in a statement it was monitoring the issue of sending leaflets over the border, though noted that the practice was protected by freedom of speech.

Sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border has been controversial in South Korea, prompting at times clashes between activists and residents in border towns over the years.

"What residents in Paju will like such actions that escalate tensions?" said Yoon, who said he works with other locals to try to block balloon launches.

(Reporting by Hyun Young Yi and Dogyun Kim in Paju, and Hyunsu Yim in Seoul; Editing by Ed Davies and Alex Richardson)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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North Korea on Monday launched a missile into the sea, Japan and South Korea said, hours after North Korea announced plans to put a rocket into orbit apparently carrying its second military reconnaissance satellite.

North Korea had earlier notified Japan's coast guard about its plans to launch “a satellite rocket” during a launch window from Monday through June 3.

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Nicolas Levi is a senior researcher at the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the  Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He is the author of eight books related to North Korea and a consultant on Korean issues for international organizations. You can follow him on Twitter.

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After Trump’s Conviction, a Wary World Waits for the Fallout

Already braced for uncertainty about the U.S. election, countries in Europe and Asia are now even more unclear about the future of American diplomacy.

• Share full article

By Hannah Beech and Paul Sonne

• May 31, 2024

The world does not vote in American presidential elections. Nor do its jurors play a part in the American judicial system. Nevertheless, the conviction of Donald J. Trump on all 34 felony counts in a hush-money trial in a New York court on Thursday has again made clear how consequential what happens in the United States is for the rest of the planet.

Many America-watchers are grappling with the same questions posed by people in the United States: Can Mr. Trump still run for president? (Yes.) And if so, will the guilty verdicts cut into the support from his political base? (Unclear.)

Foreign observers also began wondering if Mr. Trump, already a volatile force, would become even less likely to stay within the guardrails of normal politics and diplomacy if he won the presidency again in November.

Mr. Trump’s supporters in anti-immigrant, right-wing nationalist circles abroad quickly jumped to his defense. Viktor Orban, Hungary’s Kremlin-friendly prime minister, called Mr. Trump “a man of honor” in a post on X and said the American people should deliver their own verdict in November.

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and the leader of the hard-right League party, expressed “solidarity and full support,” and called Mr. Trump a “victim of judicial harassment.”

“This verdict is a disgrace,” Nigel Farage, the pro-Brexit campaigner and Trump supporter, who is honorary president of Reform UK, a small right-wing party in Britain, wrote on social media. “Trump will now win big.”

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia did not immediately respond to the verdict but has seized on the situation more broadly to undermine American influence. Mr. Putin last year called the various proceedings against Mr. Trump political “ persecution ” and said they had revealed the “rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others about democracy.”

His spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, reiterated the point on Friday in response to the verdict, saying it was clear to the entire world that the U.S. authorities were trying to eliminate political rivals “by all possible legal and illegal means.”

The convictions by a Manhattan jury come as the question of American engagement has become central in several global crises.

In Ukraine, the war effort against Russia has been stymied after Republicans in Congress delayed American military aid for months.

In Europe, leaders reliant on the United States for their defense are jittery about a return to a more acrimonious relationship with Washington and a possible withdrawal of American support for hardening defenses against Russia.

In Asia, where the Biden administration perceives a growing Chinese threat and worries about a possible invasion of Taiwan, American allies are concerned about the sanctity of defense treaties that have long girded the regional security order.

On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump has said he would encourage Russia to attack any NATO member that doesn’t pay sufficiently for its defense and has questioned whether the United States should defend South Korea, a treaty ally that hosts a large American military presence. He is considering the Ohio senator J.D. Vance, one of Washington’s most vociferous opponents of military aid for Ukraine, as a possible running mate.

Foreign analysts worry that Mr. Trump’s favored currency, unpredictability, could again shake up the global order.

Concern about his possible return to the White House is particularly palpable in Germany, the object of Mr. Trump’s ire for much of his first term and the host of more than 35,000 U.S. troops.

Andrea Römmele, vice president of the Hertie School, a public policy-focused graduate school in Berlin, said many Germans watching the Trump verdict were relieved to see that even a former president was not above the law in the United States. But she said Germans remained very anxious about a Trump victory.

“I think everyone is much more prepared to think the unthinkable,” she said.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, whose right-wing domestic opponents accuse him of using the judiciary to settle political scores, hailed the conviction of Mr. Trump in New York as “an American lesson” for Polish politicians.

“The law determines guilt and punishment, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a president or a minister,” Mr. Tusk said in a message posted on X. A veteran centrist, Mr. Tusk took office after an October election that ousted a nationalist government that cultivated close ties with Mr. Trump during and after his time in the White House.

Still, on Friday, most foreign governments, forced to surf every shift in the American political mood, reacted cautiously.

“I would like to refrain from commenting on matters related to judicial procedures in other countries,” Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said at a news conference in Tokyo on Friday.

In Britain, where a national election campaign is underway, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to discuss the Trump case. His Labour Party opponent, Keir Starmer, a former top prosecutor, said he respected the court’s decision and called the situation unprecedented.

“Ultimately whether he is elected president will be a matter for the American people and obviously, if we’re privileged to come in to serve, we would work with whoever they choose as their president,” Mr. Starmer told BBC Radio Scotland.

Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, declined to comment on the verdict. She said she hoped whoever was elected president would “be committed to developing healthy and stable China-U. S. relations.”

The possibility of Mr. Trump’s return to the White House is a source of anxiety for U.S. allies in Asia that rely on Washington for their defense.

When Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan made a state visit to Washington in April, President Biden called relations between the countries the most important bilateral alliance in the world. With American concern rising over China’s expanding military footprint, Mr. Biden has strengthened American defense partnerships with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and others in Asia.

By contrast, while president, Mr. Trump called for Japan, which hosts more than 50,000 American troops on its soil, to pay $8 billion for the upkeep of American bases there. (It never happened.)

Still, the fundamental tension in regional geopolitics — the contest between the United States and China — will continue no matter who wins the American presidential election.

“Beijing has no illusion about Trump or Biden, given their anti-China solid stance,” said Lau Siu-kai, an adviser to the Chinese government on Hong Kong policy. “Beijing is all set for a more intense confrontation with the U.S. over technology, trade and Taiwan.”

Officials in China’s embassy in the United States and its consulates around the country are most likely scrambling to assess how the verdict could affect the election, said Willy Lam, an analyst of Chinese politics at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington.

“The majority of Xi Jinping’s advisers now think a Trump presidency might be worse for U.S.-China relations,” Mr. Lam said of China’s top leader. “If Trump were to win, given the now peculiar circumstances of his victory, he might gravitate towards unpredictable actions to assert his authority.”

There is a sense in Asia that the region is perennially overlooked and underappreciated by U.S. presidents, particularly as crises in Europe and the Middle East have monopolized Mr. Biden’s attention. That sentiment was also felt acutely during Mr. Trump’s presidency, and for American partners in Asia it was made worse by his affinity for regional strongmen.

In addition to occasional expressions of admiration for Mr. Putin and Kim Jong-un of North Korea, Mr. Trump invited to the White House a former army chief who led a coup in Thailand and installed himself as prime minister. Mr. Trump drew accolades from Rodrigo Duterte, formerly the president of the Philippines and now under investigation by the International Criminal Court over his deadly war on drugs.

The Philippines is now led by the son of the longtime dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, who died in exile in Hawaii. He has reoriented the country away from China back toward the United States.

In at least one regard — the prosecution of former leaders — the rest of the world is far ahead of the United States. South Korea, where four former presidents have been convicted of corruption and abuse of power, has made something of a national sport of imprisoning disgraced leaders. The former French presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac were convicted of corruption.

Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa, has been charged with money laundering, among other crimes. And Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sentenced to years in prison for corruption after leading Brazil. His convictions were eventually annulled. He is again president of the country.

Reporting was contributed by Stephen Castle, Elisabetta Povoledo, Roger Cohen, Zixu Wang, Andrew Higgins, Camille Elemia , Choe Sang-Hun , Motoko Rich , Alexandra Stevenson , Sui-Lee Wee and Sameer Yasir .

An earlier version of this article misstated the length of Rodrigo Duterte’s term in office. It was six years, not eight years.

How we handle corrections

Hannah Beech is a Times reporter based in Bangkok who has been covering Asia for more than 25 years. She focuses on in-depth and investigative stories. More about Hannah Beech

Paul Sonne is an international correspondent, focusing on Russia and the varied impacts of President Vladimir V. Putin’s domestic and foreign policies, with a focus on the war against Ukraine. More about Paul Sonne

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

Guilty Verdict : Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 counts  of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that threatened his bid for the White House in 2016, making him the first American president to be declared a felon .

What Happens Next: Trump’s sentencing hearing on July 11 will trigger a long and winding appeals process , though he has few ways to overturn the decision .

Reactions: Trump’s conviction reverberated quickly across the country  and around the world . Here’s what voters , New Yorkers , Republicans , Trump supporters  and President Biden  had to say.

The Presidential Race : The political fallout of Trump’s conviction is far from certain , but the verdict will test America’s traditions, legal institutions and ability to hold an election under historic partisan tension .

Making the Case: Over six weeks and the testimony of 20 witnesses, the Manhattan district attorney’s office wove a sprawling story  of election interference and falsified business records.

Legal Luck Runs Out: The four criminal cases that threatened Trump’s freedom had been stumbling along, pleasing his advisers. Then his good fortune expired .

As Joe Biden marks D-Day anniversary, he faces a world again embroiled in conflict

President joe biden was influenced by the events of world war ii – from pearl harbor to normandy. they have shaped his role as a statesman..

PARIS − The war that engulfed Europe had already been raging for three years when Joe Biden was born on Nov. 20, 1942.

The kid from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was just a baby when Allied forces descended upon France by air, land and sea in an extraordinary demonstration of military might.

Before it was over, the United States would send more than 16 million of its men – roughly a third of those eligible for combat – to fight the Nazis, build the world’s top arms supply and liberate concentration camps where millions of Jews were facing utter extermination.

Biden and other people of his generation would grow up hearing stories of the brave men who had fought and faced death on the other side of the Atlantic. People like his uncle Ambrose J. Finnegan, who disappeared somewhere off the north coast of New Guinea.

All in the name of freedom.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

For the rest of his life, Biden’s view of the world and the United States would be shaped by the events of World War II and by the heroism of the men and women who were part of what is now known as “the Greatest Generation.”

For him and other Americans of a certain age, World War II served as a collective moral compass and defined what the nation could – and should – be. America’s role in the war is so deeply ingrained in the public psyche that it is still celebrated in books, on film and at events like this week’s ceremonies in France marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

“We’re all products of our environment − we’re products of how we were raised,” said former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who served alongside Biden in the Senate. “President Biden is no different from the rest of us. His perceptions of the world and in particular foreign affairs – government and the responsibilities of leadership – were very much honed by a post-World War II Europe.”

But nearly eight decades after the war ended, those beliefs are again under attack by forces abroad and at home.

Ukraine is fighting for survival after it was invaded by Russia in the largest incursion of a European country since World War II. Israel, formed after the war to establish a homeland for the Jewish people, is engaged in a deadly conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. And in the United States, the most basic tenet of democracy – the free election – is under assault by supporters of former President Donald Trump, who falsely claims the race he lost to Biden in 2020 was rigged against him.

Biden will offer more than reflections on a war that ended eight decades ago when he heads to Normandy on Thursday. He is expected to double down on his support of NATO and again insist the U.S. and its allies are strongest when they stand together, like they did 80 years ago. But maybe even more significant is what he will say about the future.

The man with a political career spanning five decades – and who has served as senator, vice president and president – will stand on the hallowed ground where more than 9,000 of the nation’s fallen soldiers forever rest and urge Americans to again meet the moment.

He will issue a call to action.

'An incredible education'

The war in Europe taught Biden that the world was big and small.

Big in the sense that things like war often unfolded in lands that seemed so far away. Small in the sense that what happened on the other side of the ocean could still hit close to home.

“He grew up at a kitchen table in Scranton with parents who really instilled in him tremendous respect for members of the military and a profound understanding of the sacrifices made by men and women of our armed forces,” said Jeff Peck, who was an aide to Biden through several phases of his political career.

In 1973, Biden entered Congress as a senator from Delaware. Just two years later, he landed a slot on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a rare position for someone who was still considered a freshman legislator.

Just 33 at the time, Biden had little foreign policy experience. Even so, he was already getting to know world leaders and issues, not only in Europe, but in other countries as well, he wrote in his 2007 memoir, “Promises To Keep: On Life and Politics.”

Before joining the committee, Biden had traveled to Europe in 1974 with Sen. Hubert Humphrey, a Minnesota Democrat who had been the party’s presidential nominee. On that trip, he met British and European parliamentarians who would go on to become leaders of their own countries.

His work would take him abroad many other times through the years and would result in meetings with other foreign leaders, such as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir and Xi Jinping of China, who now is the country’s president.

“He got an incredible education,” said Ted Kaufman, who was Biden’s chief of staff when he was in the Senate.

Biden has often told the story about an eye-opening encounter with Meir, who grew up in Milwaukee, worked to help establish the Jewish state after the war and later led her country through a turbulent period in the early 1970s. Biden has called the meeting “one of the most consequential” he has ever had. It took place in Israel, about five weeks before the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria.

Though Biden has told variations of the story, most of the key details have been consistent. As they sat in Meir’s office, Biden recalled during another trip to Tel Aviv last October, Israel’s first and only female prime minister flipped through maps and painted a dark picture of the security situation in the Middle East. Later, after they walked out of her office and posed for photographers, Meir remarked that Biden looked worried.

“Don’t worry, senator, we Israelis have a secret weapon,” Biden recalled her saying. “We have nowhere else to go.”

The remark was a revelation for Biden, who has always been keenly interested in history. On his early trips overseas, Kaufman said, Biden always took along history books. Spending time with foreign leaders greatly affected his views about foreign policy, “not just about his experience with history and what he knows about it, but what he has learned about history and learned about the personalities,” Kaufman said.

Hagel, who later served on the committee and traveled the world with Biden, recalled that Biden took a similar approach whenever they went overseas. Whether they were heading to Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan or somewhere else, Biden would spend hours prepping, Hagel said.

During committee meetings or briefings, Biden would remain in the room long after all other committee members had departed, Hagel said. He would sometimes question a witness for three or four hours. “He wasn’t beating up on a witness – he never did that,” Hagel said. “He was very respectful. But he wanted to learn more every time.”

Biden, who would remain on the committee for years and later serve as its chairman, was an incessant note taker, Hagel said. “He took notes all the time, on everything,” he said. “I never saw another senator do it quite like that. … He didn’t leave it up to one of his top assistants. He did it.”

'A very dangerous world'

 Inside the paneled walls of the White House situation room, the nation’s top political and military leaders deliberated over what to do about Afghanistan.

The United States had been at war with al-Qaida in Afghanistan’s rugged, mountainous terrain for over a decade after the group’s 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington. Gathered for the meeting on the West Wing ground floor were President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen, CIA Director Leon Panetta – and Biden, who was now vice president.

The discussion, which Panetta said happened in 2010 or 2011, eventually turned to whether the U.S. should boost its troop presence in Afghanistan. Biden spoke up. The most effective way to go after the enemy, Panetta remembers him saying, would be to target al-Qaida’s leaders.

“That resonated with a lot of people,” Panetta recalled. “It certainly resonated with me because I was involved in leading that effort.”

Biden’s response demonstrated his ability to get to the heart of complicated issues and help others see things more clearly, Panetta said. In almost every national security meeting he attended, Panetta said, Biden was often the voice that reminded everyone of America’s history and what it had been through.

“He could speak to that,” Panetta said, “because he lived it – the role the United State has played in terms of world policy.”

Biden would always remind people that, in the end, the United States had to be a leader “and had to work with our allies closely to make sure we were providing the kind of leadership essential to deal with the adversaries we were confronting.”

It was a lesson learned from World War II – and one that still resonates today. 

“We’re living in a very dangerous world, with a lot of flash points,” Panetta said. “Probably more flash points than I've seen since World War II. From Russia, China, North Korea, Iran – from terrorism. And to deal with that kind of world requires that the United States be a world leader. If the United States isn't a world leader, nobody else will be.”

'Global peace, security and prosperity'

A flag-waving crowd of thousands gathered in the gardens of Warsaw’s Royal Castle, which had once served as home of Polish monarchs. The palace, in ruins after the Nazis bombed and destroyed it during World War II, had been meticulously rebuilt decades later and turned into a state museum.

On this day, Feb. 21, 2023, Biden, now president, had chosen the castle gardens to rally NATO allies in defense of Ukraine just days ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. A day earlier, he had made an unannounced trip to Kyiv and promised to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Back in Warsaw, Biden warned that Russia’s invasion had amounted to a test for the entire world. But the U.S.-led coalition of allies that had banded together to back Ukraine had stood firm and would continue to stand guard over freedom, he said, because the “appetites of the autocrat cannot be appeased. They must be opposed.”

It was a line that could easily have been delivered in 1943.

Growing up after the war, Biden is acutely aware of the parallels between what happened eight decades ago in Europe and what is happening today in Ukraine, Peck said. Adolf Hitler’s desire to make Nazism the dominant form of government around the world is eerily similar to what Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to do in Ukraine, he said.

“It was a coalition of allies that defeated the Germans, and it’s a coalition of allies that’s standing firm with Ukraine to defeat Putin,” Peck said. “Joe Biden understands both ends of that historical spectrum.”

Jon Finer, one of Biden’s top national security advisers at the White House, said Biden remains a firm believer in the system put in place after the war to maintain international peace. Biden believes organizations like NATO have demonstrated they are “a force for security and prosperity of the wider world” and have “stood the test of time,” Finer said.

“This president is one who starts from the perspective that this stuff is fundamentally important to global peace, security and prosperity,” Finer said. At the same time, in an era when technology and the world are in a state of rapid change, Biden believes “institutions have to evolve to seize that moment” and be prepared “to deal with the challenges of today, not just the challenges of yesterday.”

Back home, Biden is facing challenges on multiple fronts.

His support of Israel in its war against Hamas has wounded him politically in the middle of a tough re-election battle with Trump. The Democratic Party’s left flank, furious over how his administration has managed the war and the humanitarian crisis it has created in Gaza, has pummeled Biden over his refusal to demand an immediate cease-fire. Biden is pushing an Israeli-proposed cease-fire and hostage release plan, but he has refused to back away from his support of America's longtime ally.

Besides Israel, Biden has had to battle the Republican-led Congress for more Ukraine funding. He also continues to sound the alarm that democracy is in peril after the attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, and after Trump’s vow to be a dictator on “day one” if voters return him to office.

Answering the call

Biden’s visit Thursday to the hilltop overlooking the Normandy beaches where Allied troops landed on D-Day will be a tribute to the men whose bravery helped end the bloody campaign of an oppressor.

As he looks onto the crowd of centenarians and their families to celebrate the victories of the past, he’ll also nod to the challenges of the present.

At its heart, his message will be the same as it was then.

What is America? Who are we going to be?

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @mcollinsNEWS.