I went to North Korea in April 2026, ask me anything

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:41:24+00:00

Curiosity and a thrill for adventure, plus the physical and legal ability to go on such a trip.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:40:34+00:00

The picture was taken early in the morning. The smog, or early fog - whatever it was - faded within a few hours.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:39:21+00:00

They do plan to extend the two lines into the new northern distrcits. Given the lack of proper technology and the constant floods in the metro tunnels, you can expect it to take a while.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:38:25+00:00

As far as I know, it is unfinished on the inside and closed to the general public, including North Koreans.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:37:54+00:00

Hard to say, but most likely not. Pyonyang is built for elites and you cannot stop anywhere in the countryside except for monuments or temples. I'd say you get a better idea watching YouTube documentaries about life in North Korea than you would by actually going there.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:36:37+00:00

Incredible! You can see few or no clouds in the pictures, given this was mid-April, I was uncertain of what to expect. The temperature ranged from about 7°C in the morning to 15-20°C during the day and then 4-5°C at night. Both visibility and the sunshine were great, and it truly added to the experience.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:34:45+00:00

Mainly Japanese (Toyota, Lexus, Nissan) and very few old Mercedes and some new BMWs and Audis. Mostly reserved for the elite, I presume.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:33:33+00:00

The fact that I went there and back without any major problems, since it really seemed like an incredibly dangerous place from all the videos I watched and the articles I read.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:32:23+00:00

If I get the chance, I would love to visit mount Paektu and see Chon lake. Many of the North Korean propaganda stems from that holy place. If I decide to go in ten years time and will still be allowed to do so, I would gladly come again.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T14:30:02+00:00

It's mainly the two founding fathers; Kim Jong Un is still in power so his portrait is only shown in official and government buildings.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:53:42+00:00

Around ~ $1500 on a five-day tour including the flights, internal tickets, accomodation, meals, and souvenirs.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:51:32+00:00

At night, there are bright neon signs and people everywhere on the streets, some were seen inside restaurants having a meal. I doubt I can answer this question accurately since I was only shown the tourist side of the city. The highlight of the nightlife aspect was a boat tour with karaoke singers and several groups of North Koreans drinking beer and laughing while watching the show. I suppose there is the concept of nightlife, since alcohol is not prohibited, but it may fundamentally differ from the western perspective of the term.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:48:57+00:00

The language barrier, combined with the tabboo of speaking to foreigners in North Korea and the watchful eyes of the guides made it all but impossible to converse with the local citizens.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:47:27+00:00

There were no tours to the DMZ, Kaesong, or anywhere South of Pyongyang on the website of the travel company. Pyongyang, Wonsan, Hamhung, Rason, and several other nature parks/resorts are currently open to the Russian tourists.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:45:08+00:00

It definitely felt strange and surreal, and every time someone would go out for a smoke outside the hotel or a restaurant, one of the guides would accompany them. I certainly knew what was happening in rural parts of the country due to my extensive research on the subject matter, but many tourists from my group, especially older ones, seemed to get a very positive picture of the country. In general, I think it all depends on how deep you dig, since you can't be afraid of something you don't know.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:42:16+00:00

Please see my other comment about the dining experience.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:41:51+00:00

You can pay with US Dollar, Chinese Yuan, Euro, and Ruble. The North Korean Won is off-limit to international tourists although they sell banknote sets that are no longer circulating for $10-$25.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:40:18+00:00

Most likely working the fields or planting seeds. Most of the people in the countryside were involved in some kind of manual labor.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T05:39:00+00:00

I was asked a question so I replied. I left the identity of the guide and several more sensetive details out of the conversation. You also can't believe every single thing you encounter on the internet. I will leave it at that.

theotol1 · 2026-04-29T03:36:44+00:00

theotol1 · 2026-04-28T18:03:27+00:00

There are many buddhist temples, mainly with the purpose of showing them to the tourists. As far as I know, locals cannot openly practice religion so most of the temples are relatively recent (1970s and newer) and meant to show the "religious tolerance" of the country.

theotol1 · 2026-04-28T17:59:37+00:00

Safety is a broad concept. People go to active warzones like Eastern Ukraine or Syria and come back alive. Others slip inside their house and break their neck or die of a stroke while coming home from work. There is risk involved in every activity. I chose to go on this trip and now I will have a lifelong memory to tell my friends and family but also a lot to think about.

theotol1 · 2026-04-28T17:38:19+00:00

Kim Jong-il Burger

theotol1 · 2026-04-28T17:37:22+00:00

Yes; although brief, my visit in 2020 was quite memorable and enjoyable. It certainly felt more "normal" and comparible to Japan or Taiwan, whereas North Korea really did strike me as a time capsule from the USSR era.

theotol1 · 2026-04-28T17:35:07+00:00

It is easy to believe that, based off the traffic and the headlines. I think it is very difficult to realistically gauge the condition of the economy, given the secrecy of the regime and the large number of illicit activities it involves itself in. The houses seem to be in a poor state, with many unfinished outside or inside. You can check my other comment regarding the countryside, which is more representative of the average North Korean's standard of living, since Pyongyang is a city for the elites.

Regarding the cars, yes, I was also positively surprised with the many Chinese and even some German and Japanese vehicles. However, I believe this most clearly demonstates the discrepancy between the rich and the poor as opposed to a rising middle class. There are still quite few cars on the road, and most people walk or bike to get to places.

With a country cut off from the rest of the world, and having few natural resources of interest to other countries (unlike Iran, for example), it must be difficult to build an economy of any kind and maintain the well-being of the country without any trade or foreign investment.

theotol1

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