Inside North Korea: Unveiling the Enigmatic Desires of Tourists

Contrary to popular belief, not all tourists may visit North Korea in search of lucrative fantasies or crazy adventures.

“For many well-traveled and well-educated tourists, North Korea represents a chance to experience the “real” North Korea. By engaging with “ordinary” residents and learning about the country’s “normal” aspects, these visitors are seeking authenticity and genuine experiences.”

Hold on to your hats, folks, because we’re about to take a ride on the wild side of North Korean tourism!

Despite what some naysayers might think, it’s true: people actually do visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) for some vacay time. Sure, it’s not as popular as, say, a trip to Bali, but it’s still a thing.

Now, if you’re imagining hordes of travelers flooding the streets of Pyongyang, you might want to dial it down a notch. In fact, most visitors to North Korea are Chinese, with around 350,000 adventurous souls making the journey in 2019 alone. And let’s not forget the small but mighty contingent of Westerners and other Asians — Filipinos, Singaporeans, Japanese, etc. — who also make the trek.

If you’re from South Korea, you might be thinking, “Hey, I’m just a hop, skip, and a jump away from my northern neighbors. Why not pay ’em a visit?” Well, Ihate to be the bearer of bad news, but South Korean tourists are currently banned from visiting North Korea. There used to be a good number of American tourists venturing into North Korea. But things changed after September 1, 2017, when the US government put in place a “Geographical Travel Restriction” forbidding its citizens from visiting the country unless they have special permission in “extremely limited circumstances.”

And finally, for all you would-be North Korean tourists out there, I regret to inform you that the borders are currently closed to all foreign visitors thanks to the pesky ol’ COVID-19 pandemic.

Whoa there, hold your horses — a trip to North Korea may be no ordinary vacation. It’s a tightly controlled experience where you’re on a set tour package, managed entirely by the North Korean government. You can’t just wander the streets on your own and forget about snapping selfies or posting your pics on social media, because there are restrictions on smartphone use and internet access. It’s not exactly the kind of trip where you can go with the flow, but if you’re willing to play by the rules, you’ll get to see some sights.

So, what’s the deal? Why are people even bothering with this hassle-filled travel destination? Let’s find out.

Now, I gotta admit, there’s not a ton of research out there on tourism in North Korea. But fear not, dear readers, because I’ve dug up some juicy tidbits for you:

Fantasy vs. Reality

First up, I’ve got Drs. Dorina Maria Buda and David Shim from the University of Groningen explored the experiences of Western tourists in North Korea. According to their findings, these brave souls were drawn to the country’s reputation as the most “dangerous,” “reclusive,” and “secretive” place on earth. Whoa, tourists in North Korea must be seriously into some wild and wacky stuff. They’re tapping into their desire for fantasy to imagine all sorts of forbidden and dangerous adventures. Yup, you read that right — they were seeking out the darkness! Some might even call it “dark tourism.” But hey, who are we to judge?

But wait, there’s another side to this story. Drs. John Connell from the University of Sydney argues that it’s not all about seeking out danger and darkness. In fact, he says that for many well-traveled and well-educated tourists, North Korea represents a chance to experience the “real” North Korea. By engaging with “ordinary” residents and learning about the country’s “normal” aspects, these visitors are seeking authenticity and genuine experiences. And get this — repeat tourists (who make up a whopping 50% of all visitors to North Korea) are particularly interested in this aspect of the country.

“Meanwhile, my research team from Hanyang University and I found that potential Korean tourists also feel a sense of nostalgia when it comes to North Korea.”

Nostalgia

Some researchers have dug deeper into the motivations behind North Korean tourism. Drs. Sam Li and Chris Ryan found that nostalgia plays a big role for Chinese tourists, who are drawn to the country due to personal backgrounds or historical events. Meanwhile, my research team from Hanyang University and I found that potential Korean tourists also feel a sense of nostalgia when it comes to North Korea.

Humanitarian and faith-based tourists

If you’re into humanitarian causes or faith-based organizations, you might find that North Korea is surprisingly accommodating. Drs. Joseph Yi and Joe Phillips discovered that these types of visitors are actually tolerated and even protected by the regime. This means they can have a more personal engagement with local societies and residents.

Travel risks in North Korea

The big question on everyone’s mind when it comes to tourism in North Korea is, “Is it safe or not?” North Korea is a hotly debated topic when it comes to travel safety. It’s no secret that tourism can be affected by natural disasters or political crises, and this holds true for North Korea. In fact, the US government imposed a travel ban on citizens visiting North Korea (unless special permission is granted) after the tragic death of Otto Warmbier, an American student who was arrested for displaying a propaganda poster in a hotel in Pyongyang. And South Korea even suspended all tourism to North Korea after a female tourist was shot by a North Korean soldier in 2008. Even Chinese tourists have shied away from North Korea after sanctions were imposed on the country in 2006.

But it’s not just the political climate that can make tourists feel uneasy. There are concerns about the quality of tours and facilities, physical health, and even negative social perceptions. And let’s not forget how the media portrays North Korea as unwelcoming to tourists from liberal societies, making it seem like a strange and low-quality destination.

• Wangoo Lee, the author, is an expert in the field of travel and hospitality experiences, including understanding how tourists perceive risks and experience historical nostalgia while visiting North Korea.