Obey laws in North Korea

The US Department of State issued a reminder that travel by US citizens to North Korea (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK) is not routine. Since January 2009, four US citizens have been arrested for entering North Korea illegally, and two who entered on valid DPRK visas were arrested inside North Korea on other charges. 

Foreign visitors may be fined heavily, arrested, detained or expelled for activities that would not be considered criminal outside North Korea. These include involvement in unsanctioned religious and/or political activities (whether those activities took place inside or outside North Korea), unauthorized travel or unauthorized interaction with the local population. 

Authorities may fine or arrest travelers for exchanging currency with an unauthorized vendor, for taking unauthorized photographs or for shopping at stores not designated for foreigners. It is a criminal act in North Korea to show disrespect to the country’s former leaders, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, or to the current leader, Kim Jong Un.

If North Korean authorities permit you to keep your cell phone upon entry, assume that your communications are monitored. It is a criminal act to bring printed or electronic media criticizing the DPRK government into the country. If you bring electronic media, including USB drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs or laptops, into North Korea, assume that the authorities will review the information on those devices. Sentences for crimes can include years of detention in hard labor camps or death.