The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all but essential travel to North Korea (DPRK)

It is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the FCDO’s guidance on foreign travel insurance.

Few British people visit North Korea. Those that do are usually part of an organised tour. If you decide to visit North Korea, follow the advice of your tour group and the local authorities. Failure to do so could put your personal safety at risk.

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. A Japanese national visiting North Korea, as part of an organised tour group, was detained on 5 August 2018 on unspecified grounds before being released and deported on 28 August 2018. An Australian student resident in Pyongyang was detained in June 2019 before being released in July. See Local laws and customs

Some foreign nationals have not been granted access to consular support when detained in North Korea.

In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the North Korean government announced that all air and train routes into and out of North Korea were temporarily suspended with effect from 31 January 2020. Consular support is not available from within North Korea as the British Embassy in Pyongyang has been temporarily closed due to travel restrictions put in place by the DPRK government in response to the pandemic. Limited remote consular support is available by calling (+44) (0)207 008 5000.

While daily life in the capital city Pyongyang may appear calm, the security situation in North Korea can change with little notice and with no advance warning of possible actions by the North Korean authorities. This poses significant risks to British visitors and residents.

You should follow the political and security situation very closely and stay in touch with your host organisation or tour operator.

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 testing of nuclear and ballistic missiles was announced on 21 April 2018, but came to an end in May 2019. Testing of ballistic missiles has taken place frequently since 2019.

In 2018, direct contact was temporarily restored between the North and South Korean governments, and between North Korea and the United States. At an inter-Korean summit on 27 April 2018, both North Korea and South Korea signed the Panmunjom Declaration, which included a number of commitments to build inter-Korean ties and reduce military tensions. In the same year, two summits were held between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, but both failed to produce any agreement to reduce tensions, leading to the eventual collapse of the Panmunjom Declaration. North Korea resumed missile tests after the breakdown of the Hanoi Summit between Trump and Kim Jong-Un in February 2019.

In the past, similar periods of diplomatic engagement have failed to be sustained. 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, notably those regularly held in spring and autumn. See Political situation

Flooding is common in the rainy season (July to August). See Natural disasters

We’re no longer asking people to register with us before travel. Our foreign travel checklist and crisis overseas page suggest things you can do before and during foreign travel to plan effectively and stay safe. You can also sign up to our email alert service to be notified about future updates to this travel advice.

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in North Korea, attacks can not be ruled out. See Terrorism

The standards and availability of medical facilities in North Korea are very poor. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel. See Health