The Political Situation In North Korea

While an armistice deal keeps the two Koreas at peace, they are still formally at war, and inter-Korean ties are strained. The security situation on the Korean Peninsula might quickly deteriorate. This is one of the things about North Korea you should know before travelling.

Because North Korea is a totalitarian country, you may expect to be monitored at all times. Foreigners' activities and discussions are constantly monitored by North Korean security personnel. Personal belongings in hotel rooms, as well as telephones and fax machines, may be monitored and examined.

North Korea is a closed society with little, if any, knowledge regarding its internal political situation. Although foreigners have access to international satellite TV channels in hotels, such access may be limited in a crisis. On the Korean Peninsula, civil unrest, internal instability, and/or an escalation of tensions could occur suddenly, and you may receive little or no information about it from the local media or government.