Capital: Pyongyang        …          22,490,000 People          …          120,538 km² 

The Country

North Korea, also known as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, is a nation surrounded by mystery to the outside world. North Korea was formed after WWII; when Japan surrendered control of Korea, the Soviet Union began occupation of the North while the United States began occupation of the South. Since the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, North Korea has remained a self proclaimed independent, socialist state.

Fun Facts

• North Korea claims to have a 100% literacy rate

• Since 1974, North Korea has officially been tax free (specifically on direct taxes, such as income tax)

• North Korea is the worlds only necrocracy; a government that is technically operated by a deceased leader (Kim Il Sung)

My Experience

I am currently writing most of this content while on a train leaving North Korea. Surrounded by bright yellow rice fields and the occasional propaganda sign displayed within the rice paddies, I can’t help but reflect on perhaps the most unique, exciting, and fulfilling adventure I have ever had. The following information is my personal experience in the Hermit Kingdom, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, North Korea.

Day 1

When we arrived at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, we were all funnelled into precise lines to await our first security checkpoint. After having our visas stamped and our passports meticulously looked through, we were then placed into a separate line where guards searched our bags. Literature of all kind fell under heavy scrutiny, and our phones were briefly taken away to be scanned. Although these security checks were thorough, most of the guards seemed quite happy; stern, but accommodating. Once clearing security, I met the rest of our tour group, including our North Korean guides, and we took our first steps outside the airport into North Korea.

As we boarded the bus, our extremely pleasant guides began explaining certain rules of the Country. What took me by surprise the most, was the rules regarding photography - take photos and videos of whatever you want, as long as it is not of military or construction sites. At this point, as we drove from the airport to Pyongyang, I cautiously began filming the beautiful countryside of the DPRK. Buildings were painted bright shades of pink and green, while the rice fields were a vibrant yellow. Towns seemed quite busy, filled with people fishing, riding bicycles, and simply going about what seemed like average lives. 

In the months leading up to the trip, I was wondering when the realization would set in that I was going to North Korea. I was still in disbelief when we booked tickets, got our visas accepted, and even when we arrived in the country. The moment everything became real was when we drove by our first propaganda painting; a 50-foot piece of art showing President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il standing in front of a snowy backdrop. At this point we were surrounded by massive apartment buildings, perfectly paved multi-lane streets, and more cars on the road.

We eventually arrived at the Yanggakdo International Hotel, the hotel where most foreigners (typically Russian and Chinese tourists) stay in Pyongyang. This 5-Star hotel was simply beautiful, and had the scent of fresh cookies lingering in the air. After checking into our room, we had a panoramic view of Pyongyang as the sun was setting. In the distance, the Ryugyong Hotel (the unfinished neo-futuristic building that dominates the skyline) began displaying a vibrant light-show of propaganda images. 

Day 2

The next morning we began our 3 hour drive to the Korean Demilitarized Zone, the border between North and South Korea. While driving from Pyongyang to the DMZ, we were stopped at numerous checkpoints. Following strict rules, we had to keep our cameras down and out of sight. The checkpoints did not take long to pass through, but there was a tense feeling every time we passed a checkpoint. All humour and chatting in the vehicle would stop, and we would patiently wait for the checkpoint to be cleared before continuing our journey. We passed 3 checkpoints from Pyongyang to the DMZ, accompanied by numerous checkpoints within the DMZ. 

After passing by more colourful rice patties and numerous military checkpoints, we arrived at the final checkpoint. Before passing through this point, we were taken to a small building that contained a briefing shop where a man was selling hand painted pieces of propaganda art. After browsing a few of his many pieces of art, we were whisked away to a briefing explaining what the DMZ was, why it was formed, and why North Korea is continuing to seek reunification with the south. 

We then passed the final checkpoint and arrived at the North Korean Peace Museum, a small building at the border where the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953. We were told how the Americans were shamefully defeated, and then driven to the Joint Security Area to look into South Korea, where we saw a group of tourists on the South Korean side. It seemed as though we had a bit of a standoff with them; although one group was much more disciplined. As you may be surprised to hear, we had no explicit regulation for how we acted at the DMZ. We were allowed to wave, take as many photos as we wished, and generally act as tourists. On the South Korean side, however, we were told that they were told not to wave, smile, point, and could only take 1 or 2 photos. 

One occurrence that I believe will always resonate with me was the first time I saw a guard “break character”.  On our tour, there was a young family with a 3 year old girl. She was well behaved the entire time, and everyone absolutely loved her. At the border, guards on both sides are extremely serious (with good reason). However, the little girl walked up to one of the North Korean soldiers, and the solider went from having a concentrated stare to a joyous smile. At the DMZ, it is easy to be overwhelmed by feelings of political friction and thoughts of war, conflict, and separation. However, this interaction further emphasized that we are all human; no matter where we may come from, no matter what border we live behind, we are all just humans. After taking our many photos, we passed back through the DMZ and made our way to the city of Kaesong.

While in Kaesong we visited the Kaesong Koryo Museum, a historical highlight that showcased artifacts from the Koryo dynasty from 918 - 1392. After visiting the museum, we had the opportunity to try a North Korean delicacy, which has been the main point of controversy of my time in North Korea. Sweet meat soup, known to increase virility, is a truly unique cultural experience that contains one key ingredient: dog meat. Those who know me personally know that I love dogs with all my heart, however… It honestly tasted pretty good. 

After lunch we took a brief tour of a ginseng factory before driving to The Concrete Wall. The Wall, which our guides explained was built by South Korea during the war, was described as a disgrace that separated the country. We went onto a platform overlooking a lush valley, with some of the greenest hills I have ever seen. We were given binoculars and told to view the wall, but many of us were not able to see it. The pristine scenery only had a few guard posts. I myself was not able to see the wall.

After driving back through small towns and seemingly endless farmland we arrived at the Tomb of King Kongmin, a 14th century mausoleum that comes with an interesting story: when the kings wife died, he hired a scout to find the perfect location to place her tomb. After a few failed attempts, the king stated that he would kill the scout if the next location chosen was not perfect enough.

One scout climbed to the top of a mountain, believed it was best, and came back down to tell the king. The king told his advisors that if he waved his handkerchief when he was on top of the mountain, the location was not good enough, and they should immediately kill the scout. When the king climbed the mountain, he realized the location was perfect, and began to hike back down the mountain. However, the king accidentally took his handkerchief out to wipe some sweat from his face, and his advisors from the ground saw this and killed the geomancer. When the king arrived at the bottom of the mountain, he realized his mistake, and simply said “Oh, my”, which is why the mountain is named “Oh, My Mountain”.  

After exploring the tombs we arrived back into Kaesong and hiked up Janam Hill. The hill overlooked the ancient city, and was backed by large statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. We then walked back to our hotel through the busy streets of Kaesong, where we interacted with people living there. I was ignored by many, but some people stopped to wave and smile cheerfully. Although people on the street rarely spoke English, I learned a few Korean phrases that held very basic conversations. This was the first time I felt immersed into North Korea, and the simple act of walking down a crowded street quickly became a highlight.

After walking by school kids practicing instruments (likely for a national day celebration), we went for a traditional dinner (no dog meat this time) and listened to a very talented musician play a Gayageum (similar to a harp). After dinner, a few of us sat at the bar, compared travel stories, and drank the absolute worst tasting drink I have ever tried. Ginseng liquor, which is about 52% alcohol, resembled the taste of paint thinner. Alcohol in North Korea is quite common, and I had some of the best beer I have had; a stark contrast to ginseng liquor. As I am writing this I am still gagging… ugh, never again. 

Day 3

We left Kaesong early in the morning as it was lightly raining. We passed by a few small towns, expansive fields of farms, and long streets that had a few people walking down them. Seeing ox-drawn carts was not an uncommon sight, and outside one town I saw many people collecting something in the riverbed below. These towns had many people going about their daily lives, which outside Pyongyang seemed to be heavily focused on farming. We continued to pass through the same military checkpoints as before, and slowly watched as the countryside fade away into larger towns, eventually arriving in the outskirts of Pyongyang.

The light rain in Kaesong had progressed to a hard rain closer into Pyongyang. We stopped for a moment at the Arch of Reunification, a massive monument symbolizing the DPRK’s desire to reunify with the south. From there we went to the Grand People's Study House, a traditionally constructed library that overlooks Kim Il Sung Square. After being shown their wide selection of English books (from Mark Twain to Harry Potter), we had the chance to go to a study room to quietly browse large collections of English textbooks. As a recent grad, looking at those textbooks was not a joyous experience, but it was interesting to see how many books were available. 

We then drove to the Mangyongdae Funfair, but were told that it was not currently open. Instead, we rode the tram to downtown Pyongyang, where entered the Pyongyang Metro. The metro is 110 meters underground, and took about 2 minutes by escalator to get to the bottom. However, the wait was well worth it. Beautiful architecture, crowded stops, and brightly coloured murals made this the most unique metro I have ever seen (sorry, London). Similar to Kaesong, we freely walked around and was able to talk to anyone. Again, many of them did not speak English, and some people wanted to keep to themselves, but I had a few friendly encounters with the locals. 

After visiting a few stops, each with extremely unique designs, we took the long escalator ride back to the surface. Unfortunately, we were met with pouring rain. We quickly ran past the Arch of Triumph (very similar but larger than the one in France) to get on the bus for lunch. The 30 second sprint from the bus to the restaurant was simply frantic, and people on the street were running to escape the rain. At lunch, we were told that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un released an advisory that, due to Typhoon Lingling, the city was essentially shutting down.

The rest of the activities for the day were cancelled, and we all realized that not only were we in the path of a typhoon, but we were in the path of a typhoon while in North Korea; something that I never thought I would say… ever. 

We went back to the Yanggakdo International Hotel and watched the rain and wind bombard the city. The hotel had many amenities, and we spent the night bowling, playing pool, singing karaoke. Hits included Firework by Katy Perry, a lot of David Bowie, and a Chinese song a few businessmen were singing.  The night ended with drinking more North Korean beer than I’d like to admit, and watching the typhoon pass across the city. 

Day 4

The sun was shining the next morning and the thought of a typhoon happening the day before seemed like a distant memory. We were on our way to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the final resting place for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. We had to wear our best clothes (men were required to wear dress pants, dress shirts with a tie, and dress shoes), as we would not be admitted into the palace if we were wearing casual clothes. We went through numerous x-rays and were not allowed to bring in any cameras, cellphones, or anything electronic whatsoever. After a lengthy security process, we stood on a moving walkway while our guides explained the significance of the palace. 

The moving walkway was very slow, but it gave us a chance to look at photographs on the walls of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. After about 15 minutes we arrived at the actual palace, where we bowed in front of two bronze statues of the leaders before being taken to view the preserved body of Kim Il Sung. The room was incredibly large, dark, cold, and was illuminated by only deep red lighting. We were required to bow 3 times to the body; once at the feet, once at his right side, and once at his left side before exiting the room. It was a surreal experience, and armed military guards were positioned everywhere. We were then taken into a room to see all of the awards, honorary citizenships, and other achievements world leaders presented to Kim Il Sung. 

I can honestly say that the palace was the most immaculate, cleanest, and most breathtaking place I have ever been to. I was left speechless pretty much the entire time I was there, except when one of our guides would explain an amazing fact about the leaders. We were then taken into an identical room with the body of Kim Jong Il, where we had to follow the same protocols, and were then taken into a room to see his achievements. The palace also showcased the train car where Kim Jong Il passed way, and many of the leaders’ other vehicles and boats. There also was interactive maps to show where the leaders traveled during their lives. Outside of the palace, we walked by perfectly manicured grass and dozens of North Korean flags flying proudly, before getting our cameras and phones back. 

After the palace, many of us were still awestruck. We eventually arrived at the Mansudae Fountain Park where I saw a few kids playing with water guns. This was only a quick pitstop before we walked up to Mansu Hill Grand Monument, where the two massive statues of Kim il Sung and Kim jong Il overlook Pyongyang. Hundreds of North Koreans joined us in our walk to the monument, and we all bowed in unison towards the statues. 

Patriotic music was playing over loudspeakers as people placed flowers at the base of the statues. There seemed to be never-ending groups of citizens, and flowers quickly began to pile up. After viewing the monument we visited a restaurant serving Korean cold noodles, which was attached to a small store selling food, electronics, lamps, and a seemingly random assortment of other items. In this store, a North Korean saleswoman came up to me, showed me a few bags of candy, and then went to the cash register and put them in a bag before I said a word. The candy actually looked pretty good, so I went along with the purchase- with the most bold sales strategy I have ever witnessed. But, I guess it worked. 

We then went back to our hotel to change into activewear, and went to a volleyball court in the city to play against other tourists and North Koreans. We were surrounded by colourful high-rise buildings, and we were right next to a European style cafe. Although the sun was hot, and most of us were in need of some rest, I knew it was my destiny to play volleyball in North Korea.

During the tournament, however, I twisted my knee while scoring (helped us win the game, just saying). From this point forward I would have a predominant limp during the rest of my time in the DPRK, but it led to a pretty unique encounter. After the game, we were brought to Kwangbok Department Store, one of the largest stores in North Korean and were able to explore the store as much as we want, and purchase goods using the Korean Won (the only place on the trip we could do so). After exploring for a bit, I decided to wait outside and ice my knee. After a while, though, I noticed someone staring at me.

A few meters away, there was a 15 or 16 year old girl that would glance at me, smile, and then look away and laugh. I would pretend not to look, then turn quickly to catch her in the act as we would both start laughing. After a few minutes of this little game, I went up to her and asked if she wanted a photo with me. She blushed and nodded her head, while all of her friends started giggling. If I did not injure myself playing volleyball I may never have had this cute experience, and that selfie will always bring back funny memories.

After leaving the department store, we went to the street level Kim Il Sung Square to walk around. Standing where numerous military parades took place that I watched online years before was simply a humbling experience. I was standing where thousands of North Korean troops have stood, and that realization was incredible. Near the square was a foreign languages bookshop, where I was able to find “The Investment Guide to North Korea”. 

We then went to a bar where we drank Rice Beer (way better than it sounds), had a great dinner where we got to walk around brightly lit apartment buildings at night, and then were given the option whether we wanted to go back to the hotel, or go watch a movie in a theatre. A North Korean movie? Absolutely. The movie, “Comrade Kim Goes Flying” is about a young girl who worked in the mines but dreamed of being a trapeze artist in Pyongyang. It was actually a really good movie, with a good amount of comedy and a strong plot. After the movie, we went back to the Yanggakdo and prepared for our next day in North Korea, the Day of the Foundation of the Republic.

Day 5 - 71st Anniversary of the Foundation of The Republic

I woke up in the morning to the sound of singing and cheering in the streets below. Keep in mind, I was on the 36th floor of the hotel and the Taedong river was separating us from the rest of Pyongyang. It was a day of celebration, and this was only the first glimpse of what was to come. We left the hotel and headed towards the Mangyongdae forest park, and visited the supposed birthplace of Kim Il Sung, a small hut with farming tools being proudly showcased. This large, quiet park was filled with groups of school children patiently waiting to view the hut, and we hurried along to make sure everyone had a chance to view the historical landmark.

After the park, we drove past numerous small sports stadiums surrounded by crowds of people. Everyone was laughing, celebrating, and all seemed to be having quite a bit of fun. We eventually arrived at a large square filled with thousands of North Koreans wearing brightly coloured clothes, dancing in almost perfect unison. A few tourists joined in on the dancing, but the movements actually seemed quite complicated, so I snapped a few photos and watched from a distance. Propaganda vehicles were blaring patriotic music, and honestly, the music became quite catchy. Flags and other decorations encompassed the square, but seemingly in an instant, the music had stopped and the crowd quickly marched away.

After the mass dance, we went up the Juche Tower, a monument built to commemorate Kim Il Sung’s 70th birthday. Juche is the political ideology of North Korea, described as “Kim Il-sung's original, brilliant and revolutionary contribution to national and international thought”. The ideology focuses on the importance of mankind, and also features their own calendar (I visited North Korea in Juche 108, also known as 2019). The tower itself provides great panoramic views of Pyongyang, and we were able to see a few crowds dancing below.

Our next stop was for a picnic lunch in Moran Park. The lunch consisted of another traditional meal… cheeseburgers, french fries and salad. After lunch we wandered around the expansive park, but unlike Mangyongdae park, Moran was filled with life. Groups of families grilling food, kids running around playing tag, and people genuinely enjoying the day. It was reminiscent of Canada day back home, and we even saw a few couples having wedding photos taken. Our guides told us that since it was a national holiday, almost everyone had the day off and went outside to spend time with family. People were walking their dogs (and in one case, a pony). In a small pavilion there was another large dance, and this time I decided to jump in. We danced with senior citizens who seemed quite happy to have new dancing partners. My partner gave me a big hug when our dance was finished, and we finished exploring this gorgeous park.

After this we visited the monument I have been waiting years to see, the Monument to Party Founding. The 50 foot tall monument shows three hands holding a hammer, sickle, and calligraphy brush which represents the workers, farmers, and intellectuals of North Korea. When we arrived, a group of 8 singers were serenading an audience in the shadow of the monument. Once the singers finished and the crowd dispersed, we walked through the monument and viewed three bronze murals symbolizing “the glorious revolutionary traditions of the Workers' Party of Korea”, "the harmonious whole of the leader, the Party and the masses”, and “the struggle to realize global independence”. 

Directly behind the monument there was a large, quiet building showcasing photos of Kim Jong Un at various events. Donald Trump shaking hands with Kim Jong Un was predominately displayed, and other traditional artwork and books were showcased. We walked back through the monument before driving to the Pyongyang Grand Theatre to watch the Revolutionary Opera. 

The Revolutionary Opera was simply a breathtaking experience. We entered into the theatre that was already filled with North Koreans, and almost immediately after we sat down the show began. Booming voices accompanied with gorgeous set pieces; it was clear to see that many hours were spent on perfecting the performance. Although it was in Korean, the plot was relatively easy to understand: Americans bombed a steel factory, and the owners’ daughter went deaf due to the bombings. To showcase the atrocities of the United States, but also the diligence of the workers, the workers rebuilt the factory to bring prosperity back to the country. During the intermission, we went outside and had a great conversation with one of our guides. He told us about the video games he likes to play, how dating and marriage is like in the DPRK, and his hopes and dreams to become a party member.

After the opera, we enjoyed some Korean BBQ (where it took a few of us to make sure we cooked the duck properly) before heading towards the undoubtable highlight of the trip: The Arirang Mass Games. Hosted in the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, the largest stadium on earth, the Mass Games holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest gymnastic display in the world. 

On the way to the stadium, our guides began highlighting the impressiveness of the stadium. They were not wrong. When we arrived there were tens of thousands of spectators entering the stands. 95% of them were North Korean, 4% Russian/ Chinese tourists, and the rest was made up of the few western tourists including myself. As we were entering the stadium, I immediately saw thousands of children on the opposite side of the stadium holding coloured boards. Instead of a screen, they would be flipping the boards to create a mosaic with nearly 20,000 participants. Before the show even started, I was amazed.

In total, there were approximately 50,000 acrobats and performers involved in the performance. It had the intensity, coordination, and enthusiasm of an Olympic ceremony, and I was awe-struck the entire time. There was a drone segment where hundreds of lit-up drones spelled out certain Korean phrases, and there was even a motorcycle driving along a tightrope. Accompanying the modern elements were also traditional elements, including one scene where around 8 grand pianos were being played simultaneously during large dance numbers, and multiple smaller tap dance routines. 

One interesting element of the Mass Games was a bit of required audience participation. When the coloured boards flipped to show large photos of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and finally Kim Jong Un, we were required to stand and cheer. The energy in the room was electric, and the cheering was deafening. 

After the final bow (and a nice exit to propaganda music, including my new favourite propaganda song I saw on North Korean TV a few days earlier), we headed back towards our bus. On the ride back to our hotel we all took turns singing our national anthems (Canada, Hungary, Thailand, Belarus, Great Britain, Germany, and of course, North Korea sung by our male guide). Our female guide then gave us a piece of wisdom that I will never forget: “It does not matter how much money you have, what you do, or even how many people love you. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything”.

We arrived back at the hotel, but we were not accepting the fact that our trip was almost over. Instead of going to sleep, we went to the revolving restaurant at the top of our hotel for a few beers. We closed the night by chatting and laughing, letting the fact of the matter wash over us that we experienced so much, and we absolutely wanted to see more. 

Day 6

We woke up quite early in the morning to say goodbye to our group members that were leaving the DPRK by plane, but we were able to spend a few more hours in the country since we were leaving by train. We arrived at the train station with our guides who helped us board the train, and we gave our final hugs and handshakes. Our guides mentioned that they hope they see us again; if not in North Korea, maybe somewhere else in the world. As the train left the station, our guides followed the train waving until the platform ended. Mr. Li and Ms. Kim, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you both. Thank you for everything. 

As the city faded away and the countryside appeared once again, we settled in for a long journey back to China. Our group now consisted of only a few people, but a few other tour groups joined us as well. After a few hours, we made our way to the dining car and had another delicious meal. The train had 6 beds in each compartment, 3 on each side. I was at the very top, and as the sun filled the train car, I began this writeup. 

We eventually arrived at the border between North Korea and China, and this is where things became a bit tense. Our train was stopped a few kilometres from the actual border, and we had to fill out a declaration form in Korean. Hoping I was writing down the correct information, we then handed in our forms and were searched meticulously. Although the guards did not look at my photos, my phone and camera were scanned and briefly acknowledged. After about an hour of waiting, our train slowly began to leave the checkpoint. 

Dandong, China started to appear in the distance, and everyone was glued to the windows. We eventually reached the Yalu River, where our train started going across the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. On the left side of the train we saw Yalu River Broken Bridge, a partially collapsed bridge that was destroyed by the United States Airforce to disrupt Chinese shipments going to North Korea. Although the North Korean side is destroyed, many tourists in China were on the bridge, looking out into North Korea. Many of them starred at our train as it passed, possibly wondering who was on board. 

The moment our train crossed the border, and we became surrounded by the congested streets of China, there was a sudden realization what had just happened. We did not just go to North Korea… We went to North Korea and made it back. When we arrived in Dandong and hopped off the train, we immediately had to clear Chinese customs. At customs, I met the North Korean Olympic Handball team, where I had a brief conversation with the coach. I wished them luck in 2022, and embarked on our train from Dandong to Beijing, officially ending my week in North Korea.

More Photos of North Korea