North Korea / 조선민주주의인민공화국 / Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk – Let’s explore here

North Korea is a mountainous country in East Asia on the Korean Peninsula. It has a very long, rich and troubled history. The country is dominated by forested mountains that cover 80% of the land, and the population lives on the remaining plains. Its neighbours include China, Russia and South Korea, the latter of which is separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

What currency do they use in North Korea?

In North Korea they use the North Korean won. Although as a tourist there are only two places you can use the won, and both are in Pyongyang – the Kwangbok Department Store and the Daesong Department Store. US Dollars, the Euro and the Chinese Renminbi are widely accepted. Cash is widely used. The use of credit / debit cards is not accepted. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted. There are ATMs in cities and towns throughout the country, although they do not accept foreign-issued cards.

You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

They speak Korean in North Korea. English is not spoken.

What time zone is North Korea in?

Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.

Do I need a visa to visit North Korea?

We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!

What’s it like to drive in North Korea?

We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂

Current travels

We haven’t finished our planning for driving though North Korea yet. When we do though, we’ll post it here, and in the blog. 

Hopefully our journey will improve our knowledge of this intriguing and beautiful country, and enable us to meet some interesting people. We’ll be updating this page at that time – don’t forget to check back 🙂

Is wild camping legal in North Korea?

Yes, wild camping is fine in North Korea.

If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know! 

And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!