North Korea
 

Has anyone ever been to this country? Not knowing much about visas, I thought it would be near impossible to get in but then I read a blog from a traveller on here saying they had been. I was surprised, to say the least. Which makes me wonder - How easy is it to get in? It's a country I'd love to visit but I had never really considered it, assuming that it would be impossible.

Any comments would be great.

Peter Forwood did. His blog is somewhere here on Horizons Unlimited. NK is VERY restrictive.

Many people have been. Not particularly difficult for most nationalities. You just go with one of the many approved tour operators operating out of China.

If you fill out your profile you may actually get some advise that applies to your nationality. Unless you are American or South Korean you shouldn't have much trouble.

Cheers

Peter in North Korea
 

He got lucky ,, I let all of Korea know that he was coming here ,, He went to North Korea before the shooting of the S.Korean tourist and shutting down of Kum Gang Mountain Tour ,, he talked to Pablo, head of Harley Korea, who arranged his bike in a covered truck drove through the DMZ to Kum Gang resort,, unloaded his bike and drove around the compound ,, then back to south in the covered truck again.
You are not allowed to travel alone in North Korea period. Most of all on a bike.
In 2004 Korean Harley riders were allowed to ride their bikes from south to north through the DMZ,, some 80 of us ,, to Kumg Gang, which is about 100KM north of Sokcho. That was it ,, the end.

Yes you can go to North Korea as a part of a European or US tour group.

Desperate for the dollar
 

North Koreans are opening up their borders to Chinese and Russians. They are using confiscated Gum Kang resort from south,,but in a dire state. All non S.Koreans can join a tour group from Europe, US, Japan or China to go there. The most popular time is August Parade, where they have huge parades on the square with military hardware and group dancing.
With S.Korean dramas and music being smuggled into N.Korea,,and popularity of our Choco Pie, a candy biscuit that gets traded for a kilo of rice.. N.Korean GOVT. is becoming paranoia. Just yesterday ,, 21 came down to south on an old wooden boat. A Russian think tank thinks,, the north will demise before 2020.
Also just recently ,, S.Korea and Russia signed a MOU to bring a natural gas line from Siberia to S.Korea via N.Korea, North wants this bad ,, but what if they cut off the line at one of their manic whims? Any way ,, soon or later we can ride all the way by land masse from S.Korea to Europe. Transiberia rail container move will happen as well, for it will cut down the shipping time and cost by 40%

Amazing Escape
 

Two weeks ago ,, a former N.Korean special forces member ,, escaped to south by riding an old tire tube,,, some 40km in ice cold sea ,, Yellow Sea
Wife of Kim Jung Il was caught red handed reselling used clothing sent from the south.