# Can I emigrate to North Korea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 10, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282 "2013-04-10T02:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/1 "2013-04-10T02:37:55Z")
:pPlease no comments on the theme of “who would want to?!”. I’m asking if it is even literally possible, or if anyone has done it? Lets say a NK embassy worker falls in love with and marries a foreigner, is there a path for emigration? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/2 "2013-04-10T02:42:09Z")
One can [defect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_in_North_Korea). ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/3 "2013-04-10T02:43:43Z")
Highly unlikely > [@](#): > > Immigration Statistics in North Korea > Immigration to North Korea is highly regulated due to the strict immigration laws imposed by the government. The government of North Korea is very strict about the entry or exit of foreigners, as well as that of their citizens. The country is not one of those that uphold the law that permits its citizens to leave their country based on their free will. > > While there is a significant number of refugees from North Korea that moved to other countries including China, Mongolia, and other parts of Southeast Asia, there is also a similarly large amount of citizens from these countries immigrating to North Korea. Many of these migrants entered the country for business or for leisure. > > With regard to legal immigrants to North Korea, however, the number of legal immigrants is low according to statistics. The average percentage of immigrants against the state population of North Korea is at 0.16 percent. As for the actual number of people immigrating to North Korea, it is currently at 37,000. > > For anyone who wishes to live in North Korea as an immigrant, a better start to getting an approval is to learn about the types of migration that is recognized by the North Korean government and the requirements. Two basic types of migration are the humanitarian migration and the economic migration. Gaining a better understanding on the basic methods on how to enter the country as an immigrant will definitely help them learn on which immigration process would get them an approval faster. [http://www.iom-seasia.org/immigrating-north-korea/](http://www.iom-seasia.org/immigrating-north-korea/) ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/4 "2013-04-10T02:46:48Z")
Also see [http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?ID=668](http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?ID=668) ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/5 "2013-04-10T03:09:16Z")
The better question is "Is there any circumstance in which North Korea must take you ? " The only circumstance is that you are already and solely a North Korean citizen. Marrying a North Korean citizen would likely work if you are female,marrying a working male of course. Most countries allow the Minister to allow immigration to anybody despite any circumstance… ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/6 "2013-04-10T07:11:23Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > The better question is > "Is there any circumstance in which North Korea must take you ? " > > The only circumstance is that you are already and solely a North Korean citizen. Without access to a North Korean lawyer I doubt we can say this for sure; there may be other cases in which the state is nominally obliged to accept you, at least temporarily. For example, many states have laws guaranteeing the protection of refugees who enter the country, legally or illegally. Though the DPRK isn’t a signatory to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, who’s to say they don’t have any domestic legislation extending similar protections? ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/7 "2013-04-10T18:29:17Z")
If you’re really curious, I’d try contacting the Chinese embassy in your country. They could probably point you to an official document, maybe even an english-language version. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/8 "2013-04-10T18:52:14Z")
> [@grude](#): > > :pPlease no comments on the theme of “who would want to?!”. > > I’m asking if it is even literally possible, or if anyone has done it? Lets say a NK embassy worker falls in love with and marries a foreigner, is there a path for emigration? Are you a world famous nuclear scientist? That might help. ---
**Author:** ![sidecar\_jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sidecar\_jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidecar_jon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/9 "2013-04-10T19:49:26Z")
> **[Charles Robert Jenkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Robert_Jenkins)** > > Charles Robert Jenkins ((1940-02-18)18 February 1940 – (2017-12-11)11 December 2017) was a United States Army deserter, North Korean prisoner, and voice for Japanese abductees in North Korea. > It was a fear of combat and possible service in the Vietnam War that led then-Sergeant Jenkins to abandon his patrol and walk across the Korean Demilitarized Zone in January 1965. Instead of being sent to the Soviet Union and then traded back to the US, Jenkins was held captive in North Korea for over 39... a guy who " lived in North Korea from 1965 to 2004 after deserting his unit and crossing the Korean Demilitarized Zone.[…" i bet the initial contact was a bit tricky though. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/10 "2013-04-10T20:21:24Z")
Wow, he seems like an interesting character. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/11 "2013-04-10T20:35:17Z")
[This dude](http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0325/North-Korea-s-public-relations-man-is-a-Spaniard-with-a-tough-job) has a DPRK passport, but is a non-citizen for reasons I can’t figure out. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/12 "2013-04-10T20:43:55Z")
Where do you have to be running from that NK is a better alternative? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/13 "2013-04-10T21:28:09Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Where do you have to be running from that NK is a better alternative? I’m guessing morbid curiosity is all. I would kind of be interested in knowing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/14 "2013-04-10T21:31:38Z")
If you give me a few weeks, I _might_ be able to think of somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/15 "2013-04-10T21:42:07Z")
It may be legally possible but grammatically impossible. 🙂 (One can immigrate to a country but can only emigrate from a country.) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/16 "2013-04-10T21:44:36Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Without access to a North Korean lawyer NK has lawyers? Not fully a joke. What’s their legal system like? Adversarial? Do they are the police and judicial powers separate? Do they have any defence advocates at all? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/17 "2013-04-11T05:50:58Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Where do you have to be running from that NK is a better alternative? Have you read his other threads? **grude** ’s family life is completely exhausting. ;)🆒 > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > NK has lawyers? > > Not fully a joke. What’s their legal system like? Adversarial? Do they are the police and judicial powers separate? Do they have any defence advocates at all? One starting point may be the Inspector O series of [mystery novels](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/26/AR2006122600798.html) set in NoKo. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/18 "2013-04-11T06:08:44Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > [This dude](http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0325/North-Korea-s-public-relations-man-is-a-Spaniard-with-a-tough-job) has a DPRK passport, but is a non-citizen for reasons I can’t figure out. The linked article doesn’t say that he has a DPRK passport. Nor does it say that he is a non-citizen, though it does strongly imply it. The reason why he would not be a citizen is not difficult to figure out; nothing in the article suggests that he would qualify for citizenship by birth or descent, so if he did become a citizen it would be by naturalisation, and presumably he has never taken steps to be naturalised. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/19 "2013-04-12T12:30:11Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > NK has lawyers? > > Not fully a joke. What’s their legal system like? Adversarial? Do they are the police and judicial powers separate? Do they have any defence advocates at all? The legal system appears to be based on the [inquisitorial system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisitorial_system). You can read the basics of the legal system in §8 of [the country’s constitution](http://asiamatters.blogspot.de/2009/10/north-korean-constitution-april-2009.html). The judiciary is independent, with criminal trials generally conducted in public by a judge and two lay magistrates, or in exceptional cases by three judges. The accused are constitutionally guaranteed the right of defence. Of course, this is all according to the DPRK government. If you ask the US government, they will tell you that [“The North Korean system does not operate according to the rule of law, and foreigners should harbor no expectations regarding due process.”](http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_988.html) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282/20 "2013-04-12T12:35:52Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > The linked article doesn’t say that he has a DPRK passport. Indeed. In [this article](http://web.archive.org/web/20100927174858/http://www.larazon.es/noticia/9334-un-aristocrata-en-la-corte-de-kim-jong-ii) he even goes so far as to claim that he doesn’t need a passport to enter North Korea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-emigrate-to-north-korea/655282.md?page=2)