I went in September, 2012 (US-born, no Asian connection). I paid my own way then; if given a free trip I would go again.
I’d be happy to go if someone else paid the way. I’m an Australian, and my closest connection with Korea is that I’ve twice changed planes at Seoul-Incheon Airport (and so I’ve flown close enough to NK to see it from the air, without actually flying over the country).
It would be undeniably fascinating to me, but I struggle with the idea of oppression tourism. I couldn’t justify visiting South Africa during apartheid, so how can I justify visiting North Korea?
No. American, no Asian ancestry and no desire to assist the crazies who run that place.
No way I would go.
45, American (big white guy) Dad fought in Korea.
My issue is if ANYTHING happened, my fault or not, I know my govt wouldn’t/couldn’t do shit to help me. I’m not rich, I’m not famous they would let me rot.
US, female handicapped, no asian background, while my Dad was in the Army at the time of the Korean War, he was in the US the whole time. mrAru would obviously have to go with me, and he stayed in the Atlantic and European theater his entire enlistment so I don’t think they could make anything of him either.
I only hesitate about the issue of my food allergies - deathly allergic to mushrooms, and immediate and violent vomiting to certain shellfish, and fairly fast and nasty cramping and diarrhea with palm/tropical/coconut products. I would not want to risk dying, or insulting the food by refusing to eat something.
No. That’s one giant country of depressing. If I’m going to travel, I rather go somewhere that’s a little more upbeat.
I would go happily.
Pakistani. No Korean or Far Eastern connections.
My friend wants me to join him on a trip to the DPRK, but for the cost of a week there I could probably spend a couple weeks in Japan, which would be far more enjoyable. If all expenses were paid, then I’d definitely go. I don’t like expensive travel destinations, so that’s why I’ve been to Burma and not Japan.
I will try to visit northern Korea after reunification though.
Edit: American living in Taipei with no connections to Korea.
American with no Korean connection.
On the whole, I’d pass. I do have some morbid curiosity in seeing the world’s worst dictatorship from the inside but I’d suppress that. For me, visiting North Korea would feel like I was visiting some place in the aftermath of a natural disaster so I could see the misery. I’d also feel guilty that my presence was in some small way acting as an endorsement of the regime. And finally, there’s the concern about my personal safety - there’s no reason why the North Korean government would decide to take me captive but they’re not noted for being bound by reason.
I would probably go. I know that there is surveillance on visitors and weird rules to follow. I would not tell the truth about any relatives serving in the Korean War. Is it really true that you can’t bring your laptop and mp3 players?
I make it a general policy not to go sightseeing in places people are desperate to escape from. And have active concentration camps.
So Hell no, I wouldn’t go to North Korea. I’d feel creeped out at best, and at worst, I’d feel I was directly aiding and abetting the regime’s wishes, possibly on the backs of who knows how many suffering NK subjects.
American, no connections…other than my great uncle, who fought at Chosin.
(He made it back safely, thankfully—which he credits in no small part to a keepsake his mother bought him before he shipped out. :eek: As kind of a bonus, he also got an Ushanka to take back home—the Chinese officer it belonged to didn’t need it anymore.)
That’s one heck of a keepsake, one heck of a mom! When I clicked on the link I was expecting something like a religious medallion.
New Zealander with no heritage/connections.
I would not go, because I would feel that would be giving tacit support to the current government.
American non-Asian. I wouldn’t go unless I knew what food I would be getting. Ten days of river carp, fried rat, and no Diet Coke would be more than I could tolerate.
Reading Guy Delisle’s Pyongyang was enough North Korea for me!
I’m Korean so they wouldn’t let me in anyway.
Not on a bet. There is nothing there I want to see, and in some way my being there would benefit the regime, which I won’t tolerate.
About how much would it cost?
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As per the OP, they would know about your Korean War relatives. Are they direct ancestors?
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It’s true, or has been true in the recent past. The rules on what electronics you can bring in change all the time and you may not be able to find out for sure ahead of time. Cellphones have usually been confiscated, but MP3 players have been let in. Last I heard they may have been allowing some cellphones in with varying amounts of access for foreigners. I have no idea what the recent rules on laptops are, but you probably wouldn’t have any internet access. I assume any place you’d taken on an official tour would have reliable electricity.
In the Vice Guide to North Korea (on Youtube), Shane described the food he got at the fancy banquet hall as “fried matter.” As in an unspecified substance that may or may not have been actual food.
I’ve only seen the first segment of that–too depressing–but it’s interesting for sure.
Wait, I think I may have answered my own question. If I can’t stand another 20 minutes of a Youtube video on NK, then I doubt I could stand 10 days of actual NK.