Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• On 10 November 2009 a skirmish occurred between DPRK and ROK navel vessels in the West Sea near to the Northern Limit Line. There are no reports of further incidents and no evidence of increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to North Korea.
  
  
• On 25 May 2009 North Korea carried out an underground nuclear test. North Korea has also test-launched a number of short-range missiles. On 27 May North Korea said that it regarded South Korean membership of the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative as an act of aggression and would no longer be bound by the terms of the 1953 Armistice Agreement, although it has said this before. Tensions on and around the Korean Peninsula are heightened but there is no evidence of any increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to North Korea as a result of these tests. Please see the political situation section of this travel advice for more information.
  
  
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic threat alert phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. There is a dedicated swine flu page on this website. Guidance on pandemic flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.
  
  
• It is not possible to enter the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) (North Korea) from the Republic of Korea (ROK) (South Korea), unless making an official visit to the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
  
  
• The threat from terrorism in North Korea is low, but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.
  

• You should register with the British Embassy in Pyongyang prior to your arrival.  See the general (registering with the British Embassy) section of this advice for more details.
  

• Travel within North Korea is severely restricted.
  

• Due to avian influenza outbreaks in the region, you may be required by the North Korean authorities to provide recent travel itineraries as part of the visa application process. The North Korean authorities have said informally that visas may be denied to applicants who have recently visited areas affected by avian influenza but no further guidance has yet issued as to how this might be applied. 
  

• Very few British nationals visit North Korea and those that do are usually part of an organised tour. Most visits are trouble-free. The main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in North Korea in 2008 was for hospitalisations.
  

• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the general (insurance) section of this advice and travel insurance for more details.