For the first time in five years, British tourists have been allowed to visit North Korea, offering a rare look into one of the world’s most secretive and tightly controlled countries.
The group, which included travelers from the UK, France, Germany, and Australia, crossed into the remote Rason region from China for a four-night tour—closely monitored and following a strictly pre-approved itinerary.
Among them was British YouTuber Mike O’Kennedy, who was taken aback by the level of control imposed on visitors. Tourists were escorted at all times by local guides, with restrictions so strict that even bathroom breaks required permission. The itinerary included carefully curated visits to a beer factory, a school, and a fully stocked pharmacy—facilities seemingly designed to showcase the country in a controlled, positive light.
Despite these staged experiences, glimpses of everyday life painted a starker picture. “Everyone was working, it didn’t feel like anyone was just hanging out,” O’Kennedy observed, describing the atmosphere as bleak. At the school, children performed a choreographed dance to animations of ballistic missiles striking targets, a stark reminder of North Korea’s militarized ideology.
Unlike past tours that allowed limited interactions with locals in Pyongyang, these visitors were confined to Rason, a special economic zone with controlled capitalist elements. Here, tourists were given an unexpected detour to a luxury goods market, where North Koreans were seen buying fake designer handbags and imported Japanese appliances—an unusual sight in a country plagued by severe economic hardship.
Seasoned North Korea traveler Joe Smith, on his third visit, noted the stark deterioration of infrastructure. “The roads are awful, the pavements are wobbly, and the buildings are weirdly constructed,” he said.
Even their hotel, usually a showcase for visitors, was in poor condition, with cracked windows and dimly lit interiors. “If this is the best they can show, I dread to think what else is out there,” he added, alluding to reports that much of the population is undernourished and struggling.
Conversations with local guides offered insight into their level of awareness about the outside world. While they knew about Trump’s tariffs and the war in Ukraine—where North Korean troops have reportedly been involved—there were clear gaps in their knowledge. One guide, for example, was unaware that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had been removed from power. Discussions had to be handled delicately, as North Koreans face harsh consequences for expressing dissenting views.
Despite these tightly controlled interactions, some argue that tourism to North Korea serves a larger purpose by allowing locals to engage with foreigners. Tour operator Greg Vaczi believes these visits can subtly expose North Koreans to new ideas in an otherwise closed society.
However, human rights activists argue that such tours ultimately benefit the regime, with profits funneled into state projects, including its military ambitions.
For travelers like O’Kennedy, the trip left lasting impressions. One moment in particular stayed with him—a young North Korean girl he met at the school expressed her dream of visiting the UK one day. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her chances were very, very slim,” he admitted. It was a poignant reminder of the rigid barriers that continue to separate North Koreans from the rest of the world.
