A holiday to North Korea is ‘like a school trip’ says operator behind new tour as isolated nation reopens

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As North Korea prepares to reopen to Western visitors, the leading tour operator to the isolated state has described a journey there as “like a school trip”. The firm says: “Offences that would be considered trivial in other countries can incur very severe penalties in North Korea, particularly actions the authorities deem to be disrespectful towards the North Korean leadership or government, or those involving religion.” Koryo Tours is running two trips a month from March onwards. Foreign Office map of North Korea Koryo Tours tells prospective visitors: “We take these sorts of warnings extremely seriously, of course, and make sure that – because of our regular visits to the country, unequalled time spent on the ground, and continual consultations with our partners in Pyongyang, as well as various international government representatives and other interested agencies – we continue to run our DPRK tours safely.” The firm’s general manager added that, for the first time, some visitors may be able to access the internet – at a hotel in Rason with access to the worldwide web. And if we can get them a bit of internet access, that's a bit of a bonus.” Summing up the prospects offered by the reopening, the Koryo Tours expert said: “You enjoy and endure a trip to North Korea in equal measure, I find.”