Brits welcome in North Korea for Arirang

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The ban on UK visitors in the DPRK has been removed for the summer, according to an e-mail announcement from Koryo Tours. This was the last of the restrictions that the world was waiting for North Korean authorities to lift. Citizens from the UK will be able to travel to the reclusive Communist country this year for Arirang. A similar bar on travel from the United States was removed back in April.

For travel to North Korea for Arirang, little seems to have been affected by the recent sentencing of American journalists accused to have entered the country illegally … with the exception of an air of concern which must obviously enter the mind of anyone considering travel to this unusual corner of the world.

Arirang gets green light in DPRK!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It is confirmed: the Arirang Mass Games will be held in Pyongyang, North Korea this summer. The event will run from August 10, 2009 through the end of September, highlighting the precision for which the DPRK performers have become famous. According to Koryo Tours, Americans are welcome to attend the festival this year.

If you are considering a visit to the Hermit Kingdom late this summer, do be aware that the DPRK has enforced a time limit on U.S. tours in the past. Usually, visits are capped at four nights, and Americans are only allowed to enter and leave the country by plane. Though, if this changes, Koryo Tours expects to be able to arrange extensions and travel via train, depending on how and when restrictions are eased. Also, Arirang has been extended into October in the past, and starts early from time to time.

So, put concerns of global tension out of your mind for a while. If you’ve been waiting for the opportunity to reach a corner of the world that few outsiders get to see, this is your chance.

For Americans, click here for more information.

Don’t forget to check out our first-hand coverage of North Korea‘s Mass Games from 2007, which includes some amazing video, or click through the images below.
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More details on American access to North Korea in 2009

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It may not be time to celebrate, but you can certainly be optimistic (with a dose of caution). Koryo Tours has received an update from its partners in North Korea about the upcoming Arirang (i.e., “Mass Games” event). The Mass Games are expected to be held in August and September – and could run into October (based on past experience). Koryo Tours is currently scheduling tours for westerners for this period.

Americans will be able to attend the event this year, but there are some restrictions. North Korea is expected to limit U.S. visits to four nights, and Americans will only be able to enter and exit the country by plane. But, Koryo Tours is willing to remain flexible in the event that longer stays are permitted. For guests who have already been to North Korea, the company is working on itineraries designed for repeat visitors.

Of course, this has not been confirmed yet, but Koryo Tours is confident based on how these developments have unfolded in the past. As we get more information, we’ll be sure to pass it along

[Thanks, Koryo Tours]

Top 10 stupidest laws you could encounter abroad


Forbidden travel: you’re not the first

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The world’s hot spots have become hotter, according to MSNBC‘s Christopher Elliott. He lists Cuba, Iran and North Korea among the countries that are attracting American tourist interest and offers some smart advice for anyone interested in taking the plunge. These and other countries on the U.S. State Department’s list of travel warnings dangerous destinations are fun, though, specifically because they’re forbidden. Hmmm, like Kabul. And, there’s nothing like saying a place is off limits to make people want to go even more. So, if you want to take your life into your own hands, at least take calculated risks.

The most critical lesson is to remember that there is “no such thing as safe.” Any country that does not have diplomatic ties with the United States provides limited options if trouble arises. So, plan ahead. If you’re going to see the Mass Games in North Korea, note that the Swedish Embassy is the lone outpost for westerners in Pyongyang. In general, take steps to keep yourself safe. For once, calling home to let your mom you landed safely won’t seem like age-instigated paranoia.

Also, learn from those who have been already. Even if the part of the world you want to see is off-limits, there’s a good chance you won’t be the first American with a Canadian flag stitched to his backpack to tread the local turf. Be prepared to carry cash, as your ATM card may not get you far, and be prepared to be scared as hell while doing so. Hey, there’s nothing quite like cruising the Bakara Market in Mogadishu with a few thousand dollars forming a lump inside your shoe.

When you get home, keep the pictures to yourself. Travel to Cuba, for example, is generally illegal. So, forcing someone to sit through an endless carousel of slides could sow the seeds that will get your behavior reported to the Feds. Unless you live in California, Massachusetts or New York, your swing through the remaining outposts of Communism could be interpreted as unpatriotic! So, savor the memories alone … or at your next workers’ rights meeting.

[Via MSNBC.com]

[Photo by Brian Sayler]

North Korea Mass Games may happen in 2009

by Tom Johansmeyer on
Rumors earlier this year suggested that the North Korean Mass Games (“Arirang“) were being pushed back to 2012. The magic in that number is that it’s the 100th anniversary of the birth of the deceased but still-serving president, Kim Il Sung. Koryo Tours’ recent newsletter, though, suggests that Arirang my run in 2009 after all. Likely months are August and October-though the specialists in taking westerners to North Korea drive the point home that there has been no confirmation.

Arirang is a 90-minute performance featuring 100,000 coordinated participants in an amazing display of “synchronized gymnastics, dancing and propaganda.” This event, which is held only in North Korea, is the only time when U.S. citizens are allowed to enter the country as tourists.

View photos from the previous Arirang event

Ready to check out North Korea?