4 nights, 5 days for only $740
"Affordable and satisfied with the quality hotels"
"Strict atmosphere made it feel like a school trip"
"Required to lay flowers at statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il
and forbidden to speak ill of the leaders"
North Korean tourism, which had been suspended due to COVID-19 border closures, has resumed after five years. Recently, a famous German influencer who visited North Korea shared her impressions, saying she was surprised that "North Korean people did not try to hide their poverty."
On the 27th (local time), German influencer Luka Pertmengues (23) spoke about her 4-night, 5-day trip in an interview with the U.S. media outlet Business Insider, noting that she saw a North Korea that did not conceal signs of poverty.
Pertmengues emphasized that although there were many rules to follow in North Korea and many moments felt staged, the most surprising aspect was how openly poverty was displayed. After touring the Rason Special Economic Zone, she explained, "Rason is poorer and more closed-off than Pyongyang," adding, "Many people still use oxen and carts."
She recalled being particularly impressed that Rason residents did not bother to cover their homes with curtains. The tour guide only instructed them not to take photos of the old and shabby houses. Regarding this, Pertmengues interpreted, "It seems that North Korean people do not deny their poverty but simply dislike people taking photos and presenting that as if it were the only truth."
After completing her 4-night, 5-day trip to North Korea, Pertmengues praised the experience, saying, "North Korean tourism was very affordable, costing only $740 (about 1.07 million KRW) including an overnight stay in China, and the hotels were quite good." However, she also mentioned that the strict rules to follow made it feel like a school trip.
She claimed that there were predictable rules such as not speaking ill of North Korean leaders, as well as strict rules when taking photos of statues of the leaders, requiring that the entire statue be included in the frame without cropping or zooming. During the trip, visitors had to bring wreaths to lay at the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, and bus seats were assigned.
Pertmengues said she was impressed that there were no advertisements anywhere in North Korea, only propaganda posters and portraits of the leaders. She also noted that due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 virus, disinfection was conducted at the entry point and 80% of people wore masks. Additionally, she explained that those with relatively good jobs or privileges could obtain mobile phones and access the internet, and that a North Korean version of the Western-made game 'Clash of Clans' was available for download in the app store.
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