Yes, Chinese citizens can go to North Korea, especially for business, but tourist travel has been very limited and controlled, gradually resuming with priority for business/trade, while general tourism for Chinese nationals is slowly reopening in specific zones like Rason, though heavily managed by state-run agencies, with strict visa rules and controlled itineraries.
Chinese people in North Korea
There is a dwindling community of Chinese people, known locally as huaqiao, in North Korea. The decline of the Chinese community is due to migration to China in the search of a better life and education. Similar trends have been observed in Chinese communities living in South Korea.
China is by far North Korea's largest trading partner, with more than 90 percent of North Korea's imports coming from China, while North Korea is a significant recipient of overseas Chinese aid. As socialist states ruled by communist parties, the two nations retain ideological ties.
In September 2008, North Korea was officially designated as the destination of organized outbound tours for Chinese residents by the Chinese government. The Chinese government listed North Korea as an "Approved Destination" in 2010 — a status which facilitates Chinese citizens' tourist visits to the country.
Other entry information. Foreigners can enter North Korea either by air or train. You cannot enter North Korea from South Korea or South Korea from North Korea. Even if you meet all entry requirements, you may be arbitrarily arrested and/or detained at your point of entry.
While some countries may have threatened to ban the sale of Coca-Cola, and in certain countries this has actually been enforced for certain periods of time, today there are just two countries in the world where the soda cannot be bought or sold – Cuba and North Korea.
Japan was polled to have the most anti-China sentiment, where 93% saw the People's Republic in a negative light.
The "forbidden 5th floor" refers to a restricted, unlisted floor in Pyongyang's Yanggakdo International Hotel, missing from elevator panels, rumored to house North Korean surveillance operations (CCTV monitoring, phone taps, communications equipment) for hotel guests, featuring propaganda posters, and often accessed by curious tourists via stairwells before tour operators added warnings after the Otto Warmbier incident, making it a symbol of North Korea's secretive control over foreigners.
China and North Korea established formal relations in 1949, emerging as new communist countries in the years following World War II. China supported North Korea in the Korean War (1950–53), and the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty in 1961, China's only one to date.
Key Findings. Large majorities of the public in China consider Russia (83%) and North Korea (76%) as their country's friend. They also view the Taiwanese people (91%)—but much less so the Taiwanese government (44%)—as friendly.
The repatriation agreement between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) categorizes North Korean refugees as illegal economic migrants and permits China to forcibly return them, even though China has ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol.
Introduction. While McDonald's is a global icon, the fast-food giant does not have a presence in many countries worldwide. There are 123 countries where McDonald's has not set up a restaurant yet, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea, among many others.
North Korea has an adequate telephone system, with 1.18 million fixed lines available in 2008. However, most phones are only installed for senior government officials. Someone wanting a phone installed must fill out a form indicating their rank, why they want a phone, and how they will pay for it.
Travelers can stay for a maximum of 15 days and travel throughout South Korea. Individual travelers or those not part of registered tour groups require a visa. This visa-free program operates from September 29, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
China is widely recognized as a safe country for travelers, including school groups.
According to a Genron NPO poll in 2024, 89% of Japanese people have a negative view of China. A survey published in 2025 by the Pew Research Center found that 86% of Japanese people had an unfavorable view of China, while 13% had a favorable view, the most negative of any nation surveyed.
Since middle- and upper-class individuals are allowed to live in cities, Western-style restaurants have become popular in Pyongyang. Restaurants serve pizza with traditional toppings, as well as local varieties like kimchi pizza. All restaurants, including pizzerias, serve familiar dishes in North Korean cuisine.
North Korea and Cuba are the only two countries where Coca-Cola is not officially sold, due to long- standing U.S. trade embargoes. These sanctions have prevented the Coca-Cola Company from officially operating in Cuba since 1962 and in North Korea since 1950.
You can't smile in North Korea on July 8 because it's part of the annual mourning period for the death of founder Kim Il Sung in 1994, a solemn occasion where showing joy like laughing, drinking, or engaging in amusement is forbidden as a sign of respect, with strict enforcement against any display of happiness.
What's the best North Korean gift?
Drug use remains technically illegal in North Korea, and according to unconfirmed media reports, convicted violators are subject to lengthy imprisonment or, in extreme cases, execution.
Beer is available to tourists without limitation. Mass-produced beer can be found everywhere in the country, and microbreweries are also common. North Koreans need to expend food coupons when buying beer, which will diminish their grain rations.