Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old American student, died last month just days after he was brought back home from North Korea or Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a vegetative state. The North Korean government sentenced him to 15 years of labour in March last year and his crime was allegedly trying to steal a propaganda poster from his hotel in Pyongyang while he was on an organised trip. He fell into a coma during the captivity, giving us an idea of the kind of barbaric treatment he might have received.
North Korea reportedly has several hard labour camps spread across the country to punish those who show slightest signs of dissent against the regime or even on suspicion. Inmates in these camps are reportedly tortured, beaten up, raped or even executed in public. The regime is so repressive that anybody from top officials to the laymen, who speak or act against the government or its supreme leader, is arrested, made to suffer in political prison camps for years and even executed by hanging or shooting.
Also read: Will North Korea ever be free of dictatorship? Here are hints of its future
The dangers involved while visiting North Korea is obvious. Dozens of tourists have been detained in the past for infringing the rules of the tour that include as simple as speaking to locals or straying from tour guides. Several foreigners are said to be currently serving in hard labour camps for petty acts that the regime describes as a crime. Surprisingly, people keep visiting this country shrouded in mystery paying $869 to $2,060 to tour travel agencies for a trip besides the dangers of ending up in hard labour camps if not taken utmost care in following the rules.
This is why it becomes important to bring to light what tourists shouldn't do when they visit the country as even an unintentional act or a slip of the tongue can send them to prison or even be killed. So, here are some of the things that you should never do when you visit the country:
1) Never show disrespect to the country's supreme leaders: Showing disrespect to North Korea's current supreme leader Kim Jong-un and former leaders Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung is a criminal act. Tourists could be asked to bow their heads and lay flowers in front of Kim Il Sung statues. Even materials bearing their names or images shouldn't be tampered with or mishandled.
2) Never take posters: The country has thousands of propaganda banners across the country, and it is a crime to take or deface them. So, tourists shouldn't even try to take banners or any kind of pictures on display for that matter. Defaulters can be sentenced to years of imprisonment in hard labour camps.
3) Don't take pictures or capture film without permission: North Koreans have been made to believe that their supreme leader was benevolent and that their country is the best and most developed nation in the world. In the meantime, the regime wants to show only the good picture of the country. So, you should take pictures only when your guide gives permission. Cameras and pictures can be confiscated if they catch you taking photos secretly, and can even attract severe punishment if repeated.
4) No interaction with locals: Just leave the local people alone unless you get permission from your guide because such act can land both you and the people you spoke to in trouble.
5) Never stray away from your guide: Tour of North Korea is choreographed. You have to be with your tour guide all the time and moving away even for a short distance can put you in trouble.
6) No shopping at undesignated shopping centres: Tourists can't move out of their hotels without the knowledge of their guides. Shopping should be done only at stores specially set up for foreigners.
7) No religious or political propaganda: Carrying out religious works or propagating political ideologies is considered a crime. You shouldn't leave behind even religious materials.
8) Never carry objectionable contents: You should not carry any thing, either physical or electronic, that is critical of the regime or its leaders, including the former supreme leaders. Possession of such content is punishable by long-term detention in hard labour camps and heavy fines.
9) No unauthorised currency transactions: North Korean authorities can fine or even arrest you if you exchanging currency with an unauthorised vendor.
10) Never travel unescorted: You can be charged with espionage attempt if you travel unescorted without official authorisation.
It may be noted that your passport will be taken by your guide on arriving North Korea. The country's border officials even confiscate cell phones upon arrival and return it only upon departure. Even if you are permitted to keep your cell phone, only the mobile service of the country works which means authorities can monitor your calls. Electronic items are also subjected to search to ensure that they don't contain objectionable contents, files and movies.
