Despite North Korea and China being neighbors and buddies in all things red and socialist, the China – North Korea border is not only one of the most militarized and tense on earth, but is also one of the most interesting. To say Young Pioneer Tours are a bit obsessed with the border between the […]

We recently did a blog explaining the nuances of football in North Korea, and another on the man who is possibly their best player. In June we’re planning a trip to watch the most successful North Korean club side, April 25th, take on Hang Yuen – the current champions of Taiwan. Football in North Korea, […]

When I first started taking people to the Taedong Diplomatic Club over 10 years ago, many a travel guide (and travel agency) stated it was impossible to go there as a tourist. In fact this was not the case, and a visit to the Diplo is very much part of a trip to North Korea […]

Formally known as the Emperor Hotel & Casino and owned by the Emperor Group in Hong Kong, it has since been acquired by a new unknown owner in 2012. The Imperial Hotel & Casino is located in Rason – the Special Economic Zone of North Korea and was one of the first fully owned foreign […]

Pyongyang’s nightlife might not exactly be the Last Days of Rome, but things have drastically improved – certainly in the eleven or so years that I’ve been visiting. Nowadays there are many more bars, coffee shops, and even pizza joints popping up in Pyongyang. But the one true staple of North Korean nightlife preceded even […]

Without doubt one of our most underrated tours – and for Americans at least, the closest view of North Korea you will currently get – is our North Korean Borderlands Tour. The tour starts either in Dandong or Tumen, with us taking the long journey along the border between North Korea and China (and briefly […]

Red Star OS, or Red Star Linux is the native operating system of North Korea. North Korea often has an unfair reputation as lacking the technology of the West, but like everything with North Korea, the truth is usually a little bit more complex. We’ve previously reviewed the Arirang Smartphone and the Samjiyon Tablet. Today […]

Does North Korea have internet? In short, yes North Korea does have internet, but much like everything else, the full answer is much more complex. North Korean internet is one of the most asked and least understood questions about the DPRK. So, what is the story with North Korean internet? We often get asked by […]

It wasn’t all that long ago that cell phones were banned in North Korea for both locals and foreigners alike. Allegedly the ban occurred after an attempt on the leader’s life using a bomb set off via a phone, although this is very much an unconfirmed rumour. For my first few years visiting the country, […]

It is impossible to talk about football in North Korea without first dispelling a few myths about the country regarding football. North Korea did not claim that they won the World Cup. I was there; they watched the matches live, they were proud when they lost 2-1 to Brazil, and they were angry when they […]