#1
pushmyredbutton , Jul 1, 2009 4:08 pm
I will be traveling to North Korea next month on a tour...and will be visiting my friend in Seoul at the tail end of my trip.
I know it's not possible to cross the DMZ, so when I land back in Beijing from Pyongyang I will connect to an onward flight to Seoul.
My question is, will the South Korean immigration give me any problems as to why I have two sets of Chinese entry/exit stamps and/or if they know I've been to the DPRK?
Anyone have or heard any experiences regarding this?
Thanks
I know it's not possible to cross the DMZ, so when I land back in Beijing from Pyongyang I will connect to an onward flight to Seoul.
My question is, will the South Korean immigration give me any problems as to why I have two sets of Chinese entry/exit stamps and/or if they know I've been to the DPRK?
Anyone have or heard any experiences regarding this?
Thanks
#3
The DPRK does not stamp passports, and there's no way for the ROK to know where you flew to with those Chinese exit stamps. In my (limited) experience, passport inspections at Seoul tend to be cursory at best anyway.
#4
Swanhunter , Jul 2, 2009 9:52 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
I know someone who visited the DPRK and then went back to work in the RoK. You'll have no problems.
#7
Not to Hijack your threat, but I would encourage anyone considering visiting North Korea to think about how your tourist dollars benefit the regime there. Just a thought.
#8
Quote:
On the other hand, hard currency earned from tourism is one less reason for nuclear material exports to shady customers.Originally Posted by spinkid000
Not to Hijack your threat, but I would encourage anyone considering visiting North Korea to think about how your tourist dollars benefit the regime there. Just a thought.
#9
pushmyredbutton , Jul 29, 2009 7:16 am
Appreciate the responses! Glad to hear it shouldn't cause many problems going from the DPRK to the ROK.
And about the tourist dollars...I didn't think about that..but I can only hope it isn't going towards anything negative...
And about the tourist dollars...I didn't think about that..but I can only hope it isn't going towards anything negative...
#10
Quote:
I don't think there's any positive to supporting the N Korean government and it's impossible no to.Originally Posted by vforni
but I can only hope it isn't going towards anything negative...
#11
HeathrowGuy , Aug 23, 2009 9:27 pm
Suspended
Quote:
Also, such travel, if undertaken outside of say an academic exchange, will almost certainly disqualify the traveler from subsequently obtaining a government security clearance anytime soon, if that sort of thing may matter for professional reasons.Originally Posted by spinkid000
Not to Hijack your threat, but I would encourage anyone considering visiting North Korea to think about how your tourist dollars benefit the regime there. Just a thought.
#13
Quote:
That's not entirely true. It depends on where your DPRK visa is issued, oddly. If it's issued from the DPRK embassy in Beijing, it's on a piece of paper and not in your passport. If it's issued by the DPRK embassy in London, however, it's put in your passport. DPRK immigration will stamp your visa, wherever it is.Originally Posted by jpatokal
The DPRK does not stamp passports, and there's no way for the ROK to know where you flew to with those Chinese exit stamps. In my (limited) experience, passport inspections at Seoul tend to be cursory at best anyway.
I was in DPRK in late August and ROK two weeks later. I didn't have any problem getting into ROK and I don't think ROK immigration would have any problem with you having been in DPRK.
As far as security clearances go, as the U.S. doesn't restrict travel or spending by U.S. citizens in DPRK (unlike the policy towards Cuban travel), I don't think traveling to DPRK would necessarily disqualify you from a security clearance (at least that's what I'm counting on).