<P> Tourists can take the plane to Pyongyang from Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai and Vladivostok, and train services to Pyongyang from Beijing, Dandong and Moscow . </P> <P> For Westerners, there are a handful of private tour operators that help provide access to North Korea . There has been a recent incident where a 21 - year - old American student named Otto Warmbier was arrested at the airport before departure, allegedly for removing a propaganda poster from a wall in his hotel . Warmbier was at the time traveling with Chinese tour operator Young Pioneer Tours for a 5 - day tourist trip to North Korea . He was convicted of "committing hostile acts" against the state (after allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from the restricted floor of his hotel) and sentenced to 15 years hard labor . He was later released and returned for humanitarian reasons but was in a coma which led to his death on 19 June 2017 . As a result, the tour group stated that they would stop taking United States citizens to North Korea as the "risk is too high". Koryo Tours (known for its North Korean - related films such as Comrade Kim Goes Flying and strong history in the region) are also looking into their positions on the matter . It is unknown how this will affect tourism from other western countries . </P> <P> Those groups that still offer access to all western nations include: Uri Tours (known for its role in Dennis Rodman's and Eric Schmidt's trips to North Korea), Lupine Travel (a UK - based budget travel agency known for its DPRK Amateur Golf Open), Tongil Tours (with a focus on college tours and special delegations), and KTG (known for their small sized groups and affordable tours). FarRail Tours also takes tours to see operating steam railways and the Pyongyang Metro . </P> <P> In 2002, the area around Mount Kumgang, a scenic mountain close to the South Korea border, was designated as a special tourist destination: Mount Kumgang Tourist Region . Tours run by private companies brought thousands of South Koreans to Mount Kŭmgang every year before the suspension of tours in late 2008 due to the shooting of a South Korean tourist . When tours had not resumed by May 2010, North Korea unilaterally announced that it would seize South Korean real estate assets in the region . </P>

Can a us citizen travel to north korea