Moving to North Korea from Ireland

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to North Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ireland to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Ireland and North Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

IE
40.6
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

IE
83
KP
68

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
KP
2.5t

Ireland generally does better on environment, though North Korea leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
22.2%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

IE
6,145 kWh
KP
830 kWh

Ireland performs better than North Korea across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.3%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$115,600
KP
$1,700

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though North Korea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IE
81.7 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.5
KP
22.2

Ireland performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

P'yongyang Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Dublin P'yongyang
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and North Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in North Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check North Korea's immigration authority.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting North Korea

Visa Required
Ireland passport holders need a visa to enter North Korea.
North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Required
North Korea passport holders need a visa to enter Ireland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from North Korea?

Working remotely from North Korea's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Ireland and North Korea.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Ireland?

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in adult obesity rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Ireland?

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE KP
Population 5,275,004 25,955,138
Currency Euro (€) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English, Irish Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112