Moving to Finland from North Korea

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What to Expect

Considering a move from North Korea to Finland? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from North Korea to Finland, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 60°F in P'yongyang, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from North Korea to Finland.

Moved in 2015
1

people moved from North Korea to Finland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Finland?

Top countries of origin for Finland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Finland compared to North Korea.

How's the healthcare?

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

affects wait times and access to care

KP
36.7
FI
43.8
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

KP
68
FI
86

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KP
86.0
FI
7.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KP
2.5t
FI
5.5t

North Korea generally does better on environment, though Finland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KP
27.7%
FI
7.1%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

KP
830 kWh
FI
14,391 kWh

Finland performs significantly 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

KP
3.0%
FI
7.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KP
$1,700
FI
$57,500

North Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KP
71.8 yrs
FI
81.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KP
22.2
FI
2.1

Finland performs significantly 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months P'yongyang Helsinki
Jan–Mar 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month P'yongyang Helsinki
Jan 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Finland

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

Finland passport holder visiting North Korea

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Finland?

From major Finland cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Korea and Finland are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to North Korea?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in suicide rate. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In North Korea, the official language is Korean.

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At a Glance

KP FI
Population 25,955,138 5,601,547
Currency North Korean Won (KPW) Euro (€)
Languages Korean Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +850 +358
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112