Moving to North Korea from Papua New Guinea

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Papua New Guinea to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — P'yongyang averages 60°F vs 88°F in Port Moresby, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Papua New Guinea 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

PG
0.6
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

PG
30
KP
68

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PG
38.0
KP
86.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PG
0.5t
KP
2.5t

Papua New Guinea performs better than North Korea across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PG
0.1%
KP
27.7%

Papua New Guinea 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

PG
2.6%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PG
$4,200
KP
$1,700

Papua New Guinea performs better than North Korea across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PG
69.4 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PG
33.6
KP
22.2

North Korea performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea 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.

Port Moresby Rain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Moresby P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Port Moresby P'yongyang
Jan 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea 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.

Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting North Korea

Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holders need a visa to enter North Korea.
North Korea passport

North Korea passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
North Korea passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.

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 Papua New Guinea and North Korea.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to Papua New Guinea?

North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).

What's the weather like in North Korea compared to Papua New Guinea?

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.

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At a Glance

PG KP
Population 9,593,498 25,955,138
Currency Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +675 +850
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 000