Moving to North Korea from South Carolina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from South Carolina to North Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from South Carolina to North Korea, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,049 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in United States live in North Korea · UN DESA

Who's moving to North Korea?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

SC
35.4%
KP
6.8%

North Korea performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SC
4.9%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

SC
$49,914
KP
$1,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

SC
74.8 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs

South Carolina performs better than North Korea across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Columbia P'yongyang
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting United States

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

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 South Carolina and North Korea.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to South Carolina?

North Korea performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In South Carolina, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

KP
Population 4,625,364 25,955,138
Currency United States Dollar ($) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +850
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911