Moving to North Korea from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to North Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from United Kingdom 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from United Kingdom to North Korea, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
309 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in United Kingdom 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to North Korea.

How's the healthcare?

Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GB
31.7
KP
36.7
Health coverage index United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access

GB
88
KP
68

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
KP
2.5t

United Kingdom 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

GB
14.3%
KP
27.7%
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

GB
4,208 kWh
KP
830 kWh

United Kingdom 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

GB
4.1%
KP
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
KP
$1,700

United Kingdom 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

GB
81.9 yrs
KP
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
3.8
KP
22.2

United Kingdom 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.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London P'yongyang
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 81°/65°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 50°/31°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month London P'yongyang
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting North Korea

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

North Korea passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
North Korea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.

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?

Usually fine from major cities in North Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in North Korea compared to United Kingdom?

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.7 doctors per 10,000 people in North Korea, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. North Korea scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

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

The average high temperature in P'yongyang is 60°F, compared to 60°F in London. P'yongyang receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in North Korea?

The official language in North Korea is Korean. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GB KP
Population 67,791,400 25,955,138
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) North Korean Won (KPW)
Languages English Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +850
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999