If you’re one of the relatively few planning a trip to North Korea, read this carefully: don’t travel without a VPN installed on your device. North Korea is notorious for its censorship, but VPN encryption can help you maintain your privacy and online security, as well as access to blocked websites.
The mysterious “hermit kingdom” known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has a somewhat unusual Internet infrastructure. Larger cities, particularly Pyongyang, are wired to provide access to tourists, workers, and residents. Outside of urban centers, however, most North Koreans rarely use the Internet.
NordVPN
NordVPN is our top choice for a VPN in North Korea. It has one of the largest server networks with over 5,500 servers in 59 countries, including 10 servers in North Korea. It offers incredible speeds, fast enough for live HD video streaming without significant buffering, and unblocks the most popular streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Sling TV. NordVPN also offers dedicated servers optimized for P2P file sharing, DDoS protection, and using the Internet in countries with strict online censorship.
It uses strong 256-bit encryption to prevent leaks from WebRTC, DNS, IPv6, and port forwarding. Users can turn on automatic ad blockers and malware scanning, use two VPNs simultaneously, and even access Tor via VPN. NordVPN has a strict no-logging policy, which means that your activities will always remain private. If you want to log in anonymously, you can use a unique email address and pay with Bitcoin.
The NordVPN app is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The service requires manual installation to work with network routers.
ExpressVPN
With 3,000 servers worldwide, ExpressVPN lets you easily bypass censorship and geoblocking. One of my colleagues from North Korea connects to servers in the US and South Korea to access various social media platforms and unblock Netflix and AsianCrush in the US.
To protect your privacy and hide your real IP address, the VPN encrypts Internet traffic with a 256-bit key and runs its own private DNS on each server. Additionally, a kill switch and DNS leak protection prevent data leaks. ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology also ensures your anonymity, so when each server restarts, all your data is deleted.
North Korea can be a scary place for residents with internet access. However, you can rest assured that your online activities won’t be shared with the North Korean government, as ExpressVPN doesn’t keep logs and is based in the British Virgin Islands, where there are no data retention laws.
Even with all these security features, ExpressVPN won’t slow you down. When my North Korean colleague tested the VPN’s speed, he found it to be fast enough for gaming, streaming, and torrenting. To get the fastest connection, you can use ExpressVPN’s Smart Location feature to automatically connect to nearby servers. The VPN also offers unlimited bandwidth, so you can download large files and watch as many Netflix shows as possible.
I found the ExpressVPN app to be very user-friendly – it only takes a few minutes to download and install. I especially like that the VPN shows you the websites you’ve connected to recently, so you don’t have to search for the server you want each time. ExpressVPN also automatically chooses the best security protocol for you, so you’re always best protected.
SurfsharkVPN
Surfshark has a lot of great features that can help you make the most of your virtual private network. The first one is the borderless mode, which lets you access websites in restricted areas and bypass censorship.
Stealth mode is also useful, as it hides your VPN usage from third parties, including ISPs, and allows you to bypass North Korea’s Internet surveillance.
In terms of security, Surfshark is excellent. Using excellent protocols like OpenVPN and military-grade encryption, users can be sure that their Internet connection is fully encrypted.
Surfshark has great unlocking features for accessing global news sites, social networks, and streaming services. One mammoth can unlock up to 15 Netflix libraries, giving you access to a huge amount of content.
The web servers have a high speed, so you won’t suffer from slow page loads, no matter if you are connected to a server in a remote country. There is also no data cap, so you can use the service as much as you want.
Unlike many other VPNs, Surfshark has no restrictions on device connections. You can use the service on as many cell phones, desktops, and other Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices as you want.
Paying with Surfshark is easy, as the service accepts all major credit cards. There is an extensive customer support service that includes live chat, email, and a help section on the website where you can find most of the information you need.
Thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try out this service and still get a full refund if you change your mind. Surfhsark is one of the most popular VPN services for North Korea, and for good reason. If you’re planning a trip to North Korea, this service is a great option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are VPNs legal in North Korea?
VPN are restricted in North Korea, and the government has implemented strict censorship to limit internet access.
Is the internet banned in North Korea?
There is very little internet access in North Korea. The Internet is strictly censored by the North Korean government and is not even accessible to most users, as it is mostly reserved for the country’s elite.
Citizens from Pyongyang can access North Korea’s internal network, but it does not offer much content. Tourists and travelers can also use the Internet in some hotels or by purchasing an Internet-only or foreigner-only SIM card.
Can I get a North Korean IP address?
A limited number of VPN services, such as HMA, provide access to North Korean IP addresses. In most cases, connecting to a server location in South Korea allows for fast and reliable speeds in North Korea.
Summary
Finding and using a VPN in North Korea is not as difficult as you might think. Fortunately for visitors to North Korea, there is little to no internet monitoring or censorship in the country. However, you can’t be too careful, so a VPN in North Korea is a smart move.
AWSM TIPS
The United Arab Emirates, sometimes referred to simply as the UAE, is a country in Western Asia, located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. Check out Best VPN for UAE to surf web browser and access social media, and watch movies/stream in online.
