On a recent reddit post on the /r/korea sub, someone was asking if visiting North Korea would cause them any problems in the future, because of passport stamps, etc. The answer is “No…but if you go to North Korea, you are a bad person.”
I think at some point everyone who lives here thinks it would be interesting to go. That is a natural reaction, but I think that upon further thought that most moral people decide against. Consider that your money would pay to perpetuate the suffering and misery of other human beings. Before going, I think people should have to listen to a North Korean refugee talk about their experiences in prison camps and how their families are probably either dead or in camps now because of their escape. We know so much about how brutal the regime is, so why would you be complicit in supporting their actions with your money? Before you say “Oh, but it’s not that much money,” just know that as much as 30% of the country’s revenue comes from tourism.
Again, it’s one thing to be interested in going, and it’s a different thing to follow through. It’s not a vacation. It’s a cheap thrill so that you can tell someone a story at parties. I told someone it’s like someone saying “The Khmer Rouge are pretty messed up, I’d love to see that in action.” There’s definitely a moral component, and while you can say that you don’t support it with your words, you are still supporting it with your money if you go. Just watch the Vice Guide to North Korea and expect to do the exact same things. There are better places to spend your money if you want to have an actual vacation.
Ramen Water 