A German influencer who recently toured North Korea has shared surprising observations about the secretive nation, particularly noting that locals made little effort to conceal poverty from foreign visitors.
Luca Pertmengkes, a 23-year-old traveler with multiple juggling-related Guinness World Records, visited North Korea for five days as part of his quest to see every country in the world. In a February 27 interview with Business Insider, he described unexpected transparency regarding the country’s economic conditions.
“What surprised me most was how they openly displayed poverty,” Pertmengkes explained. During his visit to the Rason Special Economic Zone, he observed many residents still using oxen and carts for transportation. Unlike expectations of a carefully curated experience, residents didn’t cover their windows with curtains to hide living conditions from tourists.
His guides simply requested visitors not photograph dilapidated buildings rather than denying their existence. “It seems they don’t deny poverty, they just don’t like people taking photos and presenting it as the only truth,” he observed.
The trip revealed other unexpected insights:
- Some privileged North Koreans have mobile phones with internet access
- A North Korean version of “Clash of Clans” is available in their app store
- The five-day tour cost just $740 (approximately 1.07 million won)
- COVID-19 protocols remain strict with 80% of people wearing masks
Travel restrictions created a “school field trip” atmosphere with numerous rules: visitors couldn’t speak negatively about leadership, had to purchase flowers for monuments, were assigned specific bus seats, and needed to photograph statues without cropping or zooming.
Key Updates:
- First foreign tourists in North Korea since pandemic
- Rason area poorer and more isolated than Pyongyang
- Direct interaction with locals revealed their surprise at seeing foreigners
- Complete absence of advertising, only propaganda posters
Keywords: North Korea tourism 2025, foreigner experience North Korea, Rason Economic Zone #NorthKoreaTourism #RareGlimpse #TravelInsights
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