The following article is the eleventh in a multipart series by Taylor Darby, a pseudonym for a foreign diplomat that worked in Pyongyang for an extended period of time before being forced to leave in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Views expressed in columns are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News.

Visiting North Korea as a tourist is the dream of many people who are interested in the country. And the DPRK, like any other place, makes a serious effort to attract visitors.

The well-traveled will notice many similarities between their overall tourist