Updated on 16 September 2026 ·
source checked daily
North Korea — official level as of 16 September 2026: Level 4/4 ("Do Not Travel"), from the U.S. Department of State. Maximum Insurance covers this country: hospital settled directly, unlimited repatriation, CHF 1.5M, certificate on payment.
Four official readings
United StatesState Departmentsource ↗Our reference level — the one shown across this site
Is the whole country advised against?Yesthe whole country is formally advised against
Level 4/4 — “Do Not Travel”
FranceFrance Diplomatiesource ↗Added on top of the U.S. level, under its own rules: red or orange AREAS
Is the whole country advised against?Yesthe whole country is formally advised against
“L’intégralité du territoire nord-coréen est formellement déconseillée (rouge sur la carte des Conseils aux voyageurs).”
United KingdomFCDOsource ↗Added on top of the U.S. level, under its own rules: travel statuses
Is the whole country advised against?Except for imperative reasonsthe whole country is advised against, unless the reason is imperative
our reading: all but essential travel advised against, whole country
source reviewed 10 December 2025
SwitzerlandFDFAsource ↗Advisory cited by the Maximum policy
Is the whole country advised against?Nono restriction on the whole country
our reading: the FDFA advises against no travel
These readings do not say the same thing. The United States and France say yes; the United Kingdom says except for imperative reasons; Switzerland says no — a 2-band gap on our comparison scale.Our comparison reading: 15 September 2026
Every country has its own scale, so we ask them all the same question: is the whole country advised against?
An advisory covering only areas of the country does not raise the answer: it stays “No”, and the area is shown in the relevant column.
The level shown on this page — and across this site — is the one published by the U.S. State Department, from 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel). France and the United Kingdom publish their own advisories, with their own rules: they add to that level, they do not replace it.
Level 4/4 — Do Not Travel
Checked on 16 September 2026 · U.S. State Department
Country briefing
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The comparator
What is your current insurance?
The verdict
Your Amex Platinum expressly excludes this trip: the T&Cs rule out travel to countries your government has advised against visiting.
Exact wording (official French text): « Des Voyages vers des pays où Votre gouvernement a conseillé de ne pas voyager » — general exclusion n° 11, applying to ALL travel covers.
Visa certificate (incl. Schengen) — nominative, issued on payment
$990 for twelve months, unlimited trips — or $99/month.
Conflict-zone extraction and Kidnap & Ransom fall under the Pack VIP Extreme (GC art. 18.4), with dedicated crisis management — these two guarantees are granted ✦ subject to eligibility.
Travelling only once? Below three trips a year, this contract is probably not for you.
Where, exactly?
What the national level does not tell you
The level is national. Risk areas are in the state advisories below.
U.S. State Department — the full advisory details the regions concerned and the reasons (crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest)
(read the advisory)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (United Kingdom) — the United Kingdom advises against all but essential travel to the whole country · reviewed 10 December 2025 Last announced change : « New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page). » (read the advisory)
France Diplomatie — the French advisory covers the WHOLE country: « L’intégralité du territoire nord-coréen est formellement déconseillée (rouge sur la carte des Conseils aux voyageurs). » (read the advisory)
No major event in progress is located in this country at this morning's check.
What we do locate on the map are events in progress — earthquakes and disasters reported by USGS and GDACS (UN / European Commission), which do have real coordinates. Hover a dot for details, click to open it in this briefing.
What is happening in North Korea right now
Live alerts and level changes, each with its official source. Continuously updated.
No level change recorded for this country since the log opened. The live alerts above are updated continuously.
Level 4/4: in an emergency our assistance desk names the facility. The list below is OpenStreetMap, not a partner network. What public sources give around Pyongyang: hospitals and clinics, nearest evacuation airport. In an emergency, one reflex: +41 22 ••• •• ••.
The closest to the city centre is Pyongyang People's Hospital No. 1 (평양시 제1인민병원), 1.3 km away. A medical evacuation would depart from Aéroport International de Sunan (평양국제비행장) (FNJ), 23.0 km from Pyongyang.
🏥 Medical network — Pyongyang
Pyongyang People's Hospital No. 1 (평양시 제1인민병원)emergency department1.3 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Pyongyang General Hospital (평양종합병원)emergency department1.6 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Taedonggang District People's Hospital (대동강구역인민병원)emergency department1.8 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Hôpital de stomatologie Ryugyong (류경안과종합병원)emergency department2.4 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Namsan Hospital (남산병원)emergency department2.4 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Munsu Rehabilitation Clinic (문수기능회복원)emergency department2.4 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Pyongyang Maternity Hospital (평양산원)emergency department2.5 km from the centre of Pyongyang
Ryugyong Dental Hospital (류경구강병원)emergency department2.5 km from the centre of Pyongyang
✈️ Aéroport International de Sunan (평양국제비행장)FNJ23.0 kmNearest evacuation airport from Pyongyang — unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation included.
💱 Currency: KPW ₩ · 🗣 Language: Korean In an emergency from Pyongyang, your reflex remains +41 22 ••• •• •• — Full number in your client area.
None of these facilities is a Maximum Insurance “partner”, and none is presented as waiving upfront payment: this list is a reading of public map data, nothing more. A direct payment guarantee is arranged CASE BY CASE by our assistance desk, facility by facility and when the need arises — one number, +41 22 ••• •• ••.
Frequently asked questions — travel insurance North Korea
What is the official risk level in North Korea today?
Level 4/4 ("Do Not Travel") according to the U.S. Department of State, retrieved on 16 September 2026. Maximum Insurance checks this official source every day.
What does Maximum Insurance do in North Korea?
The Pack VIP ($990 for twelve months, unlimited trips) covers CHF 1.5M emergency medical expenses, unlimited evacuation and repatriation, the direct payment guarantee in hospital, and a nominative certificate in the format visa applications require, Schengen included. The Pack VIP Extreme adds crisis management & security and Kidnap & Ransom (subject to eligibility).
Do I need an insurance certificate for a North Korea visa?
Many consulates require proof of international medical cover before issuing a visa — Schengen included for non-European travellers. Maximum Insurance issues the official named certificate on payment, accepted for these procedures.
What should I do if hospitalised in North Korea?
One reflex: call +41 22 ••• •• •• (24/7). Within our worldwide medical network — 45,000 medical providers — the insurer sends its direct payment guarantee: the hospital is settled directly, no deposit advanced by the traveller.
Is an Amex, Visa or Mastercard enough in North Korea?
These are travel-insurance options, with a public notice. At level 4/4 (Do Not Travel), several notices rule the trip out (Amex, exclusion no. 11; Mastercard Fortuneo, art. 5.5). Below that, the area exclusion generally does not apply — 90 days max, reimbursement afterwards, no visa certificate remain. The VIP Pack runs 12 months, pays the hospital, and issues the certificate on payment.
Are a health plan or a travel policy enough in North Korea?
A health plan treats you at home: the hospital here asks for a guarantee before admission. A travel policy has its own terms — often a territorial clause at level 4/4, and 90 days. Without the document (IPID number or PDF), we cannot say. Ask a Maximum Insurance expert to call you back.
The displayed level comes from the State Department, checked every morning. Before departure, always cross-check your country of residence's advisory: that is what your policy cites.
The level shown is the official U.S. Department of State level, checked daily. Maximum Insurance is an insurance distributor — general information, not personal advice.