Language in North Korea

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The official language is Korean. Note that North Koreans are quite picky about referring to Korean as Chosŏnmal, not hangukmal. Unlike South Korea, North Korea has abolished Chinese hanja characters and uses hangul characters, known as Chosŏn'gŭl, exclusively.

Your guides will speak fairly decent and understandable English (some better than others) and will translate something if you wish. Other guides have the ability to speak both Korean and either Mandarin, German, Japanese, or French, depending on where you come from.

Although locals may be discouraged from speaking with foreigners due to government propaganda that implies foreigners are generally up to no good, and language can prove to be an additional barrier, there is no formal law preventing citizens of the DPRK from interacting with tourists. A visit to the DPRK around their holidays may give you more of a chance to interact with the locals.

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Amhoemak-pong, a peak in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
An'gal-lyong, a pass in Yanggang-do
Araeosan, in Yanggang-do
Ch'angsin-dong, in Hamgyong-bukto
Ch'asu-ri, in Hamgyong-bukto
Ch'imi-gogae, a pass in Gangwon
Ch'ogot'ae-ryong, a pass in Hamgyong-namdo
Ch'ohang-nyong, a pass in P'yongan-namdo
Ch'onbul-bong, a peak in Hamgyong-bukto
Ch'ongsongdongbangman-gol, in Hamgyong-bukto
Ch'uga-ryong, a pass in Gangwon
Ch'unsal-lyong, a hill in Yanggang-do
Chaedong-nyong, a pass in Yanggang-do
Chang-ch'i, a pass in Hamgyong-namdo
Chin-gogae, a pass in Hwanghae-bukto
Chinbong-san, a hill in Kaesong-si
Chinsa-ryong, a pass in P'yongan-namdo
Chinsang-got, a cape in P'yongan-bukto
Chodu-san, a hill in Hwanghae-namdo
Chogol-san, a hill in P'yongan-bukto
Chojaegung-gogae, a pass in Hwanghae-namdo
Chongch'olgol-gogae, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Chung-san, a hill in Yanggang-do
Chungganmal, in P'yongan-namdo
Hajin-hyon, a pass in Gangwon
Hajingmo-ri, in Hamgyong-bukto
Han'gagubi, in Yanggang-do
Hoech'on, in Hamgyong-bukto
Hyangsan-bong, a hill in P'yongan-namdo
Hyemun-nyong, a pass in Yanggang-do
Iga-bong, a peak in Hamgyong-bukto
Igadogi, in Hamgyong-bukto
It'ae-ryong, a pass in Yanggang-do
K'un-gol, a valley in Gangwon
K'undongsu-gol, in Hamgyong-bukto
Kach'on, in Hamgyong-bukto
Kodol-gogae, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Kuksa-ryong, a hill in Yanggang-do
Kul-bau, a rock in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Kunnomi-gogae, a pass in Gangwon
Kwaegak-kogae, a pass in Hwanghae-namdo
Kwan'gak-san, a hill in Hwanghae-namdo
Kwandae-san, a hill in Hwanghae-bukto
Kwangdae-bau, a hill
Kwangdae-san, a hill in Hwanghae-namdo
Kwangdok-san, a hill in Kaesong-si
Kwangja-san, a hill
Maebong, in Hamgyong-bukto

Malgul-gogae, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Nanch'i-bau, a rock in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Non-gogae, a pass in Gangwon
Nungbae, in Hamgyong-bukto
Osa-gol, in Hamgyong-bukto
P'ul-som, a land-tied island in P'yongan-namdo
Paebol, in Hamgyong-bukto
Paeksal-lyong, a pass in Yanggang-do
Paektong-nyong, a hill in Yanggang-do
Pongsu-bong, a peak in Yanggang-do
Ppyojuk-san, a peak in Hwanghae-bukto
Puch'e-gogae, a pass in Yanggang-do
Pyongp'unggae, in Yanggang-do
Sang-dong, in Hamgyong-bukto
Sang-ni, in Yanggang-do
Sangch'on, in Hamgyong-bukto
Sanghap'yegi, in Hamgyong-bukto
Sangsuhan-hyon, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Sijon-ch'i, a pass in Hamgyong-bukto
Sil-lyong, a pass in Hamgyong-namdo
Simnijong, in Hamgyong-bukto
Simp'o, in Hamgyong-bukto
Sindaesil-lyong, a hill in Yanggang-do
Sindo-ryong, a pass in Hamgyong-bukto
Sindong-nyong, a pass in Hamgyong-namdo
Sinhadong-nyong, a pass in Chagang-do
Sinhung-dong, in Yanggang-do
Sinhung-ni, in Yanggang-do
Sinhungch'on, in Najin Sonbong-si
Sol-lyong, a pass in P'yongan-namdo
Songgwan-hyon, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Songp'yong, in Hamgyong-bukto
Ssanggae-gol, in Hamgyong-bukto
Suk-kogae, a pass in Gangwon
T'osin-bong, a peak in P'yongan-bukto
Taech'on-bong, a peak in Yanggang-do
Taemun-ch'i, a pass in Hamgyong-namdo
Todong-gol, in Yanggang-do
Tohung-ni, in Yanggang-do
Tok-kogae, a pass in Hwanghae-namdo
Toksan-gogae, a pass in Kimhwa-gun, Gangwon
Tongdong-bong, a peak in Yanggang-do
Tongha-ri, in Yanggang-do
Tot'ae-san, a hill in P'yongan-namdo
Unju-bong, a peak in Yanggang-do
Yongsong-nyong, a pass in Yanggang-do

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North Korea Tourist Information from You.travel
Language in North Korea
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North Korea: Language is based on work by Gareth, Bex, D. Guillaime, Stefan Ertmann, Burmesedays, Inas, iGuide, and others. North Korea Travel Guide & North Korea Interactive Map is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0. See background image credits.