Assuming the US does not impose tourist restrictions!
In August-October 2005, the DPRK permitted American tourists to enter the country to see the spectacular Arirang performance. I saw this performance, and Kim Jong Il, and it is not to be missed. From the DPRK perspective, the experiment must have been a success so it is being repeated again this summer. If you are interested in going, and I recomend you do, there are several operators that can take you:
Koryo Tours has been running tours for a long time. Based out of Beijing, but run by two great English chaps, Simon and Nick, Koryo has great access to the country. I have personally seen them in action and marveled at how efficiently they handled the multiple requests of their customers. Nick and Simon have worked on two documentaries in the DPRK, the Game of Their Lives and A State of Mind. They are currently finishing up their third, Crossing the Line.
Today I got an email from Walter L. Keats at Asia Pacific Travel. He tells me, “We are the only U.S. company to be directly authorized by the Korea International Travel Company (KITC) to bring American and other tourists to the DPRK during the Arirang period. You can see a copy of our letter of authorization on our website as well as a background sheet on our involvement with North Korea since 1995.” (I am really surprised an American company could pull this off).
I have visited the DPRK twice with the Korean Friendship Association. KFA trips are something else altogether. The KFA is sponsored by a different DPRK ministry than the other tour companies and the agenda, aside from not being released until you are in Pyongyang, contains come political-ish activities that might make all but the hardiest of travellers blush. And don’t expect to run for Congress when you get back home. Still I had a great time and learned a lot. The price is generally much cheaper, but more often than not, you will be staying in the isolated Sosan hotel.
If you visit the DPRK with any of these groups this summer, please let me know how it went and what you learned. Don’t forget to tell them I sent you!
