A British tour guide who shows visitors around North Korea says everyone’s ‘wrong’ about the country.
Zoe Stephens, 31, from Liverpool, has visited North Korea 30 times since March 2016 – taking countless ‘foreigners’ from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia with her.
She revealed there are set rules the group has to follow in order to avoid trouble but it’s just a ‘normal’ place to live.
Groups must travel in a two guides to one tourist ratio, and never take silly photos of art resembling dictator Kim Jong Un.
The tour guide posts videos of normal life in Pyongyang, North Korea, on TikTok – and says people in the comments accuse her of spreading propaganda.
But Zoe wants people to see the ‘amazing’ side of the country – from hikes with amazing views to the ‘lovely humans’ that live there.
Zoe, an international tour and marketing manager, said she wants to show people the ‘human side of North Korea.’
She added: ‘A lot of foreigners think people there are starving and trying to escape.
Zoe Stephens, 31, from Liverpool, who shows groups of tourists around North Korea says everyone’s ‘wrong’ about the country
‘But in reality, people just go about their everyday life there.
‘I love going for hikes in rural North Korea – and in Pyongyang, my favourite things to do are literally just grabbing coffee and getting my hair done.’
Before North Korea closed its borders due to the covid pandemic in January 2020, Zoe used to visit the country once a month.
But in March 2025, she went back for the first time in five years.
Her tours usually begin in Beijing, China, and head towards Pyongyang, North Korea – and every time she takes her group out, she needs to undergo a one-hour briefing session on the rules.
‘I want to ensure everyone’s safety, and help them challenge cultural misconceptions,’ she said.
‘There are three general rules you follow as a traveller; when taking photos of any image of the leader, you have to remain respectful.
‘You can’t take any photos of the military or construction sites.
Zoe has visited North Korea 30 times since March 2016 – taking countless ‘foreigners’ from the UK, Germany , the Netherlands and Australia with her
She revealed there are set rules the group has to follow in order to avoid trouble but it’s just a ‘normal’ place to live
Zoe wants people to see the ‘amazing’ side of the country – from hikes with amazing views to the ‘lovely humans’ that live there
‘Stick together as a group – solo travellers aren’t allowed in the country – and there has to be two guides with you at all times.’
Even on her tours, Zoe hopes to encourage people to challenge their ‘misunderstandings’ of culture in North Korea.
She wants people to see how ‘normal’ the country can be, and believes it isn’t an unsafe country to stay in, if you follow the rules.
The tour guide says there are even beautiful, rural hiking spots she often enjoys.
Zoe added: ‘There are a lot of misunderstandings between North Koreans and foreigners.
‘Like, in Pyongyang, North Koreans don’t understand why foreigners don’t want to get the bus.
‘In their mind, it’s something they’ve provided and built – so why wouldn’t anyone want to use it?
‘But really, it’s just tourists wanting to walk around, get out there and get the vibe of the city.’
Zoe, an international tour and marketing manager, said she wants to show people the ‘human side of North Korea’
She struggles to stay in contact with friends from North Korea due to restrictions on international calls and social media
Zoe says the people are the best part of the country, and she loves meeting ‘normal humans doing normal things’
Despite social media trolls telling her she’s spreading propaganda, Zoe says she’s never felt unsafe in the city, and has made many friends through the years.
She struggles to stay in contact with friends from North Korea due to restrictions on international calls and social media.
But Zoe says the people are the best part of the country, and she loves meeting ‘normal humans doing normal things’.
‘I totally see how my content could be seen as propaganda,’ she said.
‘But, I think it’s because people aren’t comfortable with seeing a non-negative side of North Korea. I’m not trying to promote the country.
‘I have to say, my favourite thing about visiting is the people – over the food and the sights.’
North Korea is a highly centralised totalitarian state.
Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, it maintains one of the largest militarise and devotes significant resources to its illicit nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
Earlier this month North Korea has put a sudden ‘pause’ on its Western tourist drive.
Travel groups offering Britons adventures inside the country report that trips to Rason have been put on hold after the country tentatively reopened its doors to foreign visitors last month.
Young Pioneer Tours, a group that ‘specialises in taking you to places your mother would rather you stay away from’, advised holidaymakers to refrain from booking flights ‘until we have more information’ on Wednesday.
The decision to ‘pause’ visits to the country comes as a shock, with travel agencies reporting that their Korean partners ‘have no more information themselves’ at this stage.
Unnamed operators told the BBC that trips to the experimental special economic zone of Rason had been ‘more restricted’ since reopening, with fewer opportunities to engage with the locals and internet access not available.
