As Korean food has become more popular around the world with the rise in popularity in K-pop and K-drama, Pyongyang has also taken advantage of the K-trend and actively opened state-run restaurants across Asia, the Middle East and Europe as a stable source of foreign income despite United Nations sanctions banning North Koreans from working overseas. Visiting a North Korean restaurant offers a rare glimpse into the reclusive nation’s culture, which is especially attractive to South Koreans who are typically not granted permission for regular tourism to the North.

However, in a recent statement issued by the South Korean embassy in Beijing, Republic of Korea (ROK) nationals were told to refrain from visiting North Korean (DPRK) run restaurants in China for “personal safety” reasons. The announcement warned South Korean visitors that the restaurants may “forcibly expel them from the premises upon identification,” resulting in “friction” between guests and the North Korean staff.

PAYING FOR FOOD OR FUNDING A NUCLEAR PROGRAM?

In the past, South Koreans had been warned against visiting North Korean restaurants for a very different reason. As a country that heavily relies on foreign income to fund its weapons programs, North Korea opened approximately 130 restaurants in 12 countries under the “Pyongyang” brand name to attract diners, who inadvertently supply hard currency to the regime. For instance, it was reported that the first North Korean restaurant opened in Beijing in 2003 made more than 7 million won (around $5,329 USD) a day in revenue, which is equivalent to $8,824 USD today.

North Korean restaurants are known for the range of entertainment offered by their staff beyond any regular dining experience. Diners enjoy nightly shows featuring singing, dancing and photo opportunities. Performers not only sing their country’s folk and pop songs, but also South Korean and American pop songs like the “Titanic” theme. In 2010, one of the North Korean waitresses in Cambodia even rose to fame for her beauty after a picture of her was posted on the internet. The attraction of North Korean restaurants has always been strong, as a South Korean Daewoo employee explained, “I’d say those restaurants have attracted South Koreans because they offer a window on the world’s most secretive state that I may not be able to visit before the two Koreas are united.” Our executive director, Dan Chung, shared his experiences at these restaurants in episode 1 of our podcast, “The Demystified Zone.” 

NORTH KOREAN RESTAURANTS IN CHINA REFUSE TO SERVE SOUTH KOREAN DINERS

According to the Chosun Ilbo, restrictions on South Koreans visiting North Korean restaurants were introduced by the North Korean embassy in China in 2023. There had been reports back in March and October 2023 indicating that ROK nationals were turned away from DPRK restaurants in Beijing and Dandong respectively. Other forms of hostility were also seen in other parts of China, with a North Korean worker in Shenyang saying, “We hate them!” and adding that “If you bring a South Korean friend, we will not accept them… and won’t serve them.” However, rules regarding this restriction appeared to be applied inconsistently, as no such issue was reported at eateries in Shanghai and Changchun.

Outside China, Yonhap News Agency reported that South Korean diners were politely, but affirmatively, denied service at a North Korean restaurant in Moscow. When asked why the staff were rejecting Koreans, the waitress simply told the South Korean group that there were “new regulations” in place. The incident came days before the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Far East, thus many believed it was a move to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries, especially since the timing of the restriction coincided with a defection earlier in June, where a North Korean restaurant manager was caught escaping from the North Korean consulate in the Russian city of Vladivostok.

In any case, South Korea’s recent statement reflects the current deteriorating diplomatic state between the two Koreas, and at a time of strained relations, even “minor incidents may escalate into major problems,” as described by Choi Eun-joo, a research fellow at the Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy at the Sejong Institute. It has also been suggested that the statement might encourage other ROK embassies in countries that run North Korean restaurants, including Russia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, to follow suit, thereby further escalating the increasing inter-Korean tension.