A trip to North Korea is unlike visiting any other country, especially if you are a culinary tourist who loves to explore. It won’t be like eating your way through Italy or… Find the best meals in Ireland with Rick Steves. Instead, you’ll stick with a tightly curated experience. North Korea is known for its strict control of visitors. To set foot in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea’s official name), you must be part of a tour group with a detailed, specific itinerary approved by the North Korean government. For dinner, you can’t just wander down the street for some Korean BBQ and kimchi. Meals are arranged by government-certified guides at pre-selected restaurants, hotels and grocery stores – such as Kwangbuk Supermarket and Department Store in Pyongyang.
Every day citizens depend on food rations distributed by the state and have access to small state-run grocery stores that sell basic items such as rice and agricultural products. Visitors touring the country have a different range of shopping available – they are primarily directed to tourist-focused grocery stores selling items and souvenirs made in North Korea, although a few local supermarkets are available. Located at a curious intersection between the two, Pyongyang’s Kwangbuk Supermarket and Department Store is a place where you’ll find a good range of choices, luxury and freedom in your shopping experience. It’s expensive, expensive (relatively), and the only mall like it in the country. But tourists who have visited there say it feels a bit too “deceptive” and scripted to represent a true grocery shopping experience in North Korea.
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Pre-prepared meals, groceries and more at Kwangbuk Department Store in North Korea
Hand holding a Korean cake in the supermarket aisle – 4kclips/Shutterstock
Kwangbuk Supermarket and Department Store in North Korea is a large building with three levels, a children’s play area, and a food court where you can get all kinds of dishes (if you go, first check out What to expect and order at Korean restaurants). The entrance is a hallway lined with shelves of ice cream and snacks (maybe something like that 25 delicious Korean snacks). Once inside, you’ll find sections selling clothing and electronics, and the only place in the country to exchange currency in Korean won – visitors pay in European euros, US dollars or Chinese renminbi everywhere they go except inside Gwangbuk. There is a supermarket with aisles with full shelves, somewhat similar to a regular grocery store. Prices in Gwangbuk are high according to visitor reports – a loaf of bread can cost up to $70 (for tourists, anyway).
The tour in North Korea will be filled with some of the country’s most famous foods such as Ramyun, the Korean comfort food that’s more than just a trend. If you can tolerate the strict monitoring and strict rules, you may have a good time. Don’t let that trip to the Kwangbuk supermarket and department store set your expectations of what grocery shopping is really like for North Koreans.
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