North
Korean residents are only eligible to enter 42 countries on a tourist visa,
Radio Free America [RFA] reported citing a report from international law firm
Henley and Partners on August 11th.
According
to the 2014 Visa Restriction Index,
North Korean nationals without issued visas are permitted in 42 countries,
two-thirds of them in Asia and Africa, offering a visa waiver option. The firm
used statistics from the International Air Transport Association [IATA] to rank
North Korea in the bottom 10% of the Visa Restriction Index.
In
2010 North Korean residents were able to enter 36 nations on a visitor visa
with five more countries following suit
by the end of 2012; in 2013, however, only one nation joined in relaxed
regulations for North Koreans.
South
Koreans are permitted into 172 countries without a visa: Finland, Germany,
Sweden, USA, and Great Britain being the top destinations.
Henley
and Partners Chairman Christian Kalin told RFA, “The low number of countries
accepting North Korean residents on tourist visas reflects the negative image
North Korea has in international society.”
