Tourists Say North Korean Grocery Stores Feel Deceptive - Here's Why

A trip to North Korea isn't like visiting any other country, especially if you're a culinary tourist who loves to explore. It won't be like eating your way through Italy or searching out the best meals in Ireland with Rick Steves. Instead, you'll be sticking to a tightly curated experience. North Korea is infamous for its strict control over visitors. To even 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, set-in-stone itinerary which is approved by the North Korean government. For dinner, you don't get to just wander down the street for some Korean BBQ and kimchi. Meals are arranged by government-approved guides at pre-selected restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores — like the Kwangbok Supermarket and Department Store in Pyongyang.

Everyday citizens rely on state-distributed food rations and have access to small, state-run grocers that sell staples like rice and produce. Visitors touring the country have a different selection of shopping available –- they're primarily directed to tourist-focused grocery stores which sell North Korean-made items and souvenirs, though a few local supermarkets are available. Kwangbok Supermarket and Department Store in Pyongyang is at a strange intersection of the two, a place where you'll find a good selection, luxury, and freedom in your shopping experience. It's expensive, extravagant (comparatively), and the only mall like it in the country. But tourists who have been there say it feels "deceptive" and a bit too scripted to represent a true North Korean grocery shopping experience.

North Korea's Kwangbok Supermarket and Department Store is one big building with three levels, a children's play area, and a food court where you can get all sorts of dishes (if you go, first brush up on what to expect and order at Korean restaurants). The entrance is a lobby lined with ice cream and snacks shelves (possibly something like these 25 tasty Korean snacks). Once inside, you'll find sections that sell clothing, electronics, and the only place in the country to exchange currency to the Korean won – visitors pay with European euros, American dollars, or Chinese renminbi everywhere they go except for inside Kwangbok. There's a supermarket with aisles of full shelves that look a bit like a standard grocery store. Prices at Kwangbok are high according to visitor reports – a loaf of bread can cost up to $70 (for tourists, anyway).

A tour of North Korea will be full of some of the nation's most iconic foods like ramyeon, the Korean comfort food that's more than a trend. If you can put up with the tight monitoring and strict rules, you may enjoy yourself. Just don't let that trip to Kwangbok Supermarket and Department Store set your expectations for how grocery shopping really goes for North Koreans.