Tap water in North Korea

Not safe to drink

The WHO and UNICEF put safely managed drinking water within reach of 74% of people in North Korea. National figures describe a country, not the tap in front of you.

What the sources say

WHO / UNICEF JMP

74% of the population has safely managed drinking water, meaning it is free from contamination at the point of use.

Coverage splits by where you are: 89% in urban areas against 50% in rural ones.

US CDC Travelers' Health

Advises travellers that tap water is generally not safe to drink in North Korea.

Numbeo

33.33/100 on the water drinkability and accessibility index, which Numbeo reads as “Low”. This one is crowdsourced from residents rather than measured.

Lonely Planet

It is not recommended to drink tap water in North Korea. Bottled water is available at all hotels.

This is a national picture, and it varies. Some cities treat their water to a standard the country as a whole does not reach. Where the water is not safe, boiling, filtering or sealed bottles are the usual options, and ice and raw salad washed in tap water carry the same risk as the water itself.

Elsewhere in Asia