The +850 country code connects calls to North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This is one of the hardest country codes to actually use. North Korea runs one of the most closed telephone systems in the world, and international calling is tightly restricted by the government. Most North Korean citizens cannot make or receive international calls at all.
If you need to reach someone in Pyongyang or another North Korean city, you are most likely calling a government office, a foreign embassy, or a hotel that caters to international guests. Private calls to ordinary citizens are not possible through the public telephone network. This guide covers how the +850 system works, what numbers look like, and what to realistically expect when dialing into North Korea.
Quick answer: Dial +850 followed by the area code and local number. Pyongyang's area code is 2. North Korean landline numbers are typically 7 digits (area code + local number). Mobile numbers on the Koryolink network start with 191 or 192, but these are blocked from international calls. There is no trunk prefix for domestic dialing.
How to call North Korea: quick reference
International calls to North Korea follow the standard format, but keep in mind that most numbers you will find online are government or institutional lines. Private residential numbers are not publicly listed.
| Calling from | Dialing format |
|---|---|
| US/Canada mobile | +850 [local number] |
| US/Canada landline | 011-850-[local number] |
| UK | 00-850-[local number] |
| Australia | 0011-850-[local number] |
| Germany | 00-850-[local number] |
| France | 00-850-[local number] |
Understanding North Korea phone numbers
North Korea's phone number system uses area codes for landlines and a separate prefix range for mobile phones. The total number length varies depending on the type of call.
Landline numbers
Landline numbers follow the format: +850 [area code] [local number]. The local number portion is typically 3 to 4 digits after the area code, giving a total of 6 to 10 digits including area code. Pyongyang uses the shortest area code (2), while smaller cities use longer ones.
| City / Region | Area code | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pyongyang | 2 | +850 2 381 XXXX |
| Nampo | 49 | +850 49 XXX XXX |
| Kaesong | 48 | +850 48 XXX XXX |
| Hamhung | 39 | +850 39 XXX XXX |
| Chongjin | 73 | +850 73 XXX XXX |
| Wonsan | 69 | +850 69 XXX XXX |
| Sinuiju | 61 | +850 61 XXX XXX |
Mobile numbers
North Korea launched its Koryolink 3G mobile network in 2008. Mobile numbers start with 191 or 192 and are typically 10 digits total (e.g., +850 191 XXX XXXX). However, there is a critical restriction: Koryolink mobile numbers cannot receive international calls. The domestic mobile network is walled off from the international telephone system. Foreign visitors receive SIM cards on a separate network that can make international calls but cannot call domestic Koryolink numbers.
No trunk prefix
North Korea does not use a trunk prefix. When dialing domestically within the country, callers dial the area code directly without adding a leading 0.
Telecom in North Korea
North Korea's telecommunications are state-controlled and among the most restricted in the world. There is no competitive carrier market in the way other countries have one.
Korea Posts and Telecommunications (KPT)
The state-run operator handles all landline and international telephone services. KPT operates the fixed-line network and manages the international gateway. All calls entering or leaving North Korea route through KPT infrastructure. The network uses a mix of old copper lines and some newer fiber optic connections in Pyongyang.
Koryolink (CHEO Technology)
Koryolink launched in December 2008 as a joint venture between the Egyptian company Orascom Telecom and KPT. By 2015, it had roughly 3 million subscribers, which sounds impressive until you consider that North Korea has about 26 million people. The North Korean government gradually squeezed Orascom out of the partnership, and Egypt's Orascom wrote off its investment as a total loss in 2015. Koryolink is now effectively state-controlled. The network provides 3G service in Pyongyang and some larger cities, but coverage outside urban areas is limited.
Byol (Star)
A second, smaller mobile network called Byol (meaning "Star") appeared around 2015. Little is known about it outside the country. It appears to operate as an alternative domestic network, possibly reserved for government officials or specific user groups.
The foreign visitor network
Tourists and foreign visitors to North Korea can purchase a separate SIM card at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. This SIM connects to a different network than Koryolink and allows international calls and limited data. It cannot connect to domestic Koryolink numbers, meaning foreign visitors cannot call North Korean citizens directly.
Don't confuse +850 with nearby codes
The +850 code sits in the +8XX block alongside several East Asian countries. The most common confusion is with South Korea.
| Code | Country | How to tell apart |
|---|---|---|
| +850 | North Korea | The DPRK code. Very few numbers are publicly reachable. |
| +82 | South Korea | Two digits only. Seoul area code starts with 2. Much more common. |
| +86 | China | Two digits. China borders North Korea; cross-border calls are sometimes routed oddly. |
| +852 | Hong Kong | Three digits starting with 852, not 850. |
| +856 | Laos | Ends in 6, not 0. |
The +82 (South Korea) versus +850 (North Korea) mix-up is the one that matters most. South Korea is one of the most connected countries in the world, while North Korea is one of the least. If you are trying to call Seoul, you want +82 2, not +850.
Time zone considerations
North Korea uses Korea Standard Time (KST), UTC+9. Between 2015 and 2018, North Korea briefly used its own "Pyongyang Time" (UTC+8:30) as a symbolic break from South Korea, but reverted to UTC+9 in May 2018.
| Your time zone | Offset from KST | When it's 10:00 AM in Pyongyang |
|---|---|---|
| US East (EST) | KST -14h | 8:00 PM previous day |
| US West (PST) | KST -17h | 5:00 PM previous day |
| UK (GMT) | KST -9h | 1:00 AM same day |
| Central Europe (CET) | KST -8h | 2:00 AM same day |
| China / HK (CST) | KST -1h | 9:00 AM same day |
| Japan (JST) | Same | 10:00 AM same day |
| Australia East (AEST) | KST +1h | 11:00 AM same day |
Since most reachable numbers in North Korea are government offices or hotels, standard business hours (roughly 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM KST, Monday to Saturday) are the only realistic calling window. North Korea's work week runs Monday through Saturday.
Communication in North Korea
Who can you actually call?
The list of numbers reachable from outside North Korea is very short. You can potentially reach: government ministries and agencies in Pyongyang, the Koryo Hotel and Yanggakdo Hotel (the two main hotels for foreign visitors), foreign embassies located in Pyongyang, the Kaesong Industrial Complex (when operational), and certain state-run businesses with international lines. Ordinary North Korean citizens do not have access to international calling. Their phone lines, whether landline or Koryolink mobile, are connected only to the domestic network.
Internet and messaging
North Korea does not have public internet access. The country operates a domestic intranet called Kwangmyong, which hosts state-approved content. WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and other messaging apps are not available. Email to and from North Korea is possible in limited cases through a small number of state-controlled addresses, but it is monitored and unreliable for private communication.
Call quality
When calls do connect, quality can be unpredictable. International lines route through limited gateway infrastructure in Pyongyang. Satellite links and connections through China are used for some international traffic. Expect delays, echo, or dropped calls, particularly for numbers outside Pyongyang.
Who calls North Korea?
Unlike most country codes, +850 is not primarily used by a diaspora community keeping in touch with family. The people who dial into North Korea fall into a few specific categories.
Diplomats and NGO workers
Embassies in Pyongyang (including those of China, Russia, Sweden, and the UK among others) receive calls from their home governments. Humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross also maintain lines for coordination with DPRK officials.
Journalists and researchers
Foreign journalists accredited to cover events in North Korea occasionally call official press contacts. Academic researchers studying the Korean Peninsula may attempt to reach institutional contacts at Kim Il Sung University or the Academy of Sciences.
Korean Chinese communities
Ethnic Koreans living in China's Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, near the North Korean border, sometimes have indirect contact with relatives in the DPRK. This traffic typically goes through Chinese mobile networks near the border rather than through official +850 channels, but some calls do route internationally.
Business contacts
A small number of international businesses, particularly Chinese trading companies, maintain phone contact with North Korean state enterprises. The Rason Special Economic Zone and certain export operations have international phone lines.
Dialing examples
Calling a Pyongyang hotel
To call the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang from a US mobile: dial +850 2 381 4397. The +850 is the country code, 2 is the Pyongyang area code, and 381 4397 is the hotel's number. From a US landline: 011-850-2-381-4397.
Calling an embassy in Pyongyang
To reach the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang (which handles consular affairs for several Western countries): dial +850 2 381 7908. Format is the same: country code + area code 2 + local number.
Calling a number in Kaesong
To call a number in Kaesong from the UK: dial 00-850-48-XXX-XXX. The 00 is the UK international access code, 850 is North Korea, 48 is the Kaesong area code, and the remaining digits are the local number.
Common mistakes to avoid
Confusing +850 with +82 (South Korea)
This is the most common error. South Korea's code is +82, and it handles billions of calls per year. North Korea's +850 handles a tiny fraction of that. If you are trying to reach Seoul, Busan, or any other South Korean city, you need +82, not +850. The difference in those two digits is the difference between a connected, modern network and one of the most restricted in the world.
Trying to call a Koryolink mobile number
Even if you somehow obtain a North Korean mobile number (starting with 191 or 192), you cannot reach it from outside the country. The domestic mobile network is isolated from international telephone traffic. Your call will not connect. The only mobile numbers that work internationally belong to the separate foreign visitor network.
Expecting the call to connect
Many calls to +850 numbers simply do not go through. Lines may be disconnected, routing infrastructure may be down, or the number may not accept international calls. If your call fails, try again during Pyongyang business hours (9 AM to 5 PM KST). If it still does not connect after several attempts on different days, the number may not be reachable from abroad.
Assuming VoIP alternatives will work
Services like Skype, WhatsApp calling, or FaceTime are not available in North Korea. There is no public internet, so VoIP calls into the country are not an option. Traditional telephone routing through +850 is the only way to place a voice call.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can I call a regular person in North Korea?
No. Ordinary North Korean citizens do not have access to international phone lines. Domestic landlines and Koryolink mobile numbers are connected only to the internal network. The only numbers reachable from abroad belong to government offices, hotels, embassies, and certain state businesses.
Why are calls to North Korea so expensive?
North Korea has very limited international gateway infrastructure, and all calls route through state-controlled switching equipment. The combination of low traffic volume, political restrictions, and single-provider routing results in high per-minute rates compared to most countries.
Do I need special permission to call North Korea?
From most countries, you do not need government permission to dial +850. The call is simply a regular international call. However, depending on your country's sanctions regime, there may be restrictions on financial transactions with North Korean entities. The call itself is not illegal in most Western countries, but consult your government's guidance if you are unsure.
What is the difference between +850 and +82?
+850 is North Korea (DPRK) and +82 is South Korea (Republic of Korea). Despite sharing the Korean Peninsula, these are entirely separate countries with completely independent telephone networks. If you want to call Seoul, use +82. If you need Pyongyang, use +850.
Can tourists call home from North Korea?
Yes, but through limited channels. Foreign visitors can purchase a special SIM card at Pyongyang airport that allows international calls. Hotels catering to foreigners also provide IDD (International Direct Dialing) service at the front desk. Rates are high, and calls may be monitored.
Looking for other Asian dialing codes? See our guides for South Korea (+82), China (+86), and Japan (+81).