Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for North Korea: when someone dies abroad
Non-resident, British Embassy, Seoul, South Korea handles cases in North Korea. A death must be registered with the local authorities in North Korea before a body or ashes can leave the country. Consular staff will register the death with UK authorities, issue consular documents and give you a list of local funeral directors. They cannot meet any cost, arrange the repatriation, or authorise release of the body. If the person who died was not British, contact the embassy or consulate of their own country instead.
Emergency numbers
FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)
+44 (0)20 7008 5000Handling a death in North Korea
British representation: Non-resident, British Embassy, Seoul, South Korea
Authority that must release the body: Korean People's Internal Security Forces; Ministry of People's Security civil registration
Documentation language: Korean
Areas needing extra care: FCDO advises against ALL travel to North Korea. The entire country is subject to severe travel restrictions.
No resident UK Embassy. North Korea is one of the world's most closed states. Foreign nationals cannot move freely. Air Koryo only commercial airline. All international movement requires state approval. UK has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, British Embassy Seoul is non-resident. North Korean authorities control all information and documentation. Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang provides some consular services to UK nationals by prior arrangement.
Always verify numbers before calling
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/north-korea before a trip. The FCDO 24-hour line (+44 (0)20 7008 5000) is the most reliable point of contact in an emergency.
Contact details
British Embassy and consulates in North Korea
What you need to know
What the British post in North Korea can and cannot do
Non-resident, British Embassy, Seoul, South Korea is the post that registers the death and can give you a list of local funeral directors. It cannot pay any repatriation cost, arrange the repatriation itself, release the body, or shorten a local timeline.
The full list of what consular staff can and cannot do applies in every country.
Death registration in North Korea
The Embassy can register the death separately under UK law. This is optional and does not replace the local certificate, but some families find the UK death certificate useful for administrative purposes.
Typical timeline from North Korea
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in North Korea cannot pay repatriation costs, funeral director fees, or any local charges, and cannot lend money to cover them.
They can give you a list of local funeral directors, contact next of kin, and help you reach an insurer. If there is no insurance and no family funds, they can explain what limited options exist.
What repatriation from North Korea involvesNeed help bringing someone home from North Korea?
We can take over the arrangements from wherever you are in the process, and bring your loved one home to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Send us the details and we will come back to you with a quote.