Is North Korea safe in 2026?
North Korea scores 45.6/100 on the live safety index — high-risk. The main pressure on the score comes from sanctions, internet freedom, political stability. The score has been stable for 16 days. The 24-hour AI forecast calls the trend stable (projected 45.4/100).
45.6 /100high-risk
30-day trend
North Korea's score rose by +7.9 over the last 22 days (37.7 → 45.6).
Risk factors
Open the interactive country card to inspect current factors. For historical factor data and integrations, see the customer API.
Conflict & War
10.1/34.1 safety points.
View details
- Local strikes
- 0.4 pts
The overall score also includes earlier military risk that has not yet been classified.
These values can overlap and are not added together.
Nuclear threats & incidents
Nuclear index: 97.5/100. Does not affect the Safety Index.
Has nuclear weapons. Source: SIPRI Yearbook 2026.
Our index tracks nuclear weapons development, tests, radiation incidents and threats to use nuclear weapons. It also includes explicitly threatened countries. This is our own index, not a probability of nuclear war.
Official travel advisory
4 Do Not Travel
The U.S. State Department places North Korea at Level 4 — Do Not Travel. Our live index reads 45.6/100. That advisory was last revised Apr 29, 2025, 535 days ago; the index above is recomputed continuously from current reporting.
Source: U.S. Department of State, revised Apr 29, 2025. Levels run 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel). This page is not travel advice.
Latest recorded events
- North Korea releases images of its submarine missile test
- North Korea tests missiles from a submarine
- North Korea says it conducted intermediate-range strategic missile drill
- North Korea says it tested submarine-launched cruise missiles, KCNA says
- North Korea tests submarine-launched cruise missiles
- North Korea tests submarine-launched cruise missiles, heightening tensions with Seoul
24-hour forecast
Trend: stable · projected score 45.4/100 (generated )
Multiple new submarine missile tests heighten immediate regional tension despite unresolved regime classification.
Compared with nearby countries
| Country | Score | 0–100 | vs North Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Korea | 45.6 | — | |
| South Korea | 80.2 | +34.6 | |
| Japan | 90.1 | +44.5 | |
| Taiwan | 84.9 | +39.3 | |
| Mongolia | 88.0 | +42.4 | |
| China | 66.4 | +20.8 |