The hockey trip to the DPRK was a great experience that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to chance to play hockey somewhere they would never expect. After spending nearly 12 years in Seoul, I jumped at the chance to go play hockey in Pyongyang.

From the moment we stepped on the ice, we knew we were there to compete and play our best. The games were fast and the DPRK team was tough to keep up with. It was a great experience to play against and then with them, and being able to interact and chat with the players is something I will never forget.

From the train ride in from the Chinese border to the bus ride to the DMZ, and everything in between, it was exactly the experience I was hoping for. It’s a great opportunity to see a little of what life is like in the DPRK. If I had the chance, I would definitely do it again.

After living in South Korea for three years, I had always wanted the opportunity to experience the DPRK first hand. Through this Sports Exchange, I was able to do just that. 

Through a shared passion of hockey, myself and a group of outgoing expats were able to bond, practice and play against the DPRK National Team. Everything about the event was exciting, from the traditional music played between face-offs to barreling down the long tunnel into the National Ice Rink which featured giant portraits of the leaders in full view. 

It was easy to tell that the DPRK team was very excited to have us. They took practice and games seriously and used every opportunity to compete with us and have fun. I would certainly recommend this trip to anyone who loves the game and has an urge to visit the DPRK. Some people can say they have visited the DPRK, but how many of them can say they rocked up with their hockey gear…

The ice hockey trip to the DPRK was exceptional in so many ways. I have long wanted to see the DPRK with my own eyes, and the opportunity to do so while spreading friendship through ice hockey was a once in a lifetime experience.

The North Korean national team played a skilled and structured game. During the practices and games, it was great interacting with the players despite the language barrier because we all spoke the language of hockey. Sports truly can break down any barrier. Visiting the DMZ from the DPRK side was a powerful experience, and offered a perspective few people know or have seen.

The trip was great, combining the best of sport and tourism. I loved the train ride from Dandong to Pyongyang, seeing the landscape and watching people going about their business. Visiting the national museum and the DMZ while talking to high-ranking officers offered historical perspective and insight.

During the official game, I was given plenty of ice time, although I had a hard time keeping up with the pros. Training sessions were an amazing experience, especially when the foreign and the Korean players mixed. It allowed us, regardless of language barriers, to make some friends and share our passion for hockey.

The Koreans are a proud people with a unique culture, and I hope that further exchanges can generate mutual understanding and tolerance.

I’ve always wanted to visit DPRK since it’s the most unknown and isolated country in the world. When I lived in Beijing, I was one step closer to make it and when I heard about the opportunity to visit DPRK and play ice hockey there, I was sold!

The sightseeing there was, I assume, quite the same as every traveler will see there. It surely was fascinating to actually see those places and also to see how local people live their lives. Probably the most memorable places we visited were DMZ, where you can see the two Koreas divided, and the Military Museum (not sure about the name), where you get the opinion to the Korean War from the other participant’s perspective.

The best part of the journey was that it wasn’t only about sightseeing but also playing ice hockey there. I love ice hockey and it felt so unreal to play with and against the National team of Korea and feel the audience under the icons of the leaders at the rink. Honestly, I was a little surprised about the level of the local players over there and how well they played together. They were also very friendly after the matches and now it’s proven: ice hockey doesn’t have borders! I truly enjoyed to play against the Korean National Team and I can proudly say right now that I’m probably the first (I guess not the last) Finn who has scored couple of goals against the Korean National Team.
That was an amazing trip to DPRK and I can warmly recommend this to everybody! This kind of opportunity won’t be found every day; I’ll remember these memories for the rest of my life!

Greatly appreciated.