YouTube / Mike Okay But it was no ordinary vacation, with no cellphone or internet ... Don’t insult the country’s leaders, don’t mock North Korea’s ideology and don’t be judgmental ...

SEOUL—Wendy Arbeit had an unusual vacation announcement during a recent talk with her boss at the University of California school system. “I’m going to North Korea!” the 47-year-old said.

A five-day trip was arranged in the northeastern North Korean border city of Rason. A small group of foreign tourists has visited North Korea in the past week, making them the first international ...