Tours to Kumgangsan have been suspended since July 2008, when a South Korean woman wandered into a restricted area at night, and was shot dead. In August 2009, it was reported that tours are to resume shortly.
From South Korea
Until 2009, visa-free or, rather, special group visa tours were possible to Kumgangsan and Kaesong in North Korea â however, at time of writing, these have been suspended until further notice.
Independent travel to Kumgangsan is not allowed, so you will have to join a tour group. Non-Korean visitors are rare but welcome, although the great majority of tours are not set up for visitors with no Korean ability. Reservations should be made 7 days in advance. Tour operators include:
Hyundai Asan
(http://www.hdasan.com/eng...), tel. +82-2-3669-3000, is the company behind the tours and has some information in English.Mt. Kumgang
(http://www.mtkumgang.com/), tel. +82-2-739-1090, organizes tours from South Korea to Kumgangsan.GOnSEE
(http://www.gonseekorea.co...) is the official agent for foreign tourist to Kumgangsan tour. This company provides 4 types of tour packages, and can provide English-speaking guides for groups of more than 4 people.There are two main ways to visit: either by bus from Goseong, in which case it's even possible to daytrip, or by cruise ship from Sokcho, in which case the tour takes a minimum of three days. Prices start at around W400,000 but vary greatly depending on day of departure, the hotel you stay in, etc. A typical 3-day tour from Seoul Friday 9 am until Sunday about 6:30pm would cost around $610-660.
Laptops, PDAs, cell phones, cameras with 160mm or longer lenses, binoculars with 10x zoom or higher are not allowed. Video cameras may be confiscated at the border - unless the zoom is less than 24x. Anything taken will be stored, and returned to you upon exit from North Korea.
Foreigners do not seem to need a re-entry permit if leaving from South Korea to the North. Before going through customs you will receive a temporary passport (a small booklet with passport information written on it, a debit card to be used in tourist zones, a filled embarkment card. These will be in a plastic sheath, to be worn around the neck at all times while in the North.
South Korean exit procedures are performed at the Goseong Observatory. There is a special line for Foreigners, aptly, although somewhat bluntly, labelled "Foreigner". You will receive a South Korean exit stamp. On the other side, you will be assigned a bus, that you will stay with for the duration of the tour. Remember your bus number, or you will most likely face hassle from North Korean border guards.