Don't insult the leaders. Don't insult the ideology. And don't judge.

These are the rules tour guides read out to Western tourists as they prepare to drive across the border into North Korea, arguably the most secretive and repressive country in the world.

Then there is the practical information. No phone signal, no internet, no cash machines.

"The North Koreans aren't robots. They have opinions, goals, and a sense of humour. And in our briefing we encourage people to listen to and understand them," says Rowan Beard, who runs Young Pioneer Tours, one of two Western companies which resumed trips to the country last week, after a five-year hiatus.

North Korea sealed its borders at the outset of the pandemic, shutting out diplomats, aid workers and travellers, and making it nearly impossible to know what was happening there.

Since then, it has further isolated itself from most of the world, relying on support from Russia and China. Many doubted whether Westerners would ever be allowed back.

But after years of cajoling and several false starts, Rowan and some other tour leaders were given the green light to restart operations. He pulled together a group of eager travellers in just five hours, desperate to not miss the opportunity. Most were vloggers and travel addicts, some wanting to tick the final country off their list, along with the odd North Korea enthusiast.

Last Thursday the tourists, from the UK, France, Germany and Australia, drove over the border from China into the remote area of Rason for a four-night trip.

Among them was 28-year-old British YouTuber Mike O'Kennedy. Even with its reputation, he was startled by the extreme level of control. As with all trips to North Korea, the tourists were escorted by local guides, who followed a strict, pre-approved schedule. It included carefully choreographed trips to a beer factory, a school, and a new, fully stocked pharmacy.

Ben Weston, one of the tour leaders from Suffolk, likened visiting North Korea to "being on a school trip". "You can't leave the hotel without the guides," he said.

"A couple of times I even had to let them know when I wanted to use the bathroom," said Mike. "I've never had to do that anywhere in the world."

Despite the chaperoning,........

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