Traveling to North Korea? There's an app for that.
The number of travel apps on the market increases every day, making it difficult for digital travel companies to stand out. But Uniquely.Travel may have hit a nerve with its focus on guides to controversial destinations.
The company's first app, North Korea Travel, costs 99 cents and is available for iOS and Android. It claims to be "the most comprehensive guide to North Korea ever written," according to the website -- and wants to show you "just how much of North Korea is open to foreigners."
The information in the app was provided in large part by Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours. Koryo is one of the few companies authorized by the North Korean government to provide tours to foreigners.
Although the app includes detailed descriptions about sites and attractions, tourists are limited in what they can do with the information. Although it is possible to enter the country at any time of year, the government decides which destinations are and are not allowed at any given time.
The app's primary purpose appears to be to motivate more tourism to the country: Tour prices and comparisons are available within the app.
Uniquely.Travel project manager Chad O'Carroll told the Washington Post the app was developed both for tourists traveling to North Korea and for "armchair travelers."
"We tried to be as transparent as possible about the ethical dilemma involved in travel to North Korea," O'Carroll told the Post.
In April, the Pyongyang marathon allowed amateur foreign runners to participate for the first time, leading to increased interest.
North Korea is only the first controversial destination app for the British company, which has plans to launch digital guides for Iran, Burma and Libya by fall 2014.