Over the past year a New Zealander by the name of Roger Shepherd has had almost unprecedented access to North Korea. He has spent nearly three months in the country over four visits, and was allowed, even encouraged, to travel far and wide into the remotest corners of the country. But how does someone like Shepherd get this kind of access? Is Roger a diplomat? An NGO worker? No, Roger is a hiker.

Owner of Hike Korea, Roger recently lectured a large audience in Seoul’s luxurious Somerset Palace on behalf of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. Roger was talking