North Korea Is A Truly Beautiful Place

But one thing's for sure: much of its geography is pristine.

In September 2011, Bloomberg's Paul Allen reported that North Korea was hosting Chinese tourists in an effort to attract desperately needed investment funds from the world's second largest economy.

Efforts included cruises to Mount Kumgang and presentations led by North Korea's Taepung Investment Group.

While it continues to be one of the poorest countries in the world, it is also one of the least polluted.

"Grim communist stereotypes soon give way to unspoiled natural beauty, one of the few upsides of having stagnant economic growth," said Allen.

"The sea here is so clean," said a Chinese tourist. "It's pollution free and it's so pristine. This is definitely something you can't easily see in China."

China is the anti-North Korea in that it has experienced rapid economic growth, which has led to massive pollution.