North Korea is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and as such, apostilles cannot be issued for documents in North Korea. This means that documents originating from North Korea do not follow the standard apostille process used by countries that are members of the Hague Convention.

Authentication of Documents from North Korea:

For documents issued by North Korean authorities to be used internationally, the process will not involve an apostille but may require consular legalization or other forms of document verification, depending on the country where the document will be used.

Steps to Authenticate a Document from North Korea:

1. Contact the North Korean Authorities: The first step is to ensure that the document is officially issued by the relevant government authority in North Korea (e.g., government ministries, courts, or other official bodies). If the document is notarized, it may need to be verified by North Korean authorities.
2. Consular Legalization: If the destination country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, you may need to go through a consular legalization process. This process involves:
   • Taking the document to the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used (e.g., a Chinese or Russian embassy, as these countries have embassies in North Korea).
   • The embassy or consulate will verify the document’s authenticity by confirming that it is issued by the appropriate North Korean authorities and affixing a legalization stamp.
3. Use a Third-Party Country: In some cases, documents from North Korea may need to be legalized by a third-party country that recognizes North Korean documents. For example, a Chinese or Russian embassy in another country may be able to assist in the legalization process.
4. Verification by the Destination Country: Once legalized, the document may need to be verified by the authorities in the destination country, particularly if that country requires further authentication of documents.

Key Points:

• North Korea does not participate in the Hague Apostille Convention, so apostilles cannot be applied to documents from North Korea.
• Consular legalization is typically the method used to authenticate North Korean documents for international use.
• You will need to consult the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used for the exact legalization requirements.

Recommendations:

Because of the complexity and rarity of international document procedures involving North Korea, it is recommended to directly contact the embassy of the destination country or consult a professional service specializing in international document legalization to guide you through the proper channels.