Tourists will soon be able to travel to North Korea again.
The reclusive kingdom will soon reopen one of its cities to foreign tourists after nearly five years of border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two China-based travel agencies. Visitors will be able to travel to the northern mountain city of Samjiyon starting in December, CBS News partner BBC News reports.
North Korea isolated itself from the world in early 2020 when the pandemic began, and began to ease restrictions in mid-2023.
“So far, the only place officially confirmed is Samjiyon, but we believe Pyongyang and other places will be opened as well!!!” Shenyang-based KTG Tours posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
KTG Tours said in a follow-up post that the border is set to open this winter, “probably in December,” but did not confirm an exact date. It also said there has been no official confirmation of any other cities in North Korea.
“Koryo Tours has been waiting for this announcement for over four years and is very excited to see the resumption of tours to North Korea,” the company said on its website.
Koryo Tours told the BBC that North Korean officials allow tourists from all countries except South Korea to take part in the tours they offer. The United States bans its citizens from traveling to North Korea.
According to Reuters, international flights to and from North Korea resumed last year, and a small number of Russian tourists flew to the country for private tours in February. In June, major foreign officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, also visited North Korea amid warming relations between the two countries.
KCNA (Reuters)
According to Reuters, North Korea is building a “socialist utopia” in Samjiyon, a city near the Chinese border. It will feature “a model of a highly civilized mountain city” with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort, and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.
In July, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired or demoted several senior officials for what he called “irresponsible” handling of his flagship projects, state media KCNA reported at the time. Kim said the officials’ irresponsibility had led to serious irregularities, including poor construction work and financial losses, Reuters reported.
Chad O’Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, a U.S.-based analytics firm, told the BBC this week that he was skeptical about the reopening announcement.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said. “As of now, I’m pretty skeptical that there’ll be any real movement in December.”
