North Korea reopens to foreign tourists after 5 years

Travel agencies are surveying tourist destinations in North Korea as the country begins to open up to more foreigners after welcoming Russian tourists in early 2024.

Chinese tourists pose for photos at Kim Il Sung Square in 2019. (Source: AFP/Getty)

Yonhap news agency quoted Koryo Tours' website as saying that the company's staff had just arrived in North Korea to survey new tourist destinations.

This is the first time this foreign travel agency staff has visited North Korea since Pyongyang closed its doors to tourists in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trip comes as North Korea looks to open up to more foreigners after opening up to Russian tourists in early 2024.

According to the website of Koryo Tours, on February 13, employees of the British travel company, based in Beijing (China), traveled to the border city of Rason, northeastern North Korea as part of a "special trip for employees only" because North Korea has not yet fully opened to tourism.

The trip is to discuss with partners as well as survey new tourist destinations and find out all important updates on North Korea tourism.

Koryo Travel hopes to receive confirmation in the coming weeks that Rason city will open to tourists.

Last month, Koryo Tours and Young Pioneer Tours — another travel agency specializing in North Korea tours — also joined the latest trip to Rason, saying North Korea would open its doors to Chinese tourists and all other foreign visitors, except the US and South Korea.

Koryo Tours is currently accepting reservations for tours to Rason next March and April.

The North Korean government also plans to open a new Kalma tourist area along the east coast next June, hoping it can attract more foreign tourists./.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/trieu-tien-mo-cua-lai-don-du-khach-nuoc-ngoai-sau-5-nam-3344107.html