One of the first Russian tourists to visit North Korea since the pandemic said the trip was like "traveling back in time".
Lena Bychcova was surprised to learn that her application for a tourist visa to North Korea had been approved. Russian tourists are denied visas in many countries around the world, but North Korea - a country with increasingly close ties to Russia - has given them a chance.
Bychcova is one of 97 Russian tourists, and the first foreign tourists, allowed to travel to North Korea after the pandemic. They arrived in Pyongyang on February 9 on an Air Koryo flight from Vladivostok. Tourism in North Korea is strictly controlled, and tourists are not allowed to travel independently but must join a tour with a supervisor.
Bychcova said she was "nervous about the trip" but curiosity won out. She didn't want to miss the opportunity to visit a country that few international tourists get to explore.
Russian tourists upon arrival in Pyongyang. Photo: AFP
Travel blogger Ilya Voskresensky, who was on the tour with Bychcova, was also nervous. On his visa application, he listed his occupation as “food vendor” and “seasonal worker” instead of “content creator.” He wanted to visit modern-day North Korea to see if it was like the Soviet Russia his parents and grandparents had told him about.
"You will realize that North Korea is the same as how your grandparents lived," Voskresensky said. The male tourist commented that this trip was like "traveling back in time." There were no billboards in the city. The only things displayed were state slogans and national flags.
The four-day trip costs each traveler nearly $750. The group is accompanied by a guide and interpreter. They visit the bronze statues of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansu Hill, the Mangyongdae Children's Palace, where children perform, and spend three days at the Masikryong Ski Resort.
Tourists must follow strict rules, especially when taking photos or videos. They are asked not to take pictures of the military, people in uniform, construction sites or any buildings under construction. "If a newspaper or magazine has a picture of the North Korean leader, tourists must not fold the newspaper, as this will wrinkle the picture," said one Russian tourist in the group.
Lena Bychcova sits in her room and looks out at the Masikryong ski resort. Photo: CNN
The newspapers have become Bychcova's favorite souvenirs when she returns to Russia. She said "there's not much to buy" but North Korea has two shops, one at the airport and one in the capital, where visitors can buy magnets, dolls, Lego sets and other small gifts.
Before the pandemic, China was the largest source of international visitors to North Korea. However, after the pandemic, Russians were the first group of visitors allowed to enter the country, a sign that Russia is increasingly popular in North Korea.
Voskresensky and Bychcova both said their decision to travel was not politically motivated. They came to North Korea with the hope of getting to know the locals and making connections. "About 200 kids prepared a special one-hour concert to welcome the 97 of us. There were more people on stage than in the audience," Bychcova said.
After this first tour, North Korea plans to welcome the next Russian delegation in March.
The Russian tourists said they would "consider visiting North Korea again" but "only if the political situation changes". Voskresensky said the main message he wanted to convey after the trip was that no matter what country you are in, the people living there are normal people.
"You should treat them with love. I hope travel will heal the world," said the male tourist.
Anh Minh (According to CNN )
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