North Korea opens the door to tourism

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North Korea is reportedly preparing to reopen its borders to foreign tourists as early as December.

The hermit kingdom will resume foreign tourism in the northeastern city of Samjiyon in December, and possibly in other parts of the country later, travel companies said, after years of strict border controls due to the pandemic.

“We have received confirmation from local partners that tourism in Samjiyon, as well as other parts of South Korea, will officially resume in December 2024,” Beijing-based Koryo Travel said on its website.

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Last year, international flights in and out of North Korea resumed, and a small number of Russian tourists traveled to North Korea in private tours in February. But North Korea has largely banned foreign tourists since 2020. The Chinese travel agency said: “Koryo Travel has waited more than four years to announce this news, and we are very excited that tourism in North Korea is open again.”

Another travel agency, KTG Tours, also said foreigners would be allowed to enter Samjiyon from this winter. Located near the Chinese border, Samjiyon is being transformed into what Pyongyang calls a “socialist utopia” and a “model of a highly civilized mountain city” with new ski resorts, hotels and apartments.

Chad O’Carroll, CEO of US analytics firm Korea Risk Group, questioned the announcement of reopening the economy. He told the BBC: “You have to see it to believe it. At this point, I highly doubt there will be any substantive action in December.”

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