North Korea is finally opening its doors to foreign tourists since closing them five years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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A group of 13 foreign tourists crossed by land from China last month to visit the northeastern border city of Rason, where North Korea’s special economic zone is located. The five-day tour from February 20 to 24 was organised by Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based company.
They were the first international travellers to enter the country in five years – apart from about 880 Russian tourists who visited North Korea throughout 2024, according to The Korea Herald, citing South Korea’s Unification Ministry.
Koryo Tours General Manager Simon Cockerell said the travellers from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Germany visited factories, shops, schools and the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, the late grandfather and father of current leader Kim Jong-un.
“Since January of 2020, the country has been closed to all international tourists, and we are glad to have finally found an opening in the Rason area, in the far north of North Korea,” Cockerell said.
As in previous North Korean trips, the travellers were heavily chaperoned on prearranged visits to locations such as a beer factory, a newly built and well-stocked pharmacy and a school, according to reports in the New York Post.