After almost four years, North Korea is partially reopening its doors to foreign tourists. According to Chinese-based tourism operators, the country closed its borders to tourists in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two China-based travel companies, Koryo Tours and Shenyang’s KTG Tours, announced that tourists will soon be allowed to visit Samjiyon, a mountainous northern city. Koryo Tours stated that tours to North Korea will officially resume in December 2024, saying, “We’re excited to announce the reopening of North Korean tourism after a four-year wait.”
Shenyang’s KTG Tours hinted that other places, excluding Pyongyang, might also be opened for tourism. The company wrote on its Facebook page, “So far, only Samjiyon has been officially confirmed, but we believe Pyongyang and other places will open too!”
Reports suggest that another major tourism site is being constructed on the country’s eastern coast. This initiative may be driven by North Korea’s struggling economy following the pandemic.
However, the U.S. government has issued a strong advisory against traveling to North Korea, and U.S. passports are not valid for travel to, in, or through the country unless specially validated by the Department of State.
Koryo Tours clarified that the opening will start in Samjiyon City, with restricted access to Pyongyang or other parts of the country. “Samjiyon is the most famous region in North Korea for winter tourism and is home to the country’s famous volcanic mountain, Mt. Paektu,” the company said.
North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists to enter the country since early 2024, amid warming ties between the two nations. The travel companies will release official itineraries in the coming weeks, which will be endorsed on their websites once finalized.
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