North Korea partially reopens tourism after five years

North Korea will reopen one city to foreign tourists in December after nearly five years of border closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to tour operators.

At least two China-based companies have announced that tourists will soon be allowed to visit the northern mountain city of Samjiyon.

Reclusive North Korea closed its borders at the start of the pandemic in early 2020, I started easing restrictions. Only in the middle of last year.

The border closure has also cut off imports of essential goods, leading to food shortages exacerbated by international sanctions over the country’s nuclear program.

“So far Samjiyon has been officially confirmed to open, but we believe Pyongyang and other places will also open!!!” KTG Tours in Shenyang wrote on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Chinese tour operator Koryo Tour said tourists may “likely” be able to visit other parts of North Korea in December.

“After waiting more than four years to announce this, we are very happy to open tourism to North Korea again,” Koryo Tours said on its website on Wednesday.

Koryo Tours told the BBC that North Korean authorities allow tourists from any country to join the tours, except South Korea. However, the United States bans its citizens from traveling to North Korea.

Chad O’Carroll, CEO of U.S.-based analytics firm Korea Risk Group, expressed skepticism about the reopening announcement.

“I’ll believe it when I see it. At the moment I’m very sceptical that we’ll see any real movement in December,” he told the BBC.

The Samjiyon area has undergone major redevelopment in recent years, with Kim in July unveiling plans to rebuild its airport, convert a military ski base into a resort, and build new railways and hotels for foreign tourists, according to state media.

Kim said at the time that plans to “revitalize international tourism” would target visitors from “friendly” countries.

However, Mr O’Carroll noted that the redevelopment of Samgyong is not yet complete.

“If the project is completed on time, I can only imagine Russian and possibly Chinese tourists visiting the project in real numbers at first,” he said. “Unless the project is completed on time, I can only imagine Russian and possibly Chinese tourists visiting the project in real numbers at first.” [the Democratic Republic of Korea] Samjiyon offers direct flights to a neutral connection country like Mongolia.

Samjiyon is located at the foot of Mount Paektu, the highest mountain in North Korea, which straddles the border between China and North Korea, and is famous for its winter tourist attractions.

Pyongyang’s propaganda says the mountain is where North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung fought a war against Japanese occupation forces and launched a revolution. He is the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea also claims that Paekdu is the birthplace of the current leader’s father, Kim Jong Il.

The Korean Central News Agency reported in July that the Mount Baekdu-Samjiyon area is planned to be a “four-season mountain tourism area to meet the cultural and emotional needs of the people at the highest level and invigorate international tourism.”

Since early 2024, North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists into the country, amid improving relations between the two countries.

This did not happen until August of last year when North Korea announced Allowed the return of citizens whose borders were closed due to border controls.It is one of the last few countries to do so.