A group of tourists from Russia will make history by becoming the first wave of visitors to enter North Korea since antiCovid border blockades were imposed in early 2020, according to a statement from Russian and regional authorities.
Organized trips in special circumstances
North Korea has imposed some of the strictest border controls in the world due to the Covid19 pandemic and still keeps most of its borders closed to foreigners. However, this trip, organized by a tourism agency based in Vladivostok, Russia, is proving to be an important precedent. It was organized when the governor of the Primorye region in Russia's far east, which borders North Korea, visited Pyongyang in December, the regional government said in a Telegram post.
A fourday trip with stops in Pyongyang and a ski resort
According to the online itinerary, the fourday tour starts on February 9th and includes visits to the North Korean capital Pyongyang and a ski resort. Simon Cockerell, managing director of Beijingbased Koryo Tours, which is not involved in organizing the trip, confirmed to Portal that the Russia visit is taking place under special conditions.
“That's a good sign, but I wouldn't say that this will necessarily lead to a major opening because of the unique circumstances of this one trip,” he said. “But considering that there have been no tourists for over four years, any tourist trip could be seen as a positive step.”
The relationship between North Korea and Russia
This visit comes against the backdrop of increasing interaction between North Korea and Russia. Last September, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a summit in eastern Russia, where they pledged to deepen cooperation in several areas, including economics, politics and military, despite international sanctions against the Asian country .
Tourism will not be affected by United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions restricting business with North Korea due to its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Financial benefits in tourism for North Korea
In the year before the pandemic, North Korea saw a surge in the number of tourists from China, potentially bringing the country up to $175 million in additional revenue in 2019, according to an estimate by Seoulbased NK News.
It remains to be seen whether this event represents a step toward greater opening of North Korea to global tourism or whether it will remain an exception to the strict border control rule.