North Korea is set to welcome its first tourists since early 2020, when the country completely closed its borders due to Covid19.
This opening for tourist activities will include the entry of a Russian group that will visit the capital Pyongyang and a ski resort, writes Portal, citing online publications by Russian provincial authorities and a Western travel guide.
The trip was organized after the governor of the coastal region that borders North Korea visited Pyongyang in December to discuss the possibility with North Korean authorities. The organization is carried out by an agency based in Vladivostok, a Russian port city in the region.
The fourday trip begins on February 9th.
Simon Cockerell, general manager of Chinese travel agency Koryo Tours, which organizes trips to North Korea, said in statements to Portal that his partners in Pyongyang had confirmed the Russian visit but that it would take place under special circumstances.
“It's a good sign, but I would hesitate to say that given the particular circumstances of this trip, this will necessarily lead to a greater opening,” he said. “Considering that there have been no tourists in North Korea for more than four years, any tourist trip can be seen as a positive step,” he added.
Remember that at the beginning of the Covid19 pandemic, North Korea completely isolated itself from the world. Entry of tourists was banned, diplomats were withdrawn and trade restrictions were imposed, including with China, its largest trading partner. In September this year, North Korean leader Kim JongUn and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a summit in eastern Russia and pledged to deepen economic and military cooperation.
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