North Korea will soon begin welcoming tourists again

Mia Taylor | TravelPulse (TNS)

After years of remaining a reclusive country, North Korea is preparing to allow entry to tourists.

As of December, international visitors will be allowed to explore the northeastern city of Samjiyon, according to a report from Reuters.

The move appears to be just be the first step toward a wider relaxation of tourist visitation rules for North Korea, say tour operators.

“We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and likely the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024,” Beijing-based Koryo Tours recently announced on its website.

Another travel agency, KTG Tours, has similarly announced that tourists will be able to visit Samjiyon this coming winter.

This development follows the resumption of international flights in and out of North Korea last year. A small group of Russian tourists subsequently visited the country in February. And later, in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin also paid a visit.

Still, North Korea has not been open to mass international tourism since 2020.

“Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again,” said the tour company, per Reuters.

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Koryo Tours expects its North Korean partner will confirm itineraries and dates over the next few weeks.

As for what tourists can expect to find when they visit, Reuters describes Samjiyon as a “socialist utopia”, and “a model of highly-civilized mountain city” with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.

Separately, CNN has described Samjiyon as a city that straddles the Chinese border and is in close proximity to the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, Mount Paektu, an active volcano. The volcano area is considered the cradle of the Korean people, per CNN.