North Korea reopened its border city of Rason to foreign tourists for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, marking a cautious revival of the country's tourism sector. The first excursions are expected to start on February 18, ahead of the national holiday commemorating former leader Kim Jong Il's birthday.
Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based tour operator, has opened bookings for trips to Rason to celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday. "This tour will take you to the must-see sites in Rason, North Korea's Special Economic Zone. Plus, you will travel to North Korea to celebrate one of the biggest holidays, Kim Jong Il's Birthday," Koryo Tours wrote on its website.
Details regarding tour itineraries, pricing, and visitor capacity remain uncertain, and Koryo Tours has not received further information about travel to Rason. "Whilst we have been informed it has officially opened, as of yet we do not have confirmed itineraries and prices for tourists," the company noted.
Neither North Korea nor China has commented on the plans to reopen Rason to foreign tourists. North Korea recently relaxed some border controls for trade and diplomatic visits, and Pyongyang reopened the border to some trade and official delegations.
February 16, known as the "Day of the Shining Star" in North Korea, commemorates the birthday of Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011. The day is celebrated with large-scale public gatherings, military parades, and national festivities across the country.
Rason, established as North Korea's first special economic zone in 1991, serves as a testing ground for new economic policies and has historically attracted limited numbers of Chinese and Russian visitors due to its proximity to both countries. The city is one of North Korea's least visited and hardest-to-reach areas, unlike Pyongyang, which is the focal point of most foreign tours.
Before the pandemic, tourism to North Korea was limited, with tour companies reporting that approximately 5,000 Westerners visited each year. Chinese tourists constituted the majority of visitors, and most tour operators are based in China.
North Korea shut its borders nearly five years ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, cutting off all foreign visitors to prevent the spread of the virus. During the pandemic, it decided not to allow foreign tourists into the country to prevent potentially infected citizens working in China from returning home.
Itineraries offered by Koryo Tours and other agencies include visiting North Korean factories, schools, and a bank where tourists can open their own North Korean bank account. Tourists are allowed to enter Rason, but the exact conditions are still unclear, including whether private tours will be permitted or if tourism will be limited to group visits with strict supervision.
However, North Korea has not announced the resumption of large-scale foreign tourism to Pyongyang or other major sites despite the recent reopening of Rason. Potential visitors must wait for further details on what kind of tours will be permitted.
The case of US student Otto Warmbier remains a cautionary tale regarding the risks of traveling to North Korea, and Americans were banned from traveling to the country after his imprisonment and subsequent death in 2017. Some governments, like that of the United States, prohibit their citizens from traveling to North Korea.
Experts see another motivation behind the opening up of North Korea to tourism. "I think he wants to show the rest of the world that North Korea is a normal country—with beautiful scenery, good food and good infrastructure," said Martin Fritz, a freelance journalist in Tokyo and expert on North Korea.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.