After five years of complete isolation, North Korea announced the restoration of tourism and opening its borders for foreign tourists. According to the official statement, the first tours will begin in December 2024 in the Samjion region, with subsequent plans to extend to other parts of the country.
Two large tour operators for foreign visitors said on Wednesday that they received a message from their partners in North Korea that the opening of travel will begin in December 2024. Initially, the tours will pass to Samion, near the border with China, and then, probably throughout the country, according to Koryo Tours.
KTG Tours also posted on social networks reports that visitors will be able to go to Samjion from this winter.
Kim Jong -in regime began to weaken border restrictions about a year ago, but did not open to tourist groups that were once a source of cash for a state with meager foreign exchange reserves. These tourists provided funds that helped the country transactions abroad, while it remains cut off from international banking services.
The North Korean authorities closely monitor tourists from abroad, which is usually allowed to stop only in a home intended for foreigners, and they are limited in the country.
It is noted that at the beginning of this year, North Korea allowed the entry of a small number of tourists from Russia.
