North Korea to Reopen Border to International Tourists

 Looking for a break from your usual summer vacation spots?You might be in luck, as North Korea plans to reopen its borders to international tourists later this year.

Tour companies have announced that the border into the northeastern city of Samjiyon, and potentially the rest of North Korea, will reopen for the first time in over four years.

International tourists were barred from entering the country in 2020 due to stringent COVID-19 restrictions. Since then, only a limited number of private Russian tourists have been permitted entry, and Russian President Vladimir Putin visited in June.

Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based travel company, expressed excitement about the reopening of North Korean tourism. The company announced that itineraries will be finalized in the coming weeks, with international travel to Samjiyon expected to resume in December.

North Korea has been developing what it describes as a "socialist utopia" in the city of Samjiyon near the Chinese border. The project includes new apartments, a ski resort, and various commercial, cultural, and medical facilities, all aimed at creating a "highly-civilized mountain city."

However, insights from a Russian tourist trip in February suggest that the reality of visiting North Korea may not meet expectations. The group of approximately 100 Russians, who each paid $750 (£582) for a four-day tour, reported traveling on an outdated plane that "smelled of mothballs" and being accompanied by a personal guide at the ski resort.