North Korea to Reopen for International Tourism in December

A ban on international travelers to North Korea, imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to be lifted as the country plans to resume tourism activities this winter, as confirmed by tour operators specializing in North Korean travel.

KTG and Koryo Tours, two companies focused on North Korea trips, revealed that their local contacts in the country have shared information about the government’s decision to allow visits to specific destinations.

It is expected that foreign tourists will be able to travel to Samjiyon, a city in North Korea by December, with the possibility of access to other parts of the country in the near future. Koryo Tours, headquartered in Beijing, expressed great enthusiasm for this development after a four-year hiatus in tourism activities in North Korea.

The country has been progressively gearing up for a broader reopening, with ongoing efforts to enhance tourism infrastructure in locations such as Samjiyon, situated close to the Chinese border. These initiatives are seen as crucial for North Korea’s economic recovery following the severe setbacks caused by the global health crisis.