[Benjamin]

North Korea will reopen one city to foreign tourists in December after nearly five years of border closures due to the Covid pandemic, according to tour operators.

At least two China-based operators announced that tourists will soon be allowed to visit the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon.

Reclusive North Korea sealed itself off at the start of the pandemic in early 2020, and started to scale back restrictions only in the middle of last year.

The border closures also cut off imports of essential goods, leading to food shortages that were made worse by international sanctions because of the country's nuclear programme.

"So far just Samjiyon has been officially confirmed but we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too!!!" Shenyang's KTG Tours wrote on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Beijing's Koryo Tour said tourists could "potentially" visit other parts of North Korea in December.

"Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again," it said Wednesday on its website.

Koryo Tours told the BBC that the North Korean authorities were allowing tourists from any country to join the trips, apart from South Korea. However, the US bans its citizens from travelling to North Korea.

Chad O'Carroll, CEO of US-based analysis firm Korea Risk Group, flagged doubts around the reopening announcement.

"I will believe it when I see it," he told the BBC. "For now, I am quite sceptical we will see any real movement in December."

Samjiyon has been undergoing major redevelopment in recent years, with Mr Kim revealing plans in July to rebuild its airport, convert a military ski base into a resort, and build new railways and hotels for foreign tourists, according to state media.

Mr Kim said at the time that plans to “revitalise international tourism” would be aimed at visitors from “friendly” nations.

Mr O'Carroll pointed out, however, that Samjiyong's redevelopment is incomplete.

"If it does get completed in time, I can imagine only Russian tourists and possibly Chinese visiting in any real numbers at first," he said. "Unless [the Democratic Republic of Korea] offers direct Samjiyon flights to a neutral connection country like Mongolia."

Samjiyon lies on the foot of North Korea's tallest mountain Paektu, which straddles the China-North Korea border, and is known for its winter attractions.

Pyongyang's propaganda says the mountain is where North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung battled Japanese occupation forces and launched the revolution. He is the grandfather of current president Kim Jong Un.

It also claims Paektu is where the incumbent's father, Kim Jong Il, was born.

KCNA reported in July that the Mount Paektu-Samjiyon zone was envisioned to be a “four-season mountainous tourist area to meet the cultural and emotional needs of the people on the highest level and revitalise international tourism.”

North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists to enter the country since early 2024, amid warming ties between the two nations.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg3wzkx8k8o

[Mystic Mock]

What a treat.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

What a treat.

My thoughts exactly !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Maru]

I guess they need money

[MTVN]

Would love to visit. I know pre covid that tourists could take part in the Pyongyang marathon and that'd be quite the experience

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Would love to visit. I know pre covid that tourists could take part in the Pyongyang marathon and that'd be quite the experience

My brother visited there a few years ago, I would have no interest in it tbh. They weren't allowed leave the hotel unless with the designated tour guides on the specific tours they were given

[arista]

Originally Posted by Maru

I guess they need money

Yes they do need money spent there.


Our Ch5HD in the UK
They did Michael Palin in North Korea
it was fantastic.


I think it is also on in the USA.

47mins long


https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x82kffn

[Livia]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes they do need money spent there.


Our Ch5HD in the UK
They did Michael Palin in North Korea
it was fantastic.


I think it is also on in the USA.

47mins long


https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x82kffn

I watched Palin's show in North Korea, it's the closest I want to get.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

My brother visited there a few years ago, I would have no interest in it tbh. They weren't allowed leave the hotel unless with the designated tour guides on the specific tours they were given

Ohh yeah I remember you saying about that. Yeah it would be so restricted that might suck a lot of enjoyment out of it. I would also be worried about putting a foot out of line and getting arrested like that American lad who nicked a poster

[UserSince2005]

I would go to Pyongyang to check it out, but I have no interest in going to some random village in the mountains just to say I've been to North Korea.

[UserSince2005]

Although South Korea really disappointed me, I was expecting it to be similar to Japan but it really isn't the people are much more Chinese in their approach and there are a lot of people trying to rip you off.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by UserSince2005

Although South Korea really disappointed me, I was expecting it to be similar to Japan but it really isn't the people are much more Chinese in their approach and there are a lot of people trying to rip you off.

Really? I loved South Korea. I loved Japan too.

[UserSince2005]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

Really? I loved South Korea. I loved Japan too.

It was okay but no comparison to Japan.

The amount of bars I went to and they would overcharge me ridiculous amounts when you got the final bill. Couldn't stand the rats.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Ohh yeah I remember you saying about that. Yeah it would be so restricted that might suck a lot of enjoyment out of it. I would also be worried about putting a foot out of line and getting arrested like that American lad who nicked a poster

I know, that was terrifying, did he die in the end? after they eventually released him?

Honestly besides how restrictive and controlled a visit would be I just wouldn't want to support or help fund them

My brother wrote a blog about his visit (he did a lot of travelling around Asia back then) and my favourite line from it was "you can check out anytime you want but you can never leave"

[Ray.]

First thing I'd visit is the heads on spikes.

But you probably need VIP membership to access that part.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

I watched Palin's show in North Korea, it's the closest I want to get.

Yes it was great Ch5HD
did that new Travel Show.

Showed the poor there.
Tragic Nation.

[bots]

It's fine going there for a holiday, but would you ever be able to leave? No sane western person would go there willingly.

I travelled to Russia many times a few years ago, but you would never catch me near the place now, and it's arguably safer than north korea

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I know, that was terrifying, did he die in the end? after they eventually released him?

Honestly besides how restrictive and controlled a visit would be I just wouldn't want to support or help fund them

My brother wrote a blog about his visit (he did a lot of travelling around Asia back then) and my favourite line from it was "you can check out anytime you want but you can never leave"

Yeah he got released in a vegetative state and then died not long after, not sure it was ever really explained how he ended up in that condition

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Yeah he got released in a vegetative state and then died not long after, not sure it was ever really explained how he ended up in that condition

awful, you can only imagine what he went through while he was being held there

[arista]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

It's fine going there for a holiday, but would you ever be able to leave? No sane western person would go there willingly.

I travelled to Russia many times a few years ago, but you would never catch me near the place now, and it's arguably safer than north korea

Yes
you can leave
and they hope,
you fly back again.


They need internationals
to spend money there.


The Total Cost needs to be worked out
Send Simon Caldwell

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I know, that was terrifying, did he die in the end? after they eventually released him?

Honestly besides how restrictive and controlled a visit would be I just wouldn't want to support or help fund them

My brother wrote a blog about his visit (he did a lot of travelling around Asia back then) and my favourite line from it was "you can check out anytime you want but you can never leave"

This, absolutely. All for going off the beaten track but I don’t want to drive money into a country where the people won’t actually see any of it.

[arista]

This will help the poor folks
stay in business

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by arista

This will help the poor folks
stay in business

No it won’t. It’ll go to the elite in North Korea only.

[Beso]

Wouldnt mind going tbh. What do they all eat there?