LONDON — North Korea is set to partially reopen its doors to tourism later this year after being closed off since January 2020 at the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Chinese-based tourism operator.
Koryo Tours, based in Beijing, announced on Wednesday that tours to North Korea “will officially resume in December 2024,” according to a statement from the company.
“Whilst this may seem unusual, it is the main area for tourism in North Korea during the winter time.
“In North Korea, it is seen as the birthplace of the revolution and the reputed birthplace of Kim Jong Il.
“But of course, you will be in the safe hands of the North Korea tour experts here at Koryo Tours.
LONDON — According to a Chinese travel agency, North Korea is scheduled to partially reopen its doors to tourists later this year after being cut off since January 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tours to North Korea “will officially resume in December 2024,” according to a statement from Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which made the announcement on Wednesday. “Koryo Tours is thrilled to announce the reopening of North Korean tourism after waiting more than 4 years to do so.”. “.
According to Koryo, the nation’s borders have been closed for nearly five years. The country was the first to close its borders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that closure occurred in January 2020.
North Korea may be gradually opening up again, but there is still a significant warning for those who wish to travel there: even though the country may be gradually pivoting to open up again since mid-2023, the tourism company reports that there have been indications of this since mid-2023.
As stated by Koryo Tours, “the opening will start in Samjiyon City,” which implies that travel to Pyongyang and other regions of the nation will be prohibited, though there is a chance that these locations will reopen in the future. Though it might seem strange, this is North Korea’s primary tourist destination in the winter. We would like to [emphasize] that things might be a bit more chaotic than usual for those planning to visit during one of the earlier tours. “.
“North Korea’s most well-known winter tourist destination, Samjiyon is home to the nation’s most well-known volcanic peak, Mt. Paektu,” went on Koryo Tours. It is believed to be the birthplace of Kim Jong Il and the scene of the revolution in North Korea. It is the birthplace of the Korean people, according to the South. It’s the most important and revered location for the whole Korean Peninsula. “.
Koryo Tours states that North Korea has been developing Samjiyon for years, despite it being previously inaccessible and lacking in tourist amenities.
The tourism company said, “Even though we have been operating in the country for over 30 years, we have never encountered such a long closure of the borders.”. When we visited Samjiyon in 2018 to film “Michael Palin in North Korea,” it was still under construction. Samjiyon was announced because it has recently been redeveloped as a tourist destination. “.
When the itineraries are finalized, the company will post the official dates on their website and announce them in the upcoming weeks.
Sadly, Koryo Tours stated, “We do not yet know what this means for broader tourism.”. “But rest assured that Koryo Tours, who specialize in tours of North Korea, will have you in good hands. We put your safety first. “.
