North Korea set to reopen borders to foreign tourists
Al JazeeraAUG 20 2024
After nearly five years of border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea will gradually resume tourism. Foreign tourists will have the opportunity to visit Samjiyon in December, as reported by two China-based travel companies on Wednesday.
North Korea’s restrictions started to ease up in the middle of last year. The closure of borders also caused a halt in imports, resulting in food shortages worsened by international sanctions linked to the country’s nuclear program.
Samjiyon, which borders China, is a town located near Mount Paektu, which is the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula. The Korean people consider this active volcano their ancestral home, which holds immense historical and cultural value to all Koreans, both North and South.
Although no official statement has confirmed the plan that North Korea will open up to foreign visitors by the end of the year, the information is consistent with Pyongyang's aspirations. State media said in July that initiatives are underway to relaunch international tourism, primarily from "friendly" nations. In a recent visit to Samjiyon, Kim Jong Un outlined plans for the reconstruction of the airport, turning a military ski base into a ski resort, and building railways, hotels and other amenities.