North Korea plans to reopen one of its cities to foreign tourists in December, ending nearly five years of border closures due to the Covid pandemic, according to tour operators. At least two operators based in China have announced that tourists will soon be allowed to visit the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon.
North Korea isolated itself at the start of the pandemic in early 2020 and only began easing restrictions in the middle of last year. The border closures also halted imports of essential goods, leading to food shortages exacerbated by international sanctions related to the country’s nuclear program.
“So far, only Samjiyon has been officially confirmed, but we believe Pyongyang and other locations may open as well!” Shenyang’s KTG Tours posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday. Beijing’s Koryo Tour also mentioned that tourists might “potentially” visit other parts of North Korea in December.
“After waiting over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is thrilled about the reopening of North Korean tourism,” the company stated on its website on Wednesday.
Koryo Tours informed the media that North Korean authorities are allowing tourists from any country to join these trips, except for South Korea. However, the US prohibits its citizens from traveling to North Korea.
Chad O’Carroll, CEO of the US-based Korea Risk Group, expressed skepticism about the reopening announcement. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said. “For now, I’m quite doubtful we will see any significant movement in December.”
Samjiyon has been undergoing significant redevelopment recently, with plans revealed in July to rebuild its airport, convert a military ski base into a resort, and construct new railways and hotels for foreign tourists, according to state media. Mr. Kim stated that these plans to “revitalize international tourism” would target visitors from “friendly” nations.
O’Carroll noted that Samjiyon’s redevelopment is still incomplete. “If it is completed in time, I expect only Russian and possibly Chinese tourists will visit in significant numbers initially,” he said. “Unless North Korea offers direct flights to Samjiyon from a neutral country like Mongolia.”
Samjiyon, located at the foot of North Korea’s highest mountain, Paektu, which straddles the China-North Korea border, is known for its winter attractions. Pyongyang’s propaganda claims that the mountain is where North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung, fought Japanese forces and began the revolution. He is the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. It also asserts that Paektu is the birthplace of Kim Jong Il, the incumbent leader’s father.
KCNA reported in July that the Mount Paektu-Samjiyon zone is planned to become a “four-season mountainous tourist area” designed to meet high cultural and emotional standards and boost international tourism.
Since early 2024, North Korea has only permitted Russian tourists to enter the country, reflecting warming relations between the two nations. It was only in August of the previous year that North Korea allowed the return of citizens who had been stranded due to border controls, making it one of the last countries to do so.