North Korea Reopens to Tourism After Covid
As BBC explains, the country has remained virtually isolated for almost 5 years
North Korea is reopening to tourism after a long isolation following the covid pandemic. BBC reports this, citing some tour operators and explains that the first town to be reopened to foreign visitors will be Samjiyon, located near Mount Pektu, important to North Korean mythology. From here, according to Juche ideology, Kim Il Sung (grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un) fought the Japanese, starting the revolution, and it was to be the birthplace of the legendary Dangun, founder of the first Korean kingdom 4 millennia ago.
After almost five years of closure, Pyongyang is reopening to tourism, resuming a development process aimed at promoting the sector that, among other things, has led to the creation of important investments in infrastructure, such as the Masik Pass, precisely in the Samjiyon area, a ski resort built from scratch in just a few months.
All tourists will be welcome, except for South Korean neighbors. There won’t be any Americans either, but in this case because of Washington’s ban.
The closure of the borders also affected imports of essential goods, causing shortages in an economic system already severely tested by international sanctions.
According to BBC, Beijing-based Koryo Tour explained that tourists will “potentially” be able to visit other parts of North Korea starting in December.