North Korea to open border to foreign tourists after five years

This nation quickly shut its border in response to Covid and is now set to reopen for foreign tourists almost five years later.

North Korea will open its border to foreign tourists in December after almost five years, according to tour operators.

Koryo Tours, which is based in Beijing and has operated tours to North Korea for decades, published an announcement stating tourism to the city of Samjiyon, near the China-North Korea border, and potentially the rest of the country will resume, citing confirmation from its local partner.

North Korea was the first country to close its border in response to Covid in January 2020.

“Whilst we have been operating in the country for over 30 years, we have never before come across such a long closure of the borders,” Koryo Tours, a company founded by two Brits living in China in 1993, said on its website. “Unfortunately, what this means for broader tourism – we do not yet know.

“Further, the opening will start in Samjiyon City. Whilst this may seem unusual, it is the main area for tourism in North Korea during the winter time.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a ceremony to mark the completion of the construction of the township of Samjiyon County in December 2019. Picture: AFP/KCNA via KNS

Koryo Tours warned the resumption of tourism may not go smoothly.

“For those hoping to visit on one of the sooner tours, we would like to emphasise that things may be a little more chaotic than usual,” it said.

“But of course, you will be in the safe hands of the North Korea tour experts here at Koryo Tours. Your safety is our priority.”

China-based KTG Tours, which specialises in North Korea travel, also confirmed the border reopening for tourists to visit Samjiyon in winter.

The company assumes this will be in December but said specific dates had not been confirmed.

“As for the rest of the country, including Pyongyang, there has been no official confirmation,” an update on its website read. “Our personal opinion is that they will open too soon, but nothing has been confirmed regarding this.”

Tour operators say Samjiyon is the only location tourists will be allowed to visit at this stage. Picture: AFP/KCNA via KNS

Australia’s official travel advisory for North Korea is ‘do not travel’, which is the highest level.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller advice page has not been updated to suggest the country is reopening to tourists.

Last updated in March, it says North Korea’s borders “remain effectively closed for Australians and most other nationalities,” adding, “tours to North Korea are suspended until further notice”.

It warns Aussie travellers of increasing tensions between North Korea and South Korea who are “technically still at war”, and that the Korean Government restricts information.

“You can usually access international satellite TV channels at some tourist hotels,” Smartraveller says.

“However, if the government shuts these down in a crisis, you may not know what’s happening. Monitor state broadcasts and, if possible, international media for signs of increasing tensions.”

Kim Jong-un has poured huge resources into developing the area. Picture: AFP/KCNA via KNS

Samjiyon in North Korea

Samjiyon, near North Korea’s mountainous northern border with China, is a gateway city to Mount Paektu, where official narratives say the late supreme leader Kim Jong Il was born.

His son and successor, Kim Jong-un, has poured huge resources into developing the area, with the vast project including new apartments, hotels and a ski resort.

Signs of North Korea reopening began in the second half of 2023, with the resumption of international flights allowing stranded nationals to finally return home.

A group of Russian tourists visited in February this year, at a time when ties between Moscow and Pyongyang were growing closer.

Tourism to the North was limited before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5000 Western tourists visited each year.

– with AFP