(Dan Tri) - According to travel companies, North Korea suddenly stopped tours bringing international tourists to the Rason special economic zone without a specific reason.
More than five years after the Covid-19 pandemic, North Korea has begun welcoming international tourists again. However, recently, some travel agencies said that the country suddenly stopped welcoming foreign tourists to the Rason Special Economic Zone, a special economic zone in northeastern North Korea.
Koryo Tours, a China-based travel agency that specializes in North Korea tours , issued a statement on its official website on March 6 saying it had "been informed that tours to the Rason Special Economic Zone have been temporarily closed."
The company representative also described the situation as "unprecedented" and affirmed that they would provide further updates as soon as new information was available. The specific reason for the temporary suspension of receiving guests was not shared.
On the same day, Young Pioneer Tours (YPT), another China-based travel agency, also announced the suspension of tours to Rason.
"We have been informed by our partners in North Korea that tours to Rason have been suspended. We are currently in the process of clarifying the incident to see how this will affect international tours to North Korea," said a representative of YPT.
The travel agency also advised tourists planning to travel to North Korea in April and May not to book flights until further information is available.
In late February, Western tourists began arriving in Rason on group tours as North Korea reopened its tours to foreigners.
Only Russian tourists will be allowed to enter North Korea from September 2023. The recent opening of the Rason Special Economic Zone to international visitors has sparked speculation that the country could open up to foreign visitors to other areas.
Rason City was established as North Korea's first special economic zone in 1991. It serves as a testing ground for new economic policies and is considered one of the least known and least accessible areas in North Korea.
Before the abrupt halt, the four-night tour to Rason, a city in the northeast near the Chinese and Russian borders, cost about $720, and included a two-night stay in the Chinese city of Yanji. The first tour ran from February 12 to February 18.
According to media reports, Rason has operated differently from the rest of North Korea since 1991. It is also the first place to have a mobile phone network and use a card payment system.
Among other attractions, visitors can expect to visit the Paekhaksan Sea Cucumber Farm and the Paekhaksan Food Processing Factory. They can also open their own North Korean bank account at the Golden Triangle Bank. At the North Korean Tri-Country Observatory, visitors can look out over China and Russia.
However, since Rason does not have an international airport, the only way to access it is to drive across the Chinese border.
North Korea plans to open the Kalma tourist area along its east coast in June, hoping to attract more international visitors and foreign currency to the country. Citizens of most countries are welcome, except those of the United States and South Korea.
However, tourists cannot come here on their own and must buy a tour through a licensed travel agency such as Young Pioneer Tours and Koryo Tours. These are two Chinese travel agencies that specialize in organizing tours to North Korea.
Tour guests will have a tour guide from the travel agency and a local guide to follow the entire program. If traveling in a group, Chinese guests do not need to apply for a visa thanks to a special single-entry permit to enter North Korea.
Amid the reopening, North Korea has also begun to attract new visitors, including those who have signed up for the Pyongyang International Marathon, scheduled to be held in April. This is an annual international competition held in Pyongyang, now in its 31st year.
According to statistics compiled by NK News , in 2019, about 350,000 Chinese tourists traveled to North Korea, bringing in a large source of revenue for Pyongyang.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/trieu-tien-dot-ngot-dung-don-khach-vao-dac-khu-kinh-te-chua-ro-ly-do-20250307151728935.htm
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