North Korea | Tourism Reactivation on the Routes Limited to the Special Economic Zone of Rason

North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a country located in East Asia occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula bathed by the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, a highly centralised totalitarian state based on the official philosophy on the doctrines of “Juche” self reliance and “son - gun” preminence of the military sector experienced a tourism reactivation on the routes limited to the Special Economic zone of Rason.

The East Asiatic country reopened on 20th February 2025 its borders to international tourists for the first time since January 2020, following the lockdown due to the Covid - 19 pandemic in the Rason Special Economic Zone, earlier called the Rajin - Sonbong Economic Special Zone.

This special territorial space was established in 1991 by the North Korean Government to promote economic growth through international investment at Rason, a city and ice - free port in the Sea of Japan in the North Pacific Ocean in the northeast tip on North Korea, part of the Kwambuk region bordering China and Russia.

Before the pandemic, tourism in North Korea despite unknown in many countries and for some rigid restrictions applied by the Government, was a major industry with Chinese visitors accounting for about 90% of all international arrivals, however, with this recent reopening, North Korea is seeing renewed interest from tourists from Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

Local tour operators and those that operate in the mainland China specialise in travel and tours to North Korea have noticed an increasing interest among international tourists. The move signals a caution step toward reviving the country’s tourism sector, which has been largely shut down during the pandemic but for now some restrictions remain in place.

Local markets, a regular tourist attraction, remain closed due to lingering concerns about Covid - 19, a theme that continue following the rigid rules established by the government and classified as an alert for the country. 

Health measures such as temperature checks and mask - wearing are also being implemented in several places, and at the moment the capital Pyongyang remains closed to all tourists except Russians.

Among the first groups entering in the country were managed by operators like YPT, Young Pioneer Tours, adventure travel company established in 2008 with its head office in Shenzen, China specialising in budget tours to North Korea and Koryo Tours, an independent British tour operator founded in 1993 with office in Beijing, China, specializing in group and private tourism to the Asiatic country.

These operators have begun running tours for small groups of about 15 visitors with itineraries that during the trip include stops at a foreign language school, a local brewery, a taekwondo academy and the border area where North Korea, China and Russia meet corresponding to the aforementioned Special Economic Zone of Rason.

Currently no more than a dozen tour operators have been allowed to travel within the country, with group sizes ranging from 10 to 15 people and only South Koreans are banned from entering. The U.S. and Malaysian governments have banned their citizens from travelling to North Korea, while Singapore has issued a warning to avoid non - essential travel to the country.

Link - https://www.expreso.info/noticias/internacional/105345_corea_del_norte_se_abre_al_turismo