As North Korea gears up to reopen its borders to international tourists, the country has been focusing on expanding its tourism infrastructure, particularly in the mountain city of Samjiyon near the Chinese border. Although the country has largely remained closed to foreign visitors since 2020, recent developments suggest that North Korea is preparing for a broader reopening.

According to Koryo Tours, North Korea has been working for years to enhance tourism facilities in Samjiyon. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited the city last month, praised it as “a model of highly-civilised mountain city,” highlighting its new hotels, attractions, and ski resort, as reported by North Korean state media.

The efforts to develop Samjiyon and other tourism sites, including a major project on the country’s eastern coast, are seen as part of North Korea’s strategy to boost its economy, which has been severely impacted by the global pandemic.

Introductory tours to North Korea, as listed on Koryo Tours’ website, typically range between 600 euros and 1,500 euros per person, depending on various factors such as departure point, duration, group size, and lodging.

North Korea’s focus on tourism development, particularly in Samjiyon, seems aimed at attracting Chinese travelers, who made up the majority of international tourists to the country before the pandemic. In 2019, a record 350,000 Chinese tourists visited North Korea, providing significant revenue for Pyongyang, according to NK News, a U.S.-based website that analyzes North Korean affairs.

While the U.S. government continues to strongly advise against travel to North Korea, with U.S. passports generally being invalid for such travel, the potential reopening of Samjiyon could mark a significant step in North Korea’s efforts to recover economically by drawing in foreign visitors once again.

(Adapted from CNBC.com)

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