TAIPEI, Taiwan – North Korea has closed its only gateway for foreign tourists, travel companies said on Thursday, weeks after allowing visitors back in, which had suggested it was opening up for the first time since imposing a COVID-19 ban on arrivals in 2020.
North Korea opened its special tourist city of Rason, on its northern coast near the borders with both China and Russia, to foreign tour groups in mid-February.
But two travel agencies said arrivals had been suspended.
“We have been advised by our partners in the DPRK that tours to Rason are currently paused. We are in the process of clarifying how this will impact your upcoming trips,” said China-based travel agency Young Pioneer Tours in a notice.
It advised those planning tours in April and May not to book flights until more information became available.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK, is North Korea’s official name.
Separately, Koryo Tours, a China-based agency specializing in North Korean tours, said on its website that it had been informed “that our tours to Rason are temporarily closed.”
It described the situation as “unprecedented,” adding it would provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.
Neither company explained offered a reason for the suspension.
Before last month, only Russians had been allowed into North Korea for limited group tours since September 2023.
Foreign tourism is an important source of foreign currency for North Korea, which is under heavy international sanctions due to its nuclear and missile programs.
The recent reopening of Rason sparked speculation that North Korea might open other areas to foreign tourism, but the suspension of arrivals at Rason has led to speculation about the cause.
Some South Korean media outlets speculated that the decision was driven by concerns over the uncontrolled spread of information.
Over the past few weeks, as Western visitors, including social media influencers, were allowed into North Korea, numerous videos and interviews have surfaced online, as visitors share their at times bizarre experiences.
Debit card, pharmacy and masks
Pierre-Émile Biot, a French travel blogger who was among the first group of Western tourists to visit, described in an interview with Radio Free Asia a limited and inconsistent payment system. Upon arrival, tourists were issued debit cards but few businesses accepted them, he said. Instead, most shops preferred cash transactions, particularly in yuan.
Biot said he bought a debit card with a small amount of renminbi but found little opportunity to use it. While taxis supposedly accepted card payments, he never had a chance to test it, as his group traveled together throughout the visit.
Ben Weston, a tour leader from Britain, compared visiting North Korea to the structured experience of a school trip, where movement was closely monitored. Tourists were not even allowed to leave their hotels without a guide, he said during media interviews.
Another visitor, who identified himself as just Mike, said he had to inform a guide even when he needed to use the toilet, which he said he’s never encountered before.
RELATED STORIES
North Korean tour guides know about soldiers dispatched to Ukraine war, tourist says
North Korea says giant tourist beach resort to open in June 2025
Traveling to North Korea? No wifi, limited hot water and bring your own TP
German travel influencer Luca Pferdmenges told of his interactions with ordinary North Koreans, including on a visit to a pharmacy, where the staff were astonished by the appearance foreign tourists.
Pferdmenges also said during media interviews how struck he was by North Korea’s strict COVID-19 precautions.
Nearly 80% of people he saw wore masks, he said, and every bag entering the country had to pass through a disinfecting machine.
Some English-speaking North Koreans appeared to be aware of international events, including the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the involvement of North Korean troops, and recent trade disputes involving the U.S. and other countries.
According to tourists, this awareness likely stemmed from interactions with Chinese business people, who may have served as an informal source of outside information in the otherwise tightly controlled country.
Edited by Mike Firn.