North Korean Tourism Resumes After Pandemic Shut-Down: Russians Welcomed in First Known Visit

North Korea is opening back up for business.

The country is welcoming in a group of Russians as the first known tourists to visit the country since North Korea imposed pandemic-related travel restrictions in early 2020, Knewz.com has learned.

North Korea will welcome its first tourists since the COVID-19 pandemic in February. By: MEGA

Citing a post from Russian provincial authorities and a Western tour guide, Reuters reports,and%20a%20Western%20tour%20guide.) that the trip was a result of a visit by the governor for Russia’s far-eastern region of Primorsky Krai, which borders North Korea, in December.

It’s a landmark move for North Korea, which imposed some of the strictest COVID-19 sanctions when the pandemic began.

According to Reuters, an online itinerary says the trip begins on February 9 and lasts for four days, including stops at Pyongyang and a ski resort.

The tourists are coming from Russia. By: MEGA

Simon Cockerell, general manager at Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which is not involved in the trip, told the outlet that his partners in North Korea confirmed the trip is taking place.

“It is a good sign, but I would hesitate to say it necessarily will lead to a broader opening due to the special circumstances for this one trip,” he said. “But given that no tourists have been for four-plus years, any tourism trip can be viewed as a positive step forward.”

As Knewz.com previously reported, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin last year.

The tourists will visit Pyongyang and a ski resort. By: MEGA

While the exact contents of the discussion are yet unknown, the United States suspects that the items on the agenda include North Korea supplying weapons to aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The North Korean leader told Putin via a translator that he is certain Russia will triumph against the forces of “evil.”

Following a lot of speculation and significant unease amidst the global axes of power, Kim arrived in Russia aboard his armored “Pleasure Train” on Tuesday, September 12 and met with the Russian President at the Vostochny Cosmodrome on Wednesday morning. The pair spoke before the press at the space base prior to their closed-door one-on-one meeting, wherein Putin said that their discussion would cover “all the issues.”

North Korea had some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions. By: MEGA

When asked by the press whether Russia would help North Korea build satellites, Putin replied, “That’s why we’re here. The leader of the DPRK [the official name for North Korea] shows great interest in rocket engineering, they are also trying to develop space.” Despite recent efforts, North Korea has been unable to launch a spy satellite into orbit, although there have been promises of another attempt in October 2023.

Since, ties between Russia and North Korea appear to have gotten tighter.

As Knewz.com learned in October 2023, North Korea has apparently sent thousands of weapons and ammunition to Russia for use in the ongoing Ukraine war.

North Korea and Russia have seemingly increased relations recently. By: MEGA

U.S. officials reportedly received information that Kim may have delivered around 1,000 boxes of military kit and ammunition to Russia.

While it is unclear how much material each container holds, images obtained and released by the National Security Council on Friday, October 13, show that they are full-sized shipping containers.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement to reporters via a phone call, “Our information indicates that in recent weeks, North Korea has provided Russia with more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions.”

“We condemn the DPRK [the official name of North Korea] for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians, and further Russia’s illegitimate war,” Kirby added in his statement.