North Korea Reopening To International Tourism

While the concept of coronavirus-related travel restrictions might seem like a distant memory, that’s not the case for the world’s most isolated country. That’s going to be changing soon, though…

North Korea border reopening in late 2024

In early 2020, around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea closed its borders to foreign visitors. While this was presumably at least in part to prevent the spread of the virus, I have to imagine that continuing to isolate the population from the rest of the world was also a factor. Well, this will finally be changing…

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Two tour companies based in China with connections to North Korea have announced that the country is planning on reopening as of December 2024, and details should be finalized in the coming days and weeks.

Even once it is allowed, tourism to North Korea is still heavily restricted, as it was before the pandemic. You can only travel there as part of a group, and have to be accompanied by a guide at all times.

Keep in mind that United States passports also aren’t valid in North Korea, and the Department of State classifies North Korea as a “Level 4: do not travel” country. North Korea will also be selective with the countries from which it accepts tourists, with plans to first welcome people from “friendly” countries, like China and Russia.

The plan is reportedly to first open up tourism to Samjiyon, the mountainous city that’s also the birthplace of the late Kim Jong Il. However, the country may immediately open up beyond that as well, including for travel to Pyongyang and beyond.

Separately, keep in mind that North Korea is working on opening a previously abandoned seaside resort town, which should finally welcome visitors in May 2025. That might also explain why North Korea is finally once again planning a bigger reopening.

It’s worth noting that despite North Korea’s borders having been closed for nearly five years, there was one exception to this. Earlier this year, we saw a small tour group from Russia, traveling on an Air Koryo plane from Vladivostok. This was made possible thanks to the closer ties between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

I’d love to visit North Korea some day*

It goes without saying that North Korea is a fascinating country, unlike anything else on earth. In the 21st century, there’s simply no other country with such little connection to the outside world.

I’d absolutely love to visit the country in its current form. As a tourist, you of course don’t see the “real” North Korea, but rather the tours are a carefully orchestrated performance that shows you only what the government wants you to see.

Now, I wouldn’t even consider visiting North Korea in its current form, even if I had the opportunity. It’s just too risky, and it’s not something I want to put my family through either. There’s just too much to lose.

That being said, I can’t help but wonder if we might one day see a “regime” change in North Korea, and see the country become part of global society. All kinds of countries have gone through major transitions over the years. Can a country really remain shut off to the rest of the world without a revolt for decades on end?

My hope is that one day North Korea becomes a place that it’s safe to visit, and that’s connected to the rest of the world. I’m not holding my breath, but you never know…

Bottom line

North Korea has plans to reopen to tourists as of late 2024. No, don’t expect United Airlines to launch a nonstop San Francisco to Pyongyang flight, but instead, the country will once again open to very small tour groups, initially from countries like China and Russia.

North Korea remains a true mystery to me, and I continue to wonder if we’ll ever see major changes there…

Do you think North Korea will remain shut off to the rest of the world for decades to come, or could we eventually see a revolt?