Tour opens to hard-to-reach city of 'world's most mysterious' country
In the last week of February, a Chinese travel agency will officially open online registration for tourists to visit North Korea's particularly inaccessible border city.
Based in Beijing, Zhixing Heyi is one of the regional partners of the North Korean Tourism Bureau. On February 18, the company representative said that it had received notice that North Korea would officially reopen to international visitors in 2025.
Tourists can register to buy a tour on the official website of Zhixing Heyi to become the first foreigners to set foot in the "world's most mysterious country" after 5 years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Zhixing Heyi claims to have received special approval from North Korea to organize China's first private tour group to visit Rason, considered one of the least known and most inaccessible areas in the "hermit state".
According to the tour company, the first tour departing to Rason will last 4 days, with 2 options priced at 3,599 yuan (VND 12.6 million) and 4,599 yuan (VND 16.1 million) respectively. The program includes visits to prominent landmarks, beautiful landscapes and performances in the city.
Zhixing Heyi's representative shared with Korean news agencyYonhapthat tour groups will be limited to 10 people.
North Korea has recently sent out a series of signals indicating that it will open its doors to foreign tourists and lift border controls imposed since 2020 due to Covid-19.
Earlier this month, staff from two travel companies, Koryo Tours and Young Pioneer Tours, also went to Rason to conduct surveys before launching tourism activities there.
North Korea also plans to open a new Kalma tourist area along its east coast in June, hoping it will attract more foreign tourists.