North Korea Preparing to Resume Group Tours for Chinese Visitors, Aiming for Next Spring
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
North Korea is reportedly preparing to resume group tourism for Chinese visitors, targeting next spring. State media say Kim Jong Un called tourism “a window to opening and the face of a civilized country,” prompting local authorities to renovate infrastructure. The National Tourism Administration plans pilot routes between Pyongyang, Sinuiju, and Dandong, with phased group arrivals in the first half of next year and later expansion to Wonsan and Yangdok. North Korean officials are coordinating tour routes and prices with travel agencies in border cities such as Dandong, Hunchun, and Tumen. Major facilities — including the Koryo Hotel, Yanggakdo Hotel, Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist zone, and Masikryong Ski Resort — are undergoing repairs and remodeling, with interior work in key Pyongyang hotels nearing completion. Sources say the tourism push is a state-level “strategic project” to earn foreign currency and is framed as a symbol of a new era of North Korea–China (조중) friendship. Officials also aim to broaden exchanges with third countries like Russia and Vietnam. At the same time, security and surveillance will be heightened: the State Security Department and social safety agencies will oversee visitor movement, lodging, and border controls to prevent information leaks and incidents.
