Vietnamese tourists will be able to travel to North Korea starting next year.
While North Korea didn’t open its doors to tourists for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it resumed accepting only Russian tourists last February.
The Vietnamese travel agency Flamingo Redtours recently announced that it is preparing a North Korea tour package from Beijing to Pyongyang. This move was reported by Radio Free Asia, referencing information from Sputnik’s Vietnamese branch.
Vietnam, which has maintained a friendly relationship with North Korea, is positioning itself as a key player in reviving North Korean tourism. Reports suggest that North Korea is planning to welcome tourists from all nationalities starting at the end of this year.
The New York Post previously reported that North Korea had largely shut its borders to foreigners for nearly five years due to strict COVID-19 measures but intends to reopen certain areas in December.
Many travel agencies have confirmed that tourism will resume in various regions, including Northeast Samjiyon City and Ryanggang Province, by the end of this year.
Koryo Tour, based in Beijing, also announced this development, expressing its excitement about the return of North Korean tourism after a prolonged hiatus.
North Korea has been constructing a socialist utopia at Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province, near the Chinese border, referring to it as the epitome of modern civilization. North Korean leaders aim to develop this area into a highly civilized mountain city with new apartments, hotels, ski resorts, medical facilities, and cultural institutions.
Before the pandemic, Vietnamese agencies like Saina Travel & Tours and Vietworld Travel offered North Korean travel packages. With North Korea aiming to boost its economy through tourism, particularly from countries not under UN sanctions, Vietnam’s involvement could be pivotal.
In April, a North Korean tourism delegation participated for the first time in the 2024 Vietnam International Tourism Expo to promote North Korean tourism. At that time, the Vietnam Tourism Board mentioned that Vietnam could emerge as a transit hub for foreign tourists traveling to North Korea. This suggests the potential for strengthened tourism cooperation between North Korea and Vietnam.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hastened preparations for the resumption of tourism while inspecting major tourist sites like Mount Paekdu, Samjiyon City, and the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone in July. This demonstrates North Korea’s determination to promote economic recovery through tourism.
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