North Korea Is Now Open for International Tourists

After a gap of five years, the country has eased curbs and reopened its borders to promote international tourism

- AP

A small group of foreign tourists has visited North Korea in the past week, making them the first international travelers to enter the country in five years except for a group of Russian tourists who went to the North last year.

The latest trip indicates North Korea may be gearing up for a full resumption of its international tourism to bring in much-needed foreign currency to revive its struggling economy, experts say.

The Beijing-based travel company Koryo Tours said it arranged a five-day trip from 20-24 February for 13 international tourists to the northeastern North Korean border city of Rason, where the country's special economic zone is located.

Koryo Tours general manager Simon Cockerell said the travelers from the UK, Canada, Greece, New Zealand, France, Germany, Austria, Australia and Italy crossed by land from China.