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Travel to North Korea via Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai
160 Tourists This Year... 100 More Next Month

This year, it is reported that more than 160 Russians have traveled to North Korea via Vladivostok in Russia's Far East Primorsky Krai.

On the 26th (local time), TASS news agency reported, "Already, over 160 Russians have visited the neighboring country (North Korea) operating international flights only from Vladivostok," adding, "More than 100 people are expected to visit the country during the May holidays." Russia resumed group tours to North Korea in February after a 4-year and 2-month suspension since January 2020 due to COVID-19. Prior to this, the North Korean authorities and the Primorsky Krai delegation signed an agreement related to North Korean tourism in December last year.

Pyongyang International Airport [Photo by Yonhap News]

Next month, Russia will have holidays for Labor Day (May 1) and Victory Day (May 9), the day Nazi Germany surrendered to Russia during World War II, which is expected to increase demand for North Korean tourism. Russian travel agencies authorized to conduct tours to North Korea are preparing North Korea travel programs during this holiday period to capitalize on the holiday demand and are accepting reservations. According to the website of one such travel agency, 'Vostok Intour,' a 4-night, 5-day North Korea tour from May 6 to 10 is being sold for USD 750 (approximately KRW 1,030,000).

Primorsky Krai is also promoting the region by emphasizing that entry to North Korea is only possible through Vladivostok International Airport. The Primorsky Krai Tourism Office stated, "40-50% of travelers visiting North Korea show interest in also touring Primorsky Krai," and added, "We are developing various tourism programs." To activate regional automobile tourism, the Primorsky Krai Tourism Office is implementing plans such as modernizing roads and establishing automobile camping sites. Primorsky Krai is adjacent to the Sea of Japan above the Tumen River.

Meanwhile, Ilya Voskresenski, a Russian tourist who visited North Korea in February, shared his impressions of the visit in an interview with the American CNN network. As a travel blogger, he felt uneasy about traveling to North Korea and participated in the group tour by pretending his occupation was a store part-timer. He stated that the reason he chose North Korean tourism was to experience the old Soviet Union, which he had only heard about verbally, through the sights of North Korea.

Voskresenski said, "Seeing North Korea makes you realize how my grandparents might have lived during the old Soviet era," adding, "It felt like a momentary time travel to the past. There were no advertisements in the city, and the only displays were party slogans and flags." He arrived in North Korea with 97 other Russian tourists on a Koryo Air passenger plane, visited Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square, Mangyongdae Children's Palace, Wonsan Masikryong Ski Resort, and after a 3-night, 4-day itinerary, returned to Russia.