North Korea abruptly suspended Rason tours after opening in February
At that time, an influencer posted a candid review of the visit
Chinese travel agency: "Influencers not allowed"
A North Korea-focused travel agency is recruiting tourists for a Pyongyang tour package timed to coincide with the Pyongyang Trade Fair in October. However, participation by journalists, travel content creators, and influencers is restricted.
On July 6, Young Pioneer Tours, a North Korea tourism agency headquartered in China, announced on its website that it is recruiting tourists for a 7-night, 8-day trip to Pyongyang from October 24 to November 1. The company stated, "Although North Korea has not officially permitted tourism, it is possible to obtain a tourist visa to attend the Pyongyang International Trade Fair (PITF)."
The tour itinerary includes attending the opening and closing ceremonies of the International Trade Fair, as well as visits to attractions such as the USS Pueblo and Kim Il Sung Square. At the International Trade Fair, visitors can explore more than 450 exhibition booths showcasing IT, pharmaceuticals, daily necessities, and more. The schedule also features a trip to Mount Myohyang, and if this visit takes place, it would make the participants the first Western tourists to visit Mount Myohyang since North Korea closed its borders in 2020, five years ago. The company explained that the Mount Myohyang excursion includes visiting one of the few remaining Buddhist temples in North Korea, experiencing a cave tour, and spending one night at North Korea's top-class hotel. However, the agency emphasized that, according to the trade fair organizers' guidelines, journalists, travel content creators, and influencers are not permitted to join this tour. The package price is 3,995 euros (approximately 6.4 million won), which includes round-trip airfare between Beijing and Pyongyang.
Previously, in February, North Korea allowed Western group tourists to visit the Rason Economic Zone for the first time in five years since the COVID-19 pandemic, but suddenly suspended the program in less than a month. Some have pointed to the fact that certain influencers among the group posted detailed accounts of North Korea's internal conditions on social networking services (SNS) as the reason for the suspension.
At the time, a German influencer who toured the Rason Economic Zone commented, "Rason is a poorer and more closed-off region than Pyongyang," and added, "Many people still use oxen and carts." He further noted, "There are no advertisements anywhere in North Korea; only propaganda posters and portraits of the country's leaders are present. It was also striking that, due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 virus, disinfection was conducted at the entry point and 80% of people were still wearing masks."
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