North Korea Reopens Samjiyon To Tourists After 5-Year COVID Lockdown: Explore Mount Paektu's Hidden Gem

After sealing its borders at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, North Korea will finally reopen one of its cities to foreign tourists in December, following nearly five years of strict border closures.

According to a BBC report, which cited information from at least two China-based tour operators, tourists will soon be allowed to visit the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon. The reclusive nation began easing its restrictions only in the middle of last year.

Photo Credit: PTI

North Korea Reopens Samjiyon

The border closures had also resulted in a halt to the import of crucial goods, exacerbating food shortages that were already intensified by international sanctions related to North Korea's nuclear program. "So far, just Samjiyon has been officially confirmed, but it is believed that Pyongyang and other places will also open soon," Shenyang's KTG Tours was quoted as writing on its Facebook page on Wednesday by BBC.

Beijing's Koryo Tours stated that tourists could "potentially" visit other parts of North Korea in December. "Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again," Koryo Tours was quoted as saying on its website by the BBC.

Samjiyon, situated at the base of North Korea's tallest mountain, Paektu, is renowned for its winter attractions. Paektu, which straddles the China-North Korea border, is celebrated in Pyongyang's propaganda as the site where Kim Il Sung fought Japanese forces and where Kim Jong Il was reportedly born.

In recent years, significant redevelopment has been seen in Samjiyon. In July, Kim Jong Un announced plans to upgrade the city's airport, transform a military ski base into a resort, and build new railways and hotels to attract visitors from "friendly" countries, as reported by the BBC, citing state media.

At that time, the Mount Paektu-Samjiyon zone was envisioned as a "four-season mountainous tourist area" aimed at meeting the cultural and emotional needs of the people at the highest level, while revitalizing international tourism, according to a report citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Since early 2024, North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists to enter, marking a warming of ties between the two nations. However, one of the tour companies, Koryo Tours, informed the BBC that North Korean authorities were now allowing tourists from various countries to join the trips, except those from South Korea. However, US citizens remain prohibited from travelling to North Korea due to a ban imposed by their own government.

It was only in August of last year that North Korea allowed its citizens to return after being locked out due to border controls, making it one of the last few countries to lift such restrictions.