North Korea Suspends Tourism Just Weeks After Reopening to Foreign Visitors

North Korea has suddenly closed its borders to tourists after just a few weeks of welcoming them back, marking the end of a five-year hiatus that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The once-isolated nation initially shut itself off in early 2020 and began loosening restrictions in mid-2023. Although it reopened to Russian visitors earlier this year, the first Western tourists were only allowed into the remote port city of Rason in February. Now, various tour companies have reported cancellations and stated that trips to North Korea are on indefinite hold, with no clear explanation from the government. KTG Tours, based in China and specializing in North Korean travel, shared updates on social media: "Just received news from our Korean partners that Rason is closed to everyone. We will keep you posted," they said. Similarly, Young Pioneer Tours and Koryo Tours have also announced the suspension of their North Korea travel packages, advising those with plans for April and May to hold off on flight bookings. February marked the arrival of the first Western tourists to Rason, a city marked as a special economic zone for North Korea's pilot financial policies. Tour operators noted that visitors experienced stricter controls than before, with limited chances to explore and speak with locals. Communication tools like mobile phones and internet access remained disabled within the tightly controlled borders. It's presumed Rason was chosen as a controlled environment due to its contained nature.As recently as this week, Koryo Tours had started accepting applications for the Pyongyang Marathon, an event scheduled for April 6, after a five-year hiatus. However, it remains uncertain whether these applications can be processed under the current circumstances. In 2019, approximately 350,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea, with a vast majority being from China.