I heard that Rason tours were paused?
We have received notification from our partners in the DPRK that, effective March 5, 2025, tours to Rason are currently on hold. We are actively working to determine how this will affect your upcoming travel plans and will keep you informed.
We recommend that those planning tours in April and May refrain from booking flights until we have more information.
When is the remainder of North Korea expected to reopen for tourism?
When will North Korea open for tourism? The short answer is that North Korea has now officially reopened to tourism, specifically in the Rason SEZ, with the border itself opened and first trips arranged by Young Pioneer Tours. Pyongyang has not yet reopened to Western tourists, despite any claims to the contrary.
The reopening of Pyongyang to everyone, cheaply and not just for those on expensive sporting delegations, is something we are very much working on.
I thought North Korea was meant to reopen in December 2024?
Back in August 2024, North Korea intended to reopen Samjiyon which is a rural city located northeast of the country most famous for Mount Paektu by December of 2024. However, we here at YPT had our own doubts about this announcement and alas, with the exception of Rason, the country continues to remain closed for tourism.
So, is North Korea open for tourism now?
Well, sort of. North Korea has partially reopened to tourism, but it’s not exactly the Pyongyang extravaganza you might expect. As of February 20th, the northeastern region of Rason has been opened to international visitors. This is the first area of the country to allow tourism since the borders shut down, and it’s important to note that this is not Pyongyang – which remains closed for the time being.
Young Pioneer Tours led a delegation to Rason from February 13th-17th on business visas, marking one of the first groups to explore the region since the reopening. Now, we’re offering two tours a month to Rason, and for the moment, this is about the most affordable way to visit North Korea. While Rason is a more industrial area, it’s still North Korea, with the same structures, rules, and regulations you’d expect, just with a different focus compared to the capital.
Rason is not the glitzy, iconic side of the country that most people associate with North Korea, but it provides a unique insight into the country’s economic zones and day-to-day life. It’s a chance to visit at a fraction of the cost of more typical tours, but with no frills. If you’re looking to see North Korea, this is currently your best bet.
I heard North Korea had reopened for the Marathon?
Currently, it is true that the Pyongyang Marathon is back, but there’s a bit of confusion about what that actually means. North Korea has not reopened for regular tourism – they’ve only opened the country for participants in the marathon. Those looking to take part in the event will travel on special visas, issued through the Sports Ministry, not through the usual tourist channels like the National Travel Authority or the Korea International Travel Company (KITC).
This is why the trips for the marathon are so expensive and not tourist friendly, not to mention there is essentially a monopoly on the marathon by another travel agency. It’s not a general reopening for all tourists, but a special, high-cost entry for those willing to pay for the privilege of running through Pyongyang.
This mirrors what we’ve seen with other sporting events in the country – a very selective process that opens up to a handful of people, usually with deep pockets.
At Young Pioneer Tours, we’re working on getting North Korea fully reopened to everyone, not just a select few with money to burn. We’re committed to offering affordable trips when the country finally opens up to all tourists – and we’re ready to give you the chance to explore the country at a much lower cost when that day comes.
North Korea was the first country to close their borders to all tourism and travel on 22 January 2020 and, as we expected, is the last country to fully reopen.
Can I travel to North Korea from Russia?
Back in summer of 2024, YPT have attempted to reopen tourism to North Korea with Air Koryo flights from Vladivostok, a Russian city close to the border of North Korea in the far east of the country. This idea was favoured by those within the tourism industry in North Korea, but in the end was not approved by higher officials.
We have also tried this approach with Rason, but alas it has not worked, yet at least.
If North Korea is not fully ‘open’ why do you have group tours on your website?
We plan our North Korean group tours two years in advance, with them largely mirroring what trips we had pre-pandemic. These group tours are open and ready to resume as soon as North Korea reopens.
While to some this might seem like semantics, we are one of the few travel companies that can actually say this. We not only kept many of our staff in China during the pandemic, but have reopened our China based office, hired new staff, and have frequent meetings directly with our North Korean partners in Beijing, Dandong and Yanji for updates and discussions, not just the odd long-distance email.
We have done this for many reasons, most importantly due to the complexities of doing business in the DPRK and so that we are ready to deal with them.
YPT have expanded exponentially, but we have done this while still remaining the foremost experts on the DPRK, as well as the leading operator. This means that while we do not make regular statements to appear important, we instead make ones that factual and more importantly relevant.
When will Pyongyang reopen to tourism?
The truth is, no one really knows. The answer could be anywhere from tomorrow to June, or even beyond – there are just too many variables. Some speculate that the reopening of Pyongyang might be linked to developments around the Kalma Resort, a major tourist project in the east of the country. The resort’s completion, or at least further progress, could be a key factor in when the capital opens its doors to regular tourists again.
That said, there are positive signs that North Korea is slowly inching toward reopening. With Rason now open and foreigners able to participate in the Pyongyang Marathon, it’s clear the country is starting to loosen its grip on international tourism. These gradual steps are a strong indication that Pyongyang won’t stay shut forever – and likely, it will happen sooner rather than later.
At Young Pioneer Tours, we’re at the forefront of making sure that when Pyongyang does fully open, it will be done affordably and efficiently for everyone. While the process has been slow, we remain committed to bringing North Korea to the masses at the best possible prices. As soon as Pyongyang is ready, we’ll be ready too – and we’ll be here to offer a genuine, accessible experience when that day comes.
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