North Korea closes border city of Rason to foreign tourism

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – North Korea halted foreign tourism into its tourist border city of Rason near China just weeks after starting to accept tourists again, reported South Korean media on Thursday, citing tour agencies and South Korea’s Ministry of Unification.

The abrupt ban came allegedly because of tourists sharing the country’s internal situation on social media, reported Korea JoongAng Daily.

Koryo Tours, a China-based tour agency organizing tours into North Korea, said on its website Wednesday that "the Rason border may be temporarily closing for tourism. We are currently working to confirm and understand the situation.”

Young Pioneer Tours, another China-based agency, also announced the halt of tours to North Korea on its Facebook account on the same day.

North Korea reopened its touristic border city of Rason near China last month after it was closed in 2020 at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Western tourists crossed into North Korea for the first time in five years last month.