U.S. travelers are prohibited from visiting North Korea. This particular individual invested a substantial sum of six figures to acquire a second passport, enabling him to journey to the country.
In the wake of relaxed health measures, North Korea has tentatively opened its doors to tourists once more, with a range of new rules in place as a precaution against COVID-19. Previously off-limits locations, such as local markets and popular tourist spots, continue to remain shuttered due to lingering concerns about virus transmission.
North Korea's paranoia around the pandemic remains strong, with filmmaker Martell reporting bizarre rumors floating around regarding the virus's origins, like it being propagated via a balloon sent from South Korea. Despite these apprehensions, tour operators like Young Pioneer Tours (YPT) and Koryo Tours are wasting no time orchestrating their return to the remote region of Rason, which shares borders with China and Russia.
Limited groups of tourists, hailing from destinations like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Macao, and Jamaica, have already reserved spots for the upcoming journeys. According to Australian tour operator Rowan Beard, these excursions represent a significant step, returning North Korea to a modicum of interaction with the outside world after years of extreme isolation.
The upcoming trips offer a mix of positivity and challenges, with key experiences, like visiting the Rason market, currently off-limits due to health reasons. Beard remains optimistic, as tour operators and local ministries engage in dialogue, aiming to restore access and rebuild trust step by step.
Tourists may look forward to everything from haggling with locals, utilizing North Korean currency, to potential additions such as local movie theater experiences, featuring recent North Korean releases like "72 Hours" and "One Day and One Night." However, the capital of Pyongyang remains off-limits for western visitors, with only Russian tourists permitted entry since last year.
Despite the US State Department's travel ban imposed in September 2017 following Otto Warmbier's death, a ban that Martell experienced first-hand, some have found ways to skirt around restrictions by obtaining second citizenship from nations known for their golden visa programs, such as Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The rising costs of such investment programs, fueled by Russian demand for alternate passports, have markedly increased, with prices now surpassing $200,000. Beard highlights the involvement of a prominent YouTube travel influencer scheming to secure a Spanish passport for this reason.
Conversations with North Korean guides have occasionally touched upon US politics, although topics like Russia's war in Ukraine were treated with extraordinary caution, with guides exercising discretion both in what they shared and what they chose to omit.
Ukrainian and Western governments claim that North Korea has deployed troops to support Russia's military efforts, prompting North Korean guides to practice a subtle silence on the subject.
As travelers navigate the challenges and triumphs of this historic reset, they will be reminded that the human connections forged within these unique exchanges remain just as indelible and captivating as ever.
The rumor circulating among the Koreans suggests that the pandemic originated from a balloon sent from South Korea, contradicting North Korea's official narrative, as documented by filmmaker Martell. Despite the apprehensions about the virus, tour operators like Martell's company and YPT are actively planning trips to areas like Rason, hoping to reestablish connections with the outside world. Regardless of the US State Department's travel ban, some tourists have found ways to visit North Korea by obtaining second citizenship from countries with golden visa programs.
