A group of Russian tourists will visit North Korea again this month and next month.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 13th, the Russian Primorsky Krai government announced on the 12th, “The next Russian group of tourists is scheduled to visit North Korea in early March.”
Russian group tourists plan to travel to North Korea twice next month, from the 8th to the 11th (3 days and 2 nights) and from the 11th to 15th (4 days and 3 nights).
The cost of the trip is 77,000 rubles (1.12 million won), and a total of 200 people, 100 for each travel product, are scheduled to visit Pyongyang, Mt. Kumgang, Masikryong Ski Resort, and Rason Economic and Trade Zone.
The Maritime Province government agreed on the next tour schedule after discussions between government officials who visited North Korea with tourists to develop tourism products with North Korea.
Alexey Starichkov, head of the Maritime Province International Cooperation Department, said, “In accordance with the instructions of the Primorsky Krai governor, we continued negotiations on a Russian group of tourists traveling to North Korea,” adding, “It will consist of two groups of about 100 people traveling to Pyongyang and Masikryong ski resort. “Only one group spends an extra day in Pyongyang,” he said.
The Russian group of tourists who visited North Korea on the 9th returned to Russia on the 12th. They were 98 people from 11 regions of Russia, and visited the Mansudae Monument, the Tower of Juche Ideas, the Soviet Army Monument, Kim Il-sung Square, and Masikryong Ski Resort, and watched a performance at the Mangyongdae Student Boys Palace.
It was reported that Russian tourists were generally satisfied with their trip, but expressed inconvenience in ski resort facilities and using the Internet and phone. It is said that going out of the hotel and taking certain photos are also prohibited.
RFA reported that the construction of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist District, which has been underdeveloped so far, is expected to be completed soon.
Russian media reporters who toured the construction site at the invitation of the North Korean government said, “17 hotels, 37 inns, 29 stores, and a 4km long beach will be built.” They added, “It will be completed within a few years so Russian tourists can visit this place.” “It will happen,” he said.
The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone is one of the key projects promoted by General Secretary of the Workers’ Party Kim Jong-un, and was scheduled for completion in 2019, but completion is being delayed due to financial difficulties and material import disruptions due to the aftermath of COVID-19.
Some predict that even if Russia’s tourism to North Korea becomes active, it will not be of great help to North Korea’s economic development.
Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert and professor at Kookmin University, told RFA, “I don’t think there are that many people in Russia who want to go to North Korea. Thousands or even tens of thousands of people could go to North Korea every year, but even if it’s a small country like North Korea, this doesn’t help much.” “I don’t,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Primorsky Krai government announced that North Korean athletes participating in the 1st International Winter Sports Competition to be held in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai from the 18th to the 23rd, arrived on the 12th. The North Korean team consists of 13 people, including 7 players, coaches, medical staff, and the head of the delegation.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.