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North Korea to Reopen Borders to International Tourists in December
In December, North Korea is set to reopen its borders to international tourists, focusing initially on the northeastern city of Samjiyon, according to tour operators.
This development suggests that the isolated nation is preparing to allow larger groups of foreign visitors after maintaining strict COVID-19 border restrictions for several years.
Beijing-based Koryo Tours announced on Wednesday that it had received confirmation from local partners about the resumption of tourism in Samjiyon and potentially across other parts of the country starting in December 2024.
This marks a significant shift, as North Korea has largely been closed to international travellers since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
Although international flights to and from North Korea resumed last year, and a select group of Russian tourists were allowed a private visit in February, the country has not fully opened its doors to broader international tourism.
Koryo Tours expressed enthusiasm about the development, noting that after a four-year wait, they are eager to welcome tourists back to North Korea.
The company highlighted that its local partner would soon provide more details regarding travel itineraries and specific dates.
Samjiyon, located near the Chinese border, has been a focal point for North Korean development efforts.
The city is being transformed into what North Korean officials describe as a “socialist utopia” and a model of a “highly-civilized mountain city.”
This transformation includes the construction of new residential areas, hotels, a ski resort, and various commercial, cultural, and medical facilities.
The development project has faced scrutiny, leading to the recent dismissal or demotion of senior officials by Kim Jong Un due to what was termed as “irresponsible” management of the Samjiyon initiative.
KTG Tours also confirmed that they would be offering trips to Samjiyon starting this winter, signalling a broader reopening of North Korean tourism.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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