North Korea issued new operational directives for a tourism reopening in the Rason special economic zone. The city party committee convened an emergency meeting with state-run international travel agencies and foreign currency shops. Consequently, this tourism reopening aims to resume large-scale international visits. The directives include adjustments to tourist itineraries and advance route inspections. Officials will assess tour guides’ practical commentary skills. They will exempt key guides from rural mobilization campaigns. They will also tighten oversight of guides accompanying foreign visitors.
The tourism reopening follows a troubled track record for Rason. Western group tourists entered the city in February last year. Authorities abruptly closed the zone just three weeks later. They gave no official reason for the suspension. Only small numbers of Russian tourists now enter through the Vladivostok-Tumen River corridor. Thus, this tourism reopening would broaden access beyond the current restricted basis. Travel agencies have made quiet overtures to North Korea-specialized travel companies. Foreign currency shops have restocked tourist souvenirs.
Preparations for this tourism reopening reveal tensions in North Korean policy. Officials want to prevent foreign visitors from seeing rural poverty. They also want to hide deteriorating conditions from outsiders. The goal is to minimize contact between tourists and the local population. A source said North Korea needs foreign currency but cannot accept exposing real conditions. This tension shows clearly in the new directives.
Exempting key tour guides from rural mobilization marks an unusual step for this tourism reopening. Mass mobilization for rice planting rarely admits exceptions. Everyone normally participates during the planting season. However, exempted guides will face pressure to deliver foreign currency earnings. They risk ideological criticism if they fail. Observers view this as laying groundwork for broader reopening.
