Russian tourists have been welcomed to North Korea as the first group of tourists to the hermit kingdom since the pandemic.
The group of Russian tourists from Primorsky Krai will first head to North Korea's capital Pyongyang, Russian news agency TASS reported.
According to reports, after completing a series of tours, they will arrive at a domestic ski resort in Maso Pass for winter sports activities.
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A skier rides the lift at Masoryong Ski Resort near Wonsan, North Korea. (Karl Cote/Getty Images)
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's regime has kept the country largely under lockdown since the global pandemic.
North Korea has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, forcing it to adopt the world's most aggressive quarantine policy.
The decision to select Russian citizens as the first official tourist group is further evidence of growing cooperation between the two countries.
The two countries have cooperated on military technology and expanded trade to strengthen their regional power alongside China.
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An overview map showing the Taedong River and city skyline in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
The trip was reportedly arranged as a pet project of Primorye Governor Oleg Kozhemyako and his North Korean counterpart.
Until now, North Korea's tourism industry has been extremely limited and marketed primarily to Chinese tourists.
“Visitors from Russia are unlikely to be as economically lucrative for North Korea as more visitors from China return,” said Leif Eric Easley, a professor at South Korea's Ewha University.
Tourists from China take photos at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)
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“However, in line with North Korea's current geopolitical narrative, domestic political risks are relatively low while providing a symbol of revitalized relations with Russia,” he added. .
North Korea is a deeply impoverished country that controls enclaves full of luxury facilities for its wealthy and elite leadership. Most of the country's fine dining and entertainment are based in the capital, Pyongyang.
