North Korea Suspends Newly Opened Tourism to Rason After Three Weeks

The abrupt closure of Rason to foreign visitors halts North Korea's brief reopening to international tourism after five years of isolation.

North Korea has suspended international tours to Rason, a northeastern border city near China, just three weeks after reopening it to foreign tourists for the first time since 2020.
The suspension was announced by multiple Western travel agencies, which cited unclear reasons for the halt and advised travelers to postpone plans until further updates.
Rason, established as a special economic zone in 1991, had been a testing ground for economic policies and was recently visited by a small group of foreign tourists from countries including the UK, Canada, and Germany.
The reopening marked a significant development following North Korea's five-year closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prior international tourism limited to Russian visitors in 2024.
Travel agencies and tourists noted visible signs of poverty in rural areas during visits, with strict guidelines from North Korean guides prohibiting photography of impoverished conditions.