Western travel to North Korea on hold as border issues persist

The first scheduled tours for Western tourists to North Korea have been abruptly canceled, tour operators confirmed to NK News on Monday. This reversal comes despite earlier claims of a breakthrough that would have allowed Western travelers to enter the remote Rason area starting in February.

The cancellation comes as tour companies have encountered numerous false starts relating to the reopening of North Korea’s border since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the country to seal its borders in early 2020.