Updates on North Korea border openings. After borders tightly shut for the past 4 years, North Korea's borders look finally set to open once again.
North Korea Borders Opening Updates
Last Updated: March 2024
Updated: 24th March 2024
As the leaders in North Korean travel operating in North Korea for over 30 years, we aim to keep you as updated as possible when it comes to North Korean tourism.
This page is kept constantly updated when there are new updates regarding the North Korean border and North Korean border openings.
For our plan for North Korean tours (depending on reopening) in 2024, click here.
Feel free to skip to the relevant area below. You can also find an FAQ section at the bottom.
North Korean Border Updates Table of Contents
North Korea Border Opening Updates (Timeline)
North Korean Borders Opening Sign
North Korean Borders Opening FAQs
North Korea Border Opening UPDATES
Timescale of North Korean border opening updates.
Sunday 10th March (2024)
A couple more groups of Russian visitors have been confirmed to go to North Korea.
Still no opening to normal tourism - but maybe a positive sign for everyone else?
NKNews reports on the latest developments.
Friday 9th February (2024)
The first group of 'tourists' arrived in Pyongyang after 4+ years of the borders being closed to visitors.
This is a special Russian group going on a ski trip. Not quite a normal tourist trip due to links between military cooperation between the two states making this trip possible. Thus, ooutside of anything like normal tourism process.
Thursday 11th January (2024)
It is confirmed from within Pyongyang that a group of Russian tourists will be the first to enter the country for more than 4 years in February.
This is on a tour that just includes a day in Pyongyang and then some skiing at Masik-Ryong.
This is a special trip arranged via an agreement between the administration of the Russian Far Eastern province of Primorskiy Krai and the DPRK government. It may signal an opening in due course to other tourists, or may not. we wait and see!
NKNews reports on this story here.
Tuesday, 26th September (2023)
China's news outlet CCTV made an announcement that foreigners would be let into North Korea on 25th September.
The announcement was made saying that it had been announced by North Korea. However, there has not been any confirmation from North Korea yet.
Nevertheless, if the rumours are true, then tourism is still a long way off. The first foreigners to go into North Korea will be those with the highest priority.
This includes people like diplomats initially, followed by humanitarian aid workers etc.
You can find an updated report here.
Tuesday, August 22nd (2023)
First Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang to Beijing since the shutdown takes place.
Reopening a crucial route which has been out of use since January 2020. Not a flight for tourists, but for North Koreans to finally return home after years stuck overseas. A positive sign for the resumption of this route going forward.
Thursday, 10th August (2023)
Koryo Tours received the news on the 10th of August that North Korea (the DPRK) is expected to officially open its border again very soon.
This is the first time since it closed back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
North Korean Borders Opening Signs
Taekwondo Team
A North Korean Taekwondo team was sent from Pyongyang to Kazakhstan to take part in the Taekwondo World Championships.
They were featured in the opening ceremony and made their way to Kazakhstan by taking a train from the DPRK into China, staying in Beijing, and then going on to Kazakhstan.
This is the first sports delegation sent out of the DPRK since 2019 and they would not be sent if they were not able to return afterwards.
Vladivostok to Pyongyang Flights
As reported by NKNews there will be flights from Vladivostok to Pyongyang happening very soon.
So far only a couple of flights are confirmed and it seems likely that these are specifically for returning North Koreans.
This route was never the most viable for tourists and, given events that have been happening involving Russia since the last time these flights took place, they are perhaps even less useful for Western tourists now, but it is a sign that DPRK airspace is opening to flights again.
North Korean Students in Dandong
North Korean students in China continue to gather in Dandong awaiting trains to return them to the DPRK.
Many of these students finished their courses years ago but have been unable to return to their homes since then. They number in the hundreds at least and will likely be the first to go back when this opening for DPRK citizens takes place.
North Korean Border Opening FAQs
Have the North Korean borders opened?
Short answer, no. Long answer, kind of starting to. But they are currently not open to pre-COVID levels.
Has North Korean Tourism Resumed?
No, not fully to all nationalities and to pre-COVID levels.
As the leading North Korean travel company, we will be updating people as soon as we have news on North Korea opening to tourism.
Make sure to follow us on our social media channels where we will be updating people as soon as we have confirmation.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
When Will the North Korean Borders Open?
No official date has been given.
Nevertheless, the consensus from multiple sources (all of them North Korean) is that it will be “soon”.
Who Are the North Korean Borders Open to?
Initially, the opening of the North Korean border is for North Korean citizens only.
While the closure of North Korea has affected companies like ours, and anyone wanting to visit and engage with the country, it has been far more disruptive and difficult for the many thousands of North Koreans trapped outside of their home country for more than three and a half years now.
Anyone who was not in the DPRK when the borders closed has not been able to return. So, workers, students, businesspeople, diplomats, and all kinds of folks who were in China and elsewhere are still outside of the country and are no doubt keen to see their own families again. This is a chance for them to finally do so.
When Will the Borders Open for Tourists?
The opening of the North Korean border is currently for North Koreans, but we expect this to be expanded soon afterwards. Initially, this will likely be for important incoming figures such as diplomats, and NGO staff, etc. Eventually, tourists will follow.
However, when this will be we do not know.
Are North Korea International Flights Running?
Flights between Pyongyang and China as well as Pyongyang and Russia have now resumed.
Is the North Korea Train Running?
(China, Dandong - Pyongyang)
The train from Dandong to Pyongyang will be operating normally soon.
You have North Korean Tours on Your Website. Does this mean we can book them?
No. We have kept all our North Korean tours on our website since 2020. This is basically to give people a place to go to and an idea of how North Korea tourism works.
However, we make it very clear on our North Korean tour page that these tours are currently not confirmed.
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