Chinese tour groups permitted to visit North Korea as of Apr. 12

Chinese tour groups have been officially permitted to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) starting April 12, 2010. Just a few days ago, the DPRK announced that it will freeze South Korean assets at the Mount Kumgang tourism project and restart the venture with a new partner.

Chinese tourism officials said the first group of 400 Chinese tourists will visit the DPRK on April 12, and 24 Chinese veterans who once fought in the Korean War will soon visit the DPRK in memory of their lost fellow soldiers, according to a report by Yonhap, a leading news agency of South Korea, on April 11.

Jiang Haizhong, marketing director of the Beijing UTour International Travel Service Company, said most Chinese tourists who plan to visit the DPRK have some feelings of nostalgia for their precious pasts there, especially for those over 45 years old. The company has launched a six-day DPRK tour, which includes Panmunjom where the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed, the Military Demarcation Line, the Korea-China Friendship Tower and the country's beautiful natural scenery.

Reporters learned that the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) had approved the DPRK as an outbound tourism destination as early as 2008, but the DPRK tours had not been officially launched because detailed rules and regulations were not promulgated until recently.

By People's Daily Online

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