North Korea opens weird attraction to tourists - a sea cucumber farm

North Korea could soon beryllium opening up to tourists erstwhile again aft 5 years of person boarders - with tours including visits to a nutrient processing mill and a oversea cucumber farm

Tourist volition beryllium capable to sojourn North Korea as the archetypal circuit to the state which has been closed for much than 5 years, coincides with the precocious dictator Kim Jong-Il's birthday.

Foreign circuit companies person been fixed support to instrumentality planetary tourists to the metropolis of Rason, successful the acold northeast of North Korea, to wage their respects to the precocious dictator. It volition beryllium the archetypal clip since the state unopen its borders during the pandemic successful January 2020 that overseas visitors volition beryllium capable yo participate the country.

The metropolis of Rason is not known for its charms, with attractions visitors volition beryllium taken to, including a “combined foodstuff processing mill producing assorted snacks and drinks” and a “sea cucumber breeding farm.”

The tours volition coincide with February 16, the Day of the Shining Star arsenic it is known successful the country, - the day of Kim Jong-il, late begetter to the existent ultimate leader, Kim Jong-un. The time is sometimes celebrated with parades and different commemorative formalities.

One circuit company, Koryo Tours is advertizing a four-night Kim Jong-il day circuit for €705 (£586.53), with 2 further nights successful China. A 2nd company, Young Pioneer Tours, is offering a akin but shorter itinerary for €645 (£536.61).

“We volition sojourn assorted factories, spot a Taekwondo objection astatine the Rason Taekwondo School, and marque a halt astatine the Golden Triangle Bank to larn astir Rason’s unsocial economical system,” Koryo Tours said connected its website. “Here, you tin adjacent unfastened your precise ain North Korean slope account.”

However, Koryo Tours besides noted that the circuit is not yet confirmed and depends connected support to transverse by onshore from the Chinese authorities.

Tourism has ever been tightly controlled successful North Korea. Individual travellers are not permitted into the country, and groups indispensable beryllium accompanied by 'minders'. Individual tourism tin lone beryllium arranged done a prime fewer Government-approved agencies and it indispensable beryllium approved by the Government successful advance.

Apart from countries specified arsenic China and Russia, who powerfully enactment the country's regime, diplomats from different countries are seldom allowed to sojourn North Korea. For example, the British ambassador to Pyongyang, David Ellis, has not been allowed to reside astatine his embassy since his assignment successful 2021.

Tourism successful the state is besides often thought to beryllium dangerous. In 2016, an American pupil named Otto Warmbier, was sentenced to 15 years hard labour aft helium stole a North Korea propaganda banner. He died 15 months later, aft helium was returned to America successful a coma and with encephalon damage.

His household and Donald Trump claimed helium had been tortured, but the North Korean authorities said that his sick wellness was arsenic a effect of attraction for the bacterial disease, botulism.