VLADIVOSTOK - A group of Russian tourists embarked on a pioneering trip to North Korea on Friday, marking the first such group visit since the global COVID-19 pandemic began, amidst strengthening relations between the two nations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the trip, which includes 97 Russian nationals, will span four days and include visits to Pyongyang and the Masikryong Ski Resort, located in North Korea's eastern region. This group represents the first batch of foreign tourists to enter North Korea since the country reopened its borders in August last year, after a closure lasting over three years and six months. The departure was from Vladivostok International Airport, where the tourists boarded the Air Koryo JS-272 flight to Pyongyang on Friday afternoon. The occasion is part of a broader trend of deepening diplomatic and cooperative ties between Russia and North Korea, highlighted by a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year and subsequent discussions on bilateral cooperation.