US tourists are not allowed to visit North Korea: Costs for the second passport
US tourists are not allowed to visit North Korea: Costs for the second passport
For most people worldwide, the dark days of Covid 19 pandemic seem to be a distant memory. In North Korea it is different. Justin Martell recently became the first known American who has entered the soil of this mysterious country since the beginning of pandemic over five years ago.
strict health measures and persistent pandemiefnut
In North Korea, strict health measures, such as wearing masks and temperature controls, are still the order of the day. Popular tourist locations, including local markets, are closed due to the persistent fears of virus transmission. Martell reported that the fear of pandemic in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DVRK) was deeply rooted. He even came across bizarre theories about the origin of the virus.rumors about the virus
"There seems to be the rumor that Covid-19 came into the country via a balloon from South Korea," said Martell, a filmmaker and founder of Pioneer Media born in Connecticut, which specializes in the documentation of unique and difficult to access. He was part of a small delegation of tour operators who traveled to North Korea last week to create the prerequisites for upcoming tourist trips.
returning western tourists
After five days in North Korea, in which they laid the basis for a limited return of western tourism, crossed the bitterly cold tumen river bridge to China on Monday. On Thursday, they are supposed to introduce small groups of Western tourists in Rason, a remote corner of North Korea near the borders to China and Russia. Tourists from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Macao and Jamaica have already reserved places.
a difficult restart
Rowan Beard of Young pioneer tours , which has been leading tours to North Korea for more than a decade, indicates that the upcoming trips after years represent extreme isolation. "I am overjoyed that the first group will break up this week," said Beard. "There is a lot of enthusiasm on site, but it is a hard restart, and it will take time to find the balance."
Access to local experiences
Beard found that crucial experiences, such as visiting the Rason market for haggling with locals, are currently not possible. Despite these setbacks, he remains optimistic and emphasized that the tourism companies with local ministries have the goal of gradually restoring access and building trust.
creative possibilities in the North Korean film industry
During their visit, the tour operators discussed the opportunity to expand future travel plans to expand the experience in a local cinema. North Korea has revived the film industry under Kim Jong Un, with new publications such as the Korean war dramas "72 Hours" and "One Day and One Night" that run in cinemas.political sensitivity and travel restrictions
The capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, is still denied Western visitors, although Russian tourists have received access since last year, which reflects the in -depth relationships with Moscow. The pandemic had excluded all visitors, but Americans were prohibited from entering North Korea long before the Covid 19 pandemic. On September 1, 2017, the US Foreign Ministry imposed a travel ban after the death of Otto Warmbier was detained and died in the state described as a vegetative.
The meaning of human encounters
Despite these barriers, the human encounters - raw, unwritten and personal - were most impressed by the Martell and his companions. Martell found himself in a local school when he answered questions from curious students. "The children were not interested in politics. They wanted to know how it is in the United States what music and sport.
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