North Korea welcomes Russian tourists, the first to visit since pandemic

A Russian tourist, a member of a tour group travelling to North Korea first time since its borders closed due to the pandemic, takes a selfie after checking in (AP)

The first group of tourists to visit North Korea since the start of the pandemic left Vladivostok airport in Russia’s Far East on Friday, as the isolated country offers tours to Russians who have faced obstacles to travelling abroad during the war in Ukraine.

The tour underscores deepening co-operation between Moscow and Pyongyang, following a meeting last September between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East.