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North Korea to announce availability to Americans
North Korean officials are thinking about opening the country to American visitors all year long. Though we'd still have to use the existing tour operators and have our options constrained once in the country, we'd at least be able to visit the most isolated country on Earth at virtually any time. Since 2005, Americans have only been able to visit during Arirang -- and for only up to five days at a time.Asia Pacific Travel Ltd has been in touch with Korea International Travel Company, North Korea's state-run travel business, which said that a decision on the policy regarding U.S. visitors will be made "around January 25. Asia Pacific Travel is also looking into whether Americans will be able to enter the country by train this year. In the past, only air travel has been open to Americans.
According to Walter Keats, President of Asia Pacific Travel, "If the North Koreans let Americans stay longer, we will be able to offer a different and more extensive mix of long and short-stay study tours."
Gallery: Welcome to the DMZ
Gallery: The 10 most common foreign cities in which Americans are arrested
[Photo by ninjawil via Flickr]
Filed under: Asia, North Korea
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
counterrevolution Jan 18th 2010 2:20PM
listen up, comrades. should you decide to visit our glorious country you are ordered to have a good time . . . there will be no complaining about the lack of tourist trinkets, food supplies, toilet paper, silverware, clean sheets, etc, etc. obviously, the dear leader (ours . . not yours) will vigorously object to any slander of his name or his glorious policies . . . you are pleased to remember you are in a communist paradise, and being a paradise there can be no questioning of our national life of sweetness and light and you would be considered crazy if you might think otherwise . . . your show trial would soon follow. be aware but have a good time.
King David Jan 18th 2010 6:34PM
GOOD ONE!!! APPLAUSE TO YOU FOR A WELL WRITTEN TOURIST BROCHURE!! Just don't write for the Conan O'Brien show or you will be working for free since he's going to be on his own, probably on an Internet Utube show.
Also, I just wanted to mention that ANYONE WHO LEAVES THIS GREAT COUNTRY, in order to go and spend our good money there, DESERVES THE PROBLEMS THAT THE WILL GET -- FROM ILLNESS TO ARREST/LOSS OF LIFE. There is WAY too much greatness in this country to experience and see so stay here, enjoy, explore, and be a Hellova' lot safer than any place else.
wstarhopper Jan 18th 2010 3:43PM
North Korea to open the country to American visitors? I wonder if they will provide a tour of the DMZ too.
Tom Johansmeyer Jan 18th 2010 3:48PM
There are DMZ tours available from the northern side, but that depends on the tour operator you work with and the itinerary you sign on for.
Kevin Jan 18th 2010 3:59PM
Hmmmm gee, North Korea never once ever thought about going there. If I had a choice of going there or letting a pissed off badger sit on my lap .. I would feel a lot more safer with the pissed off badger.
Scott Jan 18th 2010 4:04PM
Good one. It would be like visiting East Berlin (or worse) before the wall came down.
Jen Jan 19th 2010 11:15AM
In 1984, I went to East Berlin when I was 18 years old, right after graduating high school; I was spending the summer backpacking throughout Europe and couldn't resist crossing over from freedom into what I perceived was a prison. I was terrified at first, but then realized that I had little to fear. Perhaps opening the doors to tourists is what helped the wall come crashing down; and, maybe that is what is needed in the ROK.
I also had the opportunity to live outside of Seoul for awhile and the people that I had the opportunity to meet were kind and generous. Americans that have never had the opportunity to travel beyond this country are limited in their perspective and cannot imagine - or appreciate - differing cultures.
Fer Gawd's Sake Jan 18th 2010 5:10PM
North Korea? Sure. How about Iran? Yay! Can I get to see the ports in Somalia? Majorly cool, dude! Wait, wait, I wanna tour the caves in Taliban-held Afganistan! Oh, what fun I'll have, especially when I wear my American-flag bandana. Oh, please, mom, please let me go.
Dave Jan 18th 2010 5:15PM
I can see it coming already, a tourist taking a picture that the North Koreans don't want taken and this man or woman will be held as a CIA agent or some kind of spy for our country and then they will be looking for the good old USA to kiss their butts again to get this tourist released. Spend your hard earned money in our own country and keep our money in our own economy and see what our country has to offer.
URKiddinMee Jan 18th 2010 5:20PM
Oh, BOY! I'm gonna put this tour on my "Bucket List!" Right below my purchase and use of a "Do-It-Yourself Root Canal Kit."
ash Jan 26th 2010 3:09PM
HAHAHAHAHA EXACTLY!!
Bob Jan 18th 2010 5:28PM
Wow! Obama can now visit his model nation so he can enjoy the society Dictator Ill has built for his people. It would be funny is it was not true. N. Korea is a human disaster and ought to be proof positive that socialism/communism is a failure the USA should not try to emulate! Not Obama, he is going to learn the hard way with the people of America doing the suffering!
ROD Jan 18th 2010 6:42PM
DO YOU SPEND YOUR DAY THINKING OF DUMB ASS COMMENTS TO MAKE
jimbarry1946 Jan 18th 2010 6:28PM
If you don't have relatives there, why would anyone want to give them American Dollars??? Even if we have the nasty hyperinflation that some predict, it would be worth more than their currency is worth.
Jusbnfrank Jan 23rd 2010 7:48AM
By the time Obama is finished, N Korea will be one of the required stops for indoctrination. Pray the GOP wins the seat tomorrow in Mass. If they do Obama care is dead. It will send a signal to Washington, that if they, "DO NOT KILL THE BILL, THEY MUST LEAVE CAPITOL HILL". Regardless of what those animals in Washington say, they are only out to feather their own nests at the expense of the middle class.
Bogey Jan 18th 2010 6:50PM
Last place that I would want to go.
Ron Jan 18th 2010 7:35PM
Right. Kick China in the groin. With all those American corporations manufacturing in China, the US would be stupid to do any damage to China. Communist as it may be, it seems to be an overflowing well of capitalism. But then capitalism is an ideal whereas communism is a form of governing thus one can have capitalism under a communistic government.
Still, all those jobs that could be in the US being filled by chepa Chinese labor putting out poor quality product and if China gets too bog for its britches, then there is always India. AOL and many other corporations have customer services in Indai. you have a problem and you call and you get to talk to someone that sounds just like Apu from the Simpsons. You get tired of trying to understand their attempt at English and finally give up. Corporations love this. No customer complaints.
The Big Guy Jan 18th 2010 6:54PM
I think just join the US military. You'll get to see N.Korea, It is only a matter of time until the glorious leader pisses in our cheerios once too often. As soon as we are done in the middle east, we can head for Asia. It will be as good a place as any when we need to kick China in the groin!!!
Remember to Buy American!!!!
FRED Jan 19th 2010 9:22AM
When is Jane goung to be there,I want to be on the welcoming party when she tries to return
A J Alsup Jan 18th 2010 7:17PM
Finished high school in 1951, our senior trip for all the boys was a tour of North Korea once the basic training was over. I need to go back to that hell hole about like Custer needs to go back to the Little Big Horn.