For months now we have all been waiting for news on the reopening and finally we have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. North Korea has announced that the Rason Special Economic Zone will be open for all tourists to visit. The news is said to be effective immediately, however there has been no official guidance as of yet regarding private and group tours.
In 2024, the country opened to Russian tourists, however this opening of Rason is said to be for all people wanting to travel. The only people that will not be able to travel will be citizens of the USA or South Korea.
What is Rason Special Economic Zone?
Rason, also known as the Rajin-Sonbong Special Zone is located in the northeastern tip of North Korea where the borders of China and Russia both meet. This is an area where the government enacts economic field experiments regarding free market activities and farms. It also has the only market in the country that foreigners can visit.
How do I get a visa?
Previously you did not need to get a visa to visit the Rason Special Zone, instead you needed a Rason Permit. Whether this will remain the same is yet to be determined, but as soon as we have updates you will know.
How to get to Rason?
It is technically possible to enter from Vladivostok, however for most people China will be the easiest way to get through. You will need to travel to the Chinese city of Yanji, located in eastern Jilin Province in a special Korean Autonomous Area. From here you will have to travel by car to get to the Quanhe-Wonjong border located about an hour away.
We are currently in the process of organising a group tour to the Rason region and will have more details once they become available. If you’re interested in heading in straight away to North Korea, then send us an email to
[email protected]
.
