People who have escaped from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic have described the

"The return of tourists could help reshape North Korea's reputation, shifting it from a 'dangerous country' in the eyes of the international community to a potentially 'safe' travel destination," Dr Yee Ji Sun, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Independent.

Visitors were taken to Rason, in the country’s special economic zone, on a five-day trip organised by Beijing-based Koryo Tours.

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Before the pandemic struck, tourism was one of the prominent contributors of foreign currency to North Korea. However, with Kim Jong Un imposing restrictions, tourism suffered.

The Rason SEZ was set up in 1991, bordering Russia and China. As an SEZ, it's one of the more international-facing regions in North Korea, making it more accessible to visit and get around.

Besides a number of Russian tourists last year, few sightseers have been allowed into North Korea since the Covid-19 pandemic — until now.View on euronews