North Korea’s state-run travel company, the Korea International Travel Company, has sent an official email to Asia Pacific Travel Ltd (APTL) alerting them that North Korea will decide “around January 25” as to whether or not American tourists will be granted permission to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) all year long, just like other nationalities. Since 2005, American tourists have only been allowed to travel to the DPRK during the special Arirang synchronized gymnastics performance period.
This same email from Pyongyang also stated that the North Koreans are considering whether to allow Americans to stay longer than the five day limit that is currently in place.
In his reply to the North Koreans, Walter L. Keats, CTC, CMP, President of APTL, further inquired whether Americans will be permitted to take the train across the border from China. This is much cheaper than flying into Pyongyang, and it also allows travelers to see more of the North Korean countryside during the day-long rail journey.
Mr. Keats is hopeful at hearing even this preliminary news, explaining that “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.”
Mr. Keats acknowledges that the most important factor in the possible change in travel policy toward US citizens is the improved relations between the US and the DPRK, as evidenced by the visit last month of Ambassador Stephen Bosworth to Pyongyang. However, he also feels that the meeting he personally had with two DPRK officials at the DPRK UN Mission in New York in December 2009 may have been an additional positive influence.
Asia Pacific Travel's North Korean tours are based on over 15 years experience working with the DPRK. Mr. Keats is a North Korea expert and an experienced tour leader who has visited North Korea 19 times since 1995. He escorts almost all of APTL’s North Korean travel programs.
Asia Pacific Travel, Ltd. is the only “officially recognized” American tour operator to North Korea with a Letter of Commission from the DPRK (www.northkorea1on1.com)
A further announcement about this possible new travel circumstances to the DPRK will be made immediately after the DPRK’s official determination.
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