First British tourists allowed back into North Korea tell BBC what they saw

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The first British tourists allowed back into North Korea have shared their experiences with the BBC. The tour guides provided strict instructions to the Western tourists: don't insult the leaders, don't insult the ideology, and don't judge. Practical information included no phone signal, no internet, and no cash machines. Rowan Beard, who runs Young Pioneer Tours, one of the two Western companies that resumed trips to North Korea, emphasized that North Koreans have opinions, goals, and a sense of humor. He encouraged tourists to listen to and understand them.

North Korea had sealed its borders at the outset of the pandemic, shutting out diplomats, aid workers, and travelers, making it nearly impossible to know what was happening there. Since then, the country has further isolated itself from most of the world, relying on support from Russia and China. Many doubted whether Westerners would ever be allowed back. However, after years of cajoling and several false starts, Rowan and some other tour leaders were given the green light to restart operations. He quickly assembled a group of eager travelers, most of whom were vloggers and travel addicts, with some wanting to tick the final country off their list.

Last Thursday, the tourists, from the UK, France, Germany, and Australia, drove over the border from China into the remote area of Rason for a four-night trip. Among them was 28-year-old British YouTuber Mike O'Kennedy. Despite North Korea's reputation, he was startled by the extreme level of control. As with all trips to North Korea, the tourists were escorted by local guides who followed a strict, pre-approved schedule. The itinerary included carefully choreographed trips to a beer factory, a school, and a new, fully stocked pharmacy. Ben Weston, one of the tour leaders from Suffolk, likened visiting North Korea to "being on a school trip." He mentioned that tourists couldn't leave the hotel without the guides and even had to inform them when they wanted to use the bathroom.

Despite the chaperoning, Mike was able to observe snippets of real life. He noted that everyone was working, and it didn't seem like anyone was just hanging out, which he found bleak. During a visit to a school, a group of eight-year-olds performed a dance to animations of ballistic missiles hitting targets. A video of the spectacle showed girls and boys with red neckties singing while explosions flared on a screen behind them.

For now, tourists are being kept well away from the capital, Pyongyang. Greg Vaczi from Koryo Tours, the other tour company allowed back in, admitted that the current itinerary lacks the "big-hitting monuments" of Pyongyang. He suspects that authorities have chosen Rason as their guinea pig because the area is relatively contained and easy to control. Set up as a special economic zone to trial new financial policies, Rason operates as a mini capitalist enclave inside an otherwise socialist state. Chinese businesspeople run joint enterprises with North Koreans and can travel in and out fairly freely.

Joe Smith, a seasoned North Korea traveler and former writer for the specialist North Korea platform NK News, was on his third trip. He remarked that the more times you visit, the less you know. Each time, you get a little peek behind the curtain, which just leaves you with more questions.

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