This information was provided by China-based travel company Young Pioneer Tours (YPT). The YPT-organized trip takes place from October 24 to November 1, starting from Beijing and ending at North Korea's largest international trade fair in Pyongyang, but not for journalists, content creators and Western influence (KOLs).
YPT said the ban comes from specific requests from North Korea and YPT has no information on whether the country will allow media groups to officially return in the near future.
YPT co-founder Rowan Beard said that when North Korea is completely opened, regulations for influencers and YouTubers may be even stricter.
Recently, some Western influencers have shared videos carefully staged from inside North Korea. Chad O'Carroll, founder of the North Korean situation monitoring website NK News, said that these people can attract a large number of viewers but their activities lack content censorship, often focusing on suspenseful style to increase views.
Mr. O'Carroll said that the North Korean government "nearly sees any benefits and sees many great risks" when letting influential people visit. He added that this group of tourists is unlikely to create content in line with the interests of the North Korean state.
YPT's tour is priced at 3,995 euros (more than 123 million VND), and will include activities to attend the fair with more than 450 booths displaying products from information technology, machinery, pharmaceuticals to consumer goods. The Pyongyang Chamber of Commerce will also hold a VIP introduction for the delegation to provide an overview of the North Korean economy.
In addition to the fair, the journey also takes visitors to prominent locations in the capital Pyongyang and Myohyang mountain, where there is a museum that preserves gifts given to North Korean leaders in the past.
Although North Korea has reopened tourism after the pandemic, the number of foreign tourists, especially from China - the main source of visitors before - has not recovered.
