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2017.06.28
| Won | Pyongyang | Sinuiju | Hyesan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Rate | 8,070 | 8,050 | 8,095 |
| Rice Price | 5,800 | 6,000 | 5,900 |
The North Korean authorities are actively seeking foreign tourists to go skiing at Masikryeong, it has been revealed. Andrea Lee, the founding CEO of small American tour company Uri Tours, told Voice of America that she will take a group of tourists to the resort in late January.
The tour group is expected to arrive in North Korea on January 24th and stay for a week, taking in the sights at Panmunjom and Pyongyang before arriving at Masikryeong for a two-day, three-night stopover, Lee revealed.
She confirmed that the North says accommodation and emergency facilities will be in place, including a helicopter should members of the party sustain injury and require transport to Pyongyang. It is unclear whether these facilities will reach the standards of international insurers.
Commenting on the news today, Ahn Chan Il of the World Institute for North Korea studies told Daily NK that he is unsurprised. “From the outset the purpose of the Masikryeong Ski Resort was to attract foreign tourists,” he noted. “It was built to accrue seed money for special development projects.”
The intent of the North Korean authorities has been clear for months, with an exceptionally bullish development plan sent out to international partners, and a number of tour company managers taken to view the location in August this year.
However, on the likelihood of successfully attracting foreign tourists, Ahn said, “There’s no way it can work in the short term,” adding, “Compared with the past Kim Jong Eun’s will to change may be clear, but when you look at North Korea’s bureaucratization and infrastructure you can see it won’t be easy to bring about quick results.”
The tour group is expected to arrive in North Korea on January 24th and stay for a week, taking in the sights at Panmunjom and Pyongyang before arriving at Masikryeong for a two-day, three-night stopover, Lee revealed.
She confirmed that the North says accommodation and emergency facilities will be in place, including a helicopter should members of the party sustain injury and require transport to Pyongyang. It is unclear whether these facilities will reach the standards of international insurers.
Commenting on the news today, Ahn Chan Il of the World Institute for North Korea studies told Daily NK that he is unsurprised. “From the outset the purpose of the Masikryeong Ski Resort was to attract foreign tourists,” he noted. “It was built to accrue seed money for special development projects.”
The intent of the North Korean authorities has been clear for months, with an exceptionally bullish development plan sent out to international partners, and a number of tour company managers taken to view the location in August this year.
However, on the likelihood of successfully attracting foreign tourists, Ahn said, “There’s no way it can work in the short term,” adding, “Compared with the past Kim Jong Eun’s will to change may be clear, but when you look at North Korea’s bureaucratization and infrastructure you can see it won’t be easy to bring about quick results.”
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