Who Can Travel to North Korea Right Now?
As of 2026, North Korea remains closed to most international tourists. Since the country shut its borders in early 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, travel access has remained extremely limited and tightly controlled.
While some international transport links have begun to resume, the DPRK has not yet reopened broadly to global tourism. For travellers interested in visiting the country, it is important to understand who is currently permitted to enter.
You can find our North Korea tours below:
Russian Tourists
At present, the only foreign tourists permitted to visit North Korea are Russian nationals. In recent years, a small number of organised Russian tour groups have travelled to the DPRK under tightly managed arrangements.
These trips represent the first tourism to resume since the pandemic border closures. However, the scale of these visits remains limited and they are organised through specific operators working directly with North Korean authorities.
Tourists from other countries are currently not permitted to visit North Korea.
Diplomats and Official Delegations
Diplomatic staff and official delegations continue to travel to and from North Korea as part of international relations. In recent years, a limited number of embassies have reopened in Pyongyang following the strict border closures that began in 2020, allowing some diplomatic activity to resume.
However, the diplomatic presence in the country remains far smaller than it was before the pandemic, with several embassies still closed or operating with reduced staff.
Travel related to diplomatic work is conducted under official government arrangements rather than through tourism channels.
Business and Government Travel
Some business travel linked to trade, infrastructure and international cooperation has also resumed. North Korea maintains economic and political ties with several neighbouring countries, and travel connected to these relationships continues under controlled conditions.
This type of travel is typically arranged through government or commercial channels and is not open to independent visitors.
What This Means for Travellers
Before the pandemic, North Korea welcomed thousands of international visitors each year through organised tours. Travellers would typically enter the country via Beijing or Dandong and explore destinations such as Pyongyang, the Demilitarised Zone and historic sites across the country.
Today, the situation remains very different. Tourism for most nationalities has not yet resumed, and access to the country continues to depend on government policy and broader developments in international travel.
At Beyond the Borders Tours, we continue to monitor developments closely through our trusted partners and long-standing local contacts. As soon as reliable confirmation of wider reopening is announced, we will be ready to resume tours to the DPRK.
