Swap Siberia for slopes: Russian officials push for North Korea ski holidays

Officials from the Primorsky Krai, a region stationed in the far east of Russia, are urging their residents to ponder over planning touristic adventures to North Korea.

In particular, they are drawing attention to the Masikryong ski resort, a project initiated by North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. This news was reported by The Moscow Times on Wednesday.

The maiden group of 50 tourists from the Primorsky Krai are arranged to leave for Masikryong on February 9th. This excursion is part of an organized tour. The regional government announced that such ventures are a "unique proposition for the residents of the Primorsky Krai and other areas of Russia".

However, the trip to Masikryong isn't inexpensive. A four-day stay at the resort amounts to 750 USD. This price incorporates costs for a visa, a plane journey from Vladivostok (roughly two hours long), accommodation in a four- or five-star hotel, and a one-day tour of Pyongyang accompanied by a Russian-speaking guide.

Russians have been frequenting North Korea for numerous years. This continued until 2020, when the borders of North Korea were sealed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Between 2018 and 2019, approximately 6,000 Russian denizens ventured to North Korea, with a quarter of them, roughly 1,500 individuals, making the journey for tourism purposes. Despite North Korea's reputation as one of the most guarded countries in the world, it's somewhat more accessible for Russians. In fact, for residents of the Russian Far East, it was once the most economical travel option. The independent platform Meduza reported in 2017 that the cost of staying in Masikryong was about 100 USD per day.

In 2017, Meduza also reported on Russian parents who had chosen to send their children to pioneer camps in North Korea, facilitated by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Russian tourists heading to North Korea, however, needed to anticipate the supervision of guides accompanying their group from the commencement to the end of their stay. There was a common belief that these Russian-speaking guides were representatives of North Korean special services.

The rapport between Moscow and Pyongyang heightened following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In this context, Russia sought artillery ammunition from North Korea. In September 2023, Kim Jong Un made an official visit to Russia and had a meeting with Vladimir Putin.

The progression of tourism was one of the talking points during their meeting. Russian media later disclosed plans to commence regular flights connecting Moscow, Vladivostok, and Pyongyang. Presently, flights are only possible from Vladivostok - there are twice-weekly connections to and from Pyongyang on North Korean airline Air Koryo.