New Airport’s Internet Room a Closed Window on North Korea

Pyongyang’s shiny new airport building has all the features international travelers have come to expect, though some lose their luster upon closer examination

FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2014 file photo, passengers wait for their luggage upon arrival at the Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea before closing its door for foreign visitors to visit the country in fear of the Ebola virus. North Korea, never a country to take the threat of foreign invasion lightly, has been under virtual lockdown since October to keep the Ebola virus from crossing its borders. But two leading travel agencies that specialize in the small but growing North Korea market say they have confirmed the North may be ready to open up its doors again soon. AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File

PYONGYANG, North Korea—Pyongyang’s shiny new airport building has all the features international travelers have come to expect, though some lose their luster upon closer examination. Case in point: Its Internet room appears to be missing the Internet.

On two recent trips through the airport by The Associated Press, the room’s three terminals were either occupied by North Korean airport employees, making it impossible for others to use them, or were completely empty, with their keyboards removed. Attempts to open any browser with a mouse resulted in a failure to connect.

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