North Korea Suspends Chinese Tourists

A China-based travel agency that specializes in tours to North Korea suspended all tours there for about a month.

“It is believed that North Korea is preparing for an important event, or high-ranking officials are planning a visit, considering that Pyongyang is restricting entry of foreigners over the peak tourism season, even though it one of its main sources of profit,” a source in Beijing said, via Yonhap News Agency.

The INDPRK agency plans to stop the tours Aug. 11 and won’t resume until after Sept. 5.

One Chinese tour agency was told that North Korea is suspending travel to renovate hotels. Another agency was told that travel is suspended due to a “state decision,” AFP reported.

The number of Chinese visitors to North Korea reached 2,000 this month, according to Yonhap.

“It is hard to understand why North Korea would suspend its tourism business just to renovate hotels, when the industry has been raking in money,” another source told Yonhap.

Experts believe the reason for the change in policy is a result of an upcoming high-profile meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. They believe Xi may be trying to reciprocate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s three visits to China, according to Yonhap.

Another reason for the move, North Korea is presumed to hold festivities in celebration of the 70th year since the North Korean communist regime was founded. Kim hinted at the event during a speech in January, AFP reported.

From NTD.tv