North Korea Suspends Tourism Again After Brief Reopening: Western Visitors Barred from Pyongyang

North Korea has abruptly suspended tourism again, just weeks after allowing a small group of Western tourists into the country for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Tour operators are reporting that travel to North Korea is no longer possible until further notice, with the reason for the sudden closure remaining unclear. The brief reopening saw a group of tourists from Britain, Canada, France, and Germany visit the special economic zone of Rason in the northeast, where they toured factories, shops, and monuments. Unlike a previous group of Russian tourists, they were not permitted to visit the capital city of Pyongyang. Travel agencies are advising those with planned trips in April and May to hold off on booking flights and are offering refunds for canceled tours. The unexpected closure has left tour operators and potential visitors in the dark, with Koryo Tours describing the situation as "unprecedented."