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Eastern Economic Forum

INTERVIEW: Russia’s H1 tourist flow to North Korea up 60% — Natural Resources Ministry

Alexander Kozlov explained the rise by the launch of direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang this summer, the first in 77 years

VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. North Korea's popularity as a tourist destination for Russians is growing, as the tourist flow increased by 60% in the first half of 2025, Alexander Kozlov, head of the Russian Natural Resources Ministry and Co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission of Russia and the DPRK, said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"Russians are showing increased interest in visiting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In the first half of 2025, the tourist flow to the DPRK grew by 60% compared to last year and amounted to 2,615 tourists," the minister said.

He explained the rise by the launch of direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang this summer, the first in 77 years. Railway service between the capitals resumed in June.

Russian tourists now travel to the Korean ski resort of Masikryong, and in 2025, North Korea will open a coastal tourist zone in Wonsan.

About the forum

The 10th Eastern Economic Forum takes place in Vladivostok on September 3-6. Its main theme is The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity. The business program of the forum will include more than 100 thematic sessions divided into seven blocks. The forum is attended by over 4,500 people from more than 70 countries and territories. It is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

TASS is the general information partner of the forum.

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