US, Aug. 11 -- North Korea may have one of the world's most unusual tourism problems. It has a brand-new beach resort capable of accommodating thousands of vacationers, one of the world's most recognizable - if controversial - national brands, spectacular mountains, virtually unexplored landscapes and a degree of mystery few destinations can match.

What it does not have is many tourists.

As of August 2026, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has not returned to anything resembling its pre-pandemic international tourism business. Despite reopening transportation links with China, ordinary international tourism remains tightly restricted, with Russian nationals the primary group currently permitted to visit under limited arrangement...