Western tour agencies entered North Korea for the first time on Thursday since the end of the pandemic, the companies said, voicing hopes the isolated country may soon reopen a border city to foreign visitors.

Representatives from two Western travel agencies crossed into North Korea Thursday for the first time since the isolated regime closed its borders five years ago, raising hopes for new tour offerings to a border city.

Koryo Tours opens bookings for North Korean border city trips to celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday post-pandemic.

The first trip to depart for Rason is a “Return of North Korean Tourism Tour” for 20 tourists on 12 February. In honour of the country’s late leader, the tour from Yanji, China to the DPRK border starts from €705 (£590) per person and spends four nights in Rason.