The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard

  • 3

    Actor Yoo Ah-in once again apologizes for alleged drug use

  • 5

    Korea to ease entry rules to boost tourism, domestic spending

  • 7

    Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters

  • 9

    Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife

  • 11

    North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheads

  • 13

    BTS' Jimin tops Spotify's global chart with 'Like Crazy'

  • 15

    Over 1,000 financially vulnerable Koreans apply for new emergency gov't loans

  • 17

    Suspect identified in Nashville school shooting that killed 3 children, 3 staff

  • 19

    Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store'

  • 2

    Chun Doo-hwan's grandson apprehended at Incheon Int'l Airport over drug use

  • 4

    Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors

  • 6

    'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand

  • 8

    BMW launches new XM

  • 10

    Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson

  • 12

    CJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumpling

  • 14

    From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race

  • 16

    2024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate

  • 18

    INTERVIEWChoi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'

  • 20

    Samsung Pay partners with Hana Financial to issue student IDs

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Thu, March 30, 2023 | 13:53
Is N. Korea looking for next hostage candidate?
Posted : 2017-07-20 15:47
Updated : 2017-07-21 10:32
Ko Dong-hwan
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Samjiyon Airport, near Baekdu (also known as Paektu) Mountain, is 1,400 meters above sea level and a stopover when visiting the Korean Peninsula's highest mountain. / Yonhap
Samjiyon Airport, near Baekdu (also known as Paektu) Mountain, is 1,400 meters above sea level and a stopover when visiting the Korean Peninsula's highest mountain. / Yonhap

By Ko Dong-hwan


About a month after the controversial death of North Korean detainee Otto Warmbier in June, an American tourist in his early 20s, the military state has launched a new tourism website.

In a country known for not allowing tourists free rein, it is hard to see it as just like any other conventional tourism promotion.

Over the years, the hermit state has become infamous for locking up visitors who offend, including 16 Americans in the past decade. So the new website raises suspicions about the Kim Jong-un regime's intention.

The state's National Tourism Administration launched "DPR Korea Tour" at tourismdprk.gov.kp. The site provides detailed information about tourist spots like Pyongyang, Mt. Kumgang, Nampho and Mt. Paektu .

ASEAN urged to curb N. Korea's illicit trade
2017-07-20 17:08  |  Economy
N.Korea remains silent over proposal for military talks
2017-07-20 16:39  |  North Korea
N. Korea moors fishing boats to prevent defections
2017-07-20 16:36  |  North Korea
Visitors can check out "useful" information for tours, state festivals and events, and local news.

The information is offered in Korean, English, Chinese, Russian and Japanese and is illustrated by photos and videos.

The site says the state, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, founded the Korea International Travel Company in August 1953, less than a month after the Korean War ceasefire. Since then, the state has "pursued an active policy for the development of tourism under the ideal of independence, peace and friendship." Its tourist industry would "promote mutual understanding and cultural bonds between peoples around the world and develop the national economy."

Samjiyon Airport, near Baekdu (also known as Paektu) Mountain, is 1,400 meters above sea level and a stopover when visiting the Korean Peninsula's highest mountain. / Yonhap

"The site appears to share the same vein of the state's recent efforts to use South Korean President Moon Jae-in's friendly gestures to make peace accords with the U.S.," Kim Jae-chun, an international relations professor at Sogang University, told The Korea Times. Kim was referring to Moon's proposal of inter-Korean military talks on July 21 and Red Cross talks on Aug. 1 to resume the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.


"The state has long demanded the South extradite 12 defectors who had worked at a state restaurant in China, and resume Mt. Kumgang tours," Kim said. "The site may help the state reignite the tour program, which can lead to the family reunions, and earn foreign currency."

Kim Yon-ho, a senior researcher at the U.S.-Korea Institute in the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, was quoted by American media outlet Radio Free Asia on Wednesday as saying the site reflects the state's "intent to avoid its responsibility for Warmbier's death."

Following the site's launch, the U.S. Department of State reiterated its warning to American citizens not to visit the North, according to RFA. The U.S. government has reportedly said that the North's tourism profits could "support the state's nuclear weapons and other weapons programs."

Emailaoshima11@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to ease entry rules to boost tourism, domestic spending Korea to ease entry rules to boost tourism, domestic spending
2Korea moves to shorten COVID-19 isolation period to 5 days Korea moves to shorten COVID-19 isolation period to 5 days
3[INTERVIEW] Can art become stable investment source? INTERVIEWCan art become stable investment source?
4Will dismantling oligopoly result in successful bank industry reform? Will dismantling oligopoly result in successful bank industry reform?
5Generation Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soapGeneration Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soap
6Celltrion chairman vows to develop new drugs, initiate M&As Celltrion chairman vows to develop new drugs, initiate M&As
7Fintech, lifestyle products can help Korea grow trade ties with Hong Kong: city's trade promotion chief in Korea Fintech, lifestyle products can help Korea grow trade ties with Hong Kong: city's trade promotion chief in Korea
8Terraform Labs co-founder's extradition could be delayed more than 1 month Terraform Labs co-founder's extradition could be delayed more than 1 month
9Ex-journalist to lead NK defector support foundation Ex-journalist to lead NK defector support foundation
10Top envoy to US tapped as new national security advisorTop envoy to US tapped as new national security advisor
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand
2From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race
3[INTERVIEW] Choi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet' INTERVIEWChoi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'
4Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store' Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store'
5[INTERVIEW] Ahn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound' INTERVIEWAhn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group