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| A runner waves her hand to North Korean locals during the 2014 Pyongyang Marathon, which was opened to foreign amateurs for the first time in April. / Courtesy of Young Pioneer Tours |
By Kim Hyo-jin
North Korea will reopen its border to foreigners within the first quarter of next year, according to a Beijing-based North Korea travel operator.
Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours, quoted a North Korean official at the DPRK's Ministry of Sport as saying the temporary suspension of tours to North Korea would be lifted early 2015.
"The exact date of the border opening is yet to be confirmed at this stage, but we are expecting it in January," he told The Korea Times.
Mr. Cockerell said "The official also confirmed with us that the Pyongyang Marathon in April next year would be open to international tourists."
The Pyongyang Marathon opened to foreign amateur runners for the first time early this year, and drew more than 200 overseas runners.
Pyongyang closed its border to foreigners on Oct. 25 in response to the potential threat posed by the Ebola virus. Since then no foreign tourists have been allowed to enter the country.
The tour operator said that with the border set to reopen ahead of the race, North Korea's national carrier Air Koryo was expected to provide an extra flight from Shanghai to Pyongyang on April 9 ahead of the Pyongyang marathon.
Koryo Tours has already started receiving bookings for next year's trips to Pyongyang.
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