June 03, 2023
COVID-19

North Korea warns foreign beachgoers to beware ‘alien things’ carrying COVID

Official notices seen by NK News state foreign diplomats can visit coasts under eased rules but must avoid border areas

Foreign diplomats in North Korea should be wary of “alien things” carrying COVID-19 while on vacation at the country’s beaches, Pyongyang’s foreign ministry warned this week in a notice seen by NK News.

In the document dated Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) explains that authorities have reopened coastal beaches as part of the country’s rollback of “top-level emergency” COVID-19 restrictions introduced in May. This will allow expats to visit beaches for the first time since early 2020, when the country implemented COVID-19 prevention rules.