North Korea bars influencers, journalists, and content creators from October tourist group.
North Korea has reportedly blocked social media influencers, journalists, and content creators from joining an upcoming tourist delegation scheduled for late October, raising fresh concerns about the country’s tightening control over its image.
China-based travel company Young Pioneer Tours (YPT), which is organising the group trip, confirmed that the exclusion of digital content creators was a direct demand from Pyongyang.
“This was a specific request from the North Korean side,” said Rowan Beard, co-founder of YPT, speaking to AFP.
The restricted tour will run from October 24 to November 1, starting in Beijing. At the heart of the trip is the Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair, North Korea’s largest annual exhibition for showcasing business and tech innovation.
Priced at €3,995 (Ksh. 657,000), the package promises a rare look at over 450 trade booths ranging from energy and pharmaceuticals to consumer and industrial products.
Attendees will also receive a special VIP economic briefing from the Pyongyang Chamber of Commerce.
No Cameras, No Content, Just Control
The clampdown on influencers comes just months after a wave of well-produced vlogs and travel clips from North Korea surfaced online, often painting an uncritical picture of life in the reclusive nation.
While Pyongyang has recently hosted foreign visitors including athletes, for the April 2024 Pyongyang Marathon officials appear wary of the kind of digital exposure that influencers bring.
YPT noted it has “no visibility” on when or if North Korea will allow official media delegations again.
In addition to visiting central Pyongyang, the itinerary includes a stop at Mount Myohyang, known both for its spiritual mystique and for housing the International Friendship Exhibition, a massive museum showcasing gifts given to North Korea’s past leaders.
This marks the first time in over five years that Westerners will be allowed to visit the site.
Despite a cautious post-COVID reopening, North Korea’s tourism numbers have remained significantly low ,a shift analysts believe may be linked to its recent alignment with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which reportedly irritated Beijing, its main ally.
Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists made up the bulk of North Korea’s international visitors, but that flow has yet to fully recover.
While North Korea seems open to economic interactions as seen through the upcoming trade fair, its rejection of influencer culture shows that image control remains a top priority.
As Pyongyang slowly reopens, it’s clear that stricter content rules and screening of foreigners may become the new normal.
