Claims that North Korea plans to reopen its borders to international tourists in December have been met with skepticism by some industry insiders, who cite logistical challenges and the country’s history of discouraging winter travel outside the capital.

Koryo Tours and KTG Tours both announced last week that the DPRK will allow tourists from around the world to visit the remote Samjiyon region from later this year, framing this as a restart of tourism nearly five years after the country imposed strict COVID-19 controls.

But the announcement came as North Korea moved a World Cup match to a third country