North Korea woos foreign tourists – launches website

North Korea wants foreign tourists. The country, known as the Hermit Kingdom, has launched a website to lure in foreign tourists. The Korean-language website is complete with pictures of happy looking children, pools, a ski resort --and missiles. It showcases attractions of the country in the form of a pyramid-themed water park, children in traditional dress, and statues of Dictator Kim Jong-Un.
The website contains information about hotels tours and flight schedules from cities like Beijing and Vladivostok. And there is a section on the reclusive nation's political ideology and photos of short-range missiles.
In spite of a restrictive travel ban due to the Ebola outbreak, North Korea has been trying to attract foreign tourists and their money. It has opened the Masik Pass ski area which is billed as the "most exotic ski resort on Earth" and offers surfing tours along the east coast.
It seems nearly 237,000 tourist had visited North Korea in 2012 – most of them hailed from China. Westerners also visited but only a tiny fraction, with some estimates at about 4-5000.
North Korea is mired in controversies of human rights abuse and violations and foreign visitors should bear in mind the fact that they must book their tours through an accredited company and cannot move about on their own but must be accompanied at all times by foreign and North Korean guides.