|
Just a week after latest nuclear test, North Korea says tourism 'booming'AFP SEOUL -- Foreign tourism is “booming” in North Korea, state media said Tuesday, a week after the country triggered global outrage by conducting its third nuclear test.
February 20, 2013, 12:24 am TWN The number of foreign visitors to the North has grown steadily since 2000 and witnessed a surge after 2009, especially in the number of European visitors, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. “The global popularity of tourism to (North Korea) is booming,” the agency said, without providing any breakdown on the number of visitors. A range of “shining, socialist accomplishments” made under the leadership of the ruling Kim family have elevated North Korea's status and sparked interest in traveling to the country, KCNA said. It did not mention if the “accomplishments” included its long-range rocket launch in December — condemned as a disguised ballistic missile test — or the Feb. 12 nuclear test. “Most tourists gave positive reviews about their experiences in (North Korea) on the Internet and other media ... and the range of travel routes is expanding,” KCNA said. |
![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||