Visitors look at Cheonji Lake, the crater lake at the top of Mount Paektu in North Korea, from the Chinese side of the mountain, June 11. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

A Beijing-based travel agency specializing in North Korea tours announced Wednesday that tours to North Korea will resume in December, starting with the Samjiyon area near Mount Paektu.

The North partially opened its borders last year following a years-long closure since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has invited some tour groups from Russia, but other international tourists have not been welcomed back so far.

Koryo Tours disclosed the news on its website, saying, "(We are excited) to announce that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will resume in December 2024."

The agency said the information was confirmed by its local partners in North Korea. "We have compiled a list of information on the North Korean border opening and will keep it updated with new information and any changes as we are told them," it said.

The announcement follows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Samjiyon in July, where he highlighted plans to boost international tourism. North Korean state media quoted Kim as saying that in the near future, the Mount Paektu area will become a destination where foreign travelers will find unique attractiveness.

Koryo Tours, which has organized North Korea tours for over 30 years, had to suspend its tours there when the pandemic prompted the closure of the country's borders.