(TAN): North Korea has temporarily closed its borders to overseas tourists in a move to guard against the transmission of the new coronavirus that has appeared in China, reports said.
According to reports, the pneumonialike coronavirus that was detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed 17 lives and infected over 500 Chinese citizens so far.
China-based tour operating company Young Pioneer Tours, that specialises in taking tourists from China to North Korea, confirmed the news saying borders will be shut for international tourists for the time being.
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“We’ve been informed all foreign tourists will be temporally suspended from entering North Korea until they feel the Coronavirus is well under control,” Young Pioneer Tours‘ North Korea tour manager Rowan Beard was quoted by Euro Weekly News as saying.
The tourist entry ban is expected to have a substantial effect on North Korean economy as tourism is one of the few valid sources of foreign currency for the country, as per reports. North Korea, that has reportedly been building ski slopes and spas to lure overseas visitors and strengthen its economy, opened a spa resort in the country’s South Pyongyang Province earlier this month. Also, most international tourists to North Korea are reportedly Chinese or enter the country through its border with China.
The virus, which is believed to have started from an animal source at a local seafood market in Wuhan, has now spread to other places such as Shanghai and Beijing, and Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the United States, reports said. The market was reportedly shut down earlier this month. A man in his 30s who travelled to Washington state in the United States has been confirmed to be infected by the virus, as per reports.
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North Korea reportedly put a ban on the entry of foreign tourists for four months during the Ebola epidemic in Africa in 2014-2015.
Young Pioneer Tours took to Twitter to say it reportedly hoped it was less serious this time.
“Alas this is not the first time North Korea have shut their borders, although we hope this ends quicker than during ebola,” the company tweeted.
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