State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance (formerly State General Bureau of Tourism; ) is a
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
n state agency that organizes
tourism in North Korea.
Foreign tour operators have to work closely with the bureau;
its staff accompanies all tours of foreigners.
The bureau was founded on 15 May 1986.
It was renamed State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance in January 1990.
It is based in the
Central District of
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
. Its president is Ryo Sung-chol.
State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance has been a member of the
World Tourism Organization
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations specialized agency entrusted with the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain. UNWTO is the leading internati ...
since September 1987 and the
Pacific Asia Travel Association since April 1995.
By and large, the North Korean tourism industry is overseen by
Room 39, the organization in charge of North Korea's
slush fund
A slush fund is a fund or account that is not properly accounted, such as money used for corrupt or illegal purposes, especially in the political sphere. Such funds may be kept hidden and maintained separately from money that is used for legitim ...
s. Room 39 guides the State General Bureau of Tourism, which in turn "manages the earnings and maintains surveillance over the tourists, ensuring they are contained within specifically designated areas."
See also
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Government of North Korea
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North Korea's illicit activities
The alleged illicit activities of the North Korean state include manufacture and sale of illegal drugs, the manufacture and sale of counterfeit consumer goods, human trafficking, arms trafficking, wildlife trafficking, counterfeiting currency ( ...
References
External links
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North Korea's tourism agency is onlineat
North Korea Tech
North Korea Tech is a US-based blog authored by British journalist Martyn Williams which covers consumer electronics and technology developments in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It was established in 2010. North Korea Tech is based in ...
Tourism in North Korea
Government agencies of North Korea
Tourism agencies
1986 establishments in North Korea
Government agencies established in 1986
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