Nuclear-armed North Korea has done its best in recent weeks to rattle the West, but tourists with hard currency are still very welcome.
That's right: Reuters, citing Korea Central News Agency, says that the cash-strapped dictatorship is planning to stage the Arirang mass games this August. That means the country may once again open up to foreigners who are fans of flip-card displays and mass gymnastics.
In recent years, Pyongyang has created a nice revenue stream by offering pricy package tours to see what the Guardian dubbed "the strangest show on Earth." More than anything, it's become an occasion for curiosity seekers -- and documentary filmmakers -- to get a glimpse of the world's last surviving Stalinist regime.
As we reported in the spring, the officially sanctioned Korean Friendship Association was accepting registration for its August 2009 trip to North Korea, which would include the Arirang mass games. But that was before the crisis on the Korean peninsula escalated: North Korea in recent weeks has tested another nuclear weapon; fired off a series of missiles; and threatened to rain destruction on South Korea. It may also be behind a recent cyber attack that targeted U.S. and South Korean websites.
So book your tickets now: This may be your last chance to see the Arirang games with Kim Jong-il fully in charge.
[PHOTO: Wikimedia]
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