Tour operator insists it will go-ahead with trips to North Korea
Regent Holidays insists it will go ahead with a trip to the north-east region of North Korea next month despite the fact that an American who was leading a group of tourists around the area was sentenced this week to 15 years hard labour.
Bizarrely, the Bristol-based tour company said it had received a surge in inquiries for holidays to the secretive state following a rise in tensions between North Korea, South Korea and the US earlier this year. It said it expected to take more people to the country this year than last.
A spokesman for Regent told the Daily Telegraph the company had "no qualms" about proceeding with next month’s tour – Remote North Korea – Rason, Chongjin and Chilbo.
He acknowledged the North Koreans were very strict with tourists, but said Regent knew "how to keep within the rules".
Kenneth Bae, an ethnic Korean with United States citizenship, was sent to a labour camp for unspecified "crimes against the [North Korean] state".
Mr Bae, a tour leader, had been showing a group of Europeans around the Rajin-Sonbong Free Trade Zone in the north east.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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