Rolling out the red carpet for tourists is not commonly associated with the reclusive North Korean government, but that is what workers did for the departure ceremony of Mangyongbyong cruise ship in Rason City on Aug. 30. About 130 passengers departed the rundown port of Rajin, near the China-Russia border, for the scenic Mount Kumgang resort near South Korea. North Korea’s state tourism bureau has teamed up with a Chinese travel company to run the country’s first ever cruise. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
Monday, September 19th, 2011