Koryo Tours is an independent Western travel company based in Beijing, specializing in group and independent tourism to North Korea. Their tours run throughout the year covering budget to exclusive trips. There are packages for staying in the capital Pyongyang with visits to the DMZ at the border with the Republic of Korea. At different times of year there are other events such as the Mass Games and the Pyongyang International Film Festival which are available as special tours when they are running.
History
In 1993, Koryo Tours was set up by Nick Bonner and Joshua Green and they have been organizing trips into North Korea since 1993. Simon Cockerell joined the company in 2002 and in 2015 was the general manager.
Tourism
In 1993, Koryo Tours was appointed as a travel specialist by the Korea International Travel Company, part of the Government of North Korea. Koryo Tours takes in over 50% of westerners visiting North Korea. Koryo Tours is responsible for opening up of new destinations in North Korea as well as new activities such as; cycling, educational tours etc.
Film production
Koryo Tours was involved in the production of a number of films. The Game of Their Lives, A State of Mind and Crossing the Line were documentaries. Comrade Kim Goes Flying was a romantic comedy feature film, shot in Pyongyang, with a North Korean cast and crew. 2013 Aim High in Creation https://web.archive.org/web/20180517210511/http://www.meniscuszine.com/articles/2013080924751/aim-high-in-creation-2013-melbourne-international-film-festival-review/ 2019 Michael Palin in North Korea ITVhttps://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/michael-palin-in-north-korea-interview As part of the making of The Game of Their Lives, Koryo Tours organised the return of theNorth Korean team of the 1966 FIFA World Cup to the United Kingdom in October 2002. Over 100,000 British football fans turned out to welcome the players at various football clubs.
Cultural activities
They have organised various cultural exchanges, including music and sport. Koryo Tours is the exclusive partner for the Pyongyang International Marathon held every April https://pyongyangmarathon.com/ and event that attracts around 1,000 amateur foreigners a year. In 2014 Koryo Tours provided the North Korean input for the Korea Pavilion at the Venice Archtiectural Biennale, curator Minsuk Cho. The pavilion won the Golden Lion https://www.archdaily.com/540285/yesterday-s-future-today-what-s-it-like-to-work-as-an-architect-in-north-korea Koryo Tours is the international co-ordinator for the bi-annual Pyongyang International Film Festival which has a local audience total of 120,000. In 2004 and 2006 they screened Bend It Like Beckham, Mr Bean the Disaster Movie and Bride and Prejudice, each film seen by over 12,000 locals. They assisted the British Embassy with the nationwide broadcast of Bend It Like Beckham on December 26, 2010. In conjunction with the North Korean Ministry of Sport, they arranged the first friendship football, ice hockey, cricket, volleyball and ultimate frisbee matches between locals and westerners. In September 2010 with the support of the British Embassy and CLSA to mark ten years of diplomatic relations they took Middlesbrough Women’s FC to Pyongyang to play two North Korean teams, both matches watched by 6,000 Korean fans and broadcast nationwide.
Published work
2019 Printed in North Korea Graphics From Everyday Life in the DPRK. North Korea uncensored and unfiltered – ordinary life in the world's most secretive nation, captured in never-before-seen ephemera https://fr.phaidon.com/store/design/made-in-north-korea-9780714873503/ 2009 in-house publishing of ‘The Art of DPRK – North Korean Film Posters’. 2007 produced ‘Welcome to Pyongyang’ a photographic study with Charlie Crane. 2008 co-writer ‘A Night in Pyongyang’ Werner Kranwetvogel. 2002 Wallpaper Magazine produced and wrote an architectural feature on Pyongyang in conjunction with a North Korean photographer. In 2012, Koryo Tours published Pyongyang Racer, a browser-based racing video game, to promote tourism to North Korea.
Media
– Co-ordinator for TravelogueChannel 4 the first travel programme on North Korea. Arranged the first music programme on North Korea with Andy Kershaw, two-parts, Sony nomination. BBC Radio 4- Profiled in two-part radio travelogue following Nicholas Bonner on tour in North Korea, Sony nominated. Regular media contributor/interviews. CNN:s TalkAsia interview with Nicholas Bonner. Nicholas Bonner and Daniel Gordon interview on their documentary Crossing the Line for CBS:s 60 Minutes feature with Bob Simon. Co-presenter in TV travel series Departures on North Korea broadcast on the National Geographic Adventure Channel.
