North Korea from the Yalu River bridge
China has reopened its land border to tourists traveling to North Korea after a three-year break, with a group of 71 tourists visiting the isolated country.
The Chinese tourists left the city of Dandong in northeastern Liaoning province for a one-day tour of Sinuiju, on the other side of the Yalu river that marks the frontier.
It was the first tour group to cross the border since February 2006, when crossings were suspended following rampant gambling by Chinese tourists, the report said.
USA Today said the report did not say where or whether the tourists had been gambling or what had changed to allow the border to reopen. The frontier is a sensitive area and the point where most Koreans fleeing the regime pass through.
The group that crossed this week were mostly locals from Dandong who paid RMB690 to visit six scenic sites in Sinuiju, including a museum on North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.
Ji Chengsong, manager of the travel agency that organized the trip, was quoted as saying that the company hoped to offer tours four days a week.