Russian Visits to North Korea Hit Historic High, Fueled by Tourism and Trade

Russian citizens made nearly 10,000 trips to North Korea in 2025, a record number since border statistics were first published in 2010. According to data from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), reviewed by independent outlets, the total reached 9,985 visits last year.

The figures reveal a dramatic shift. From an annual average of roughly 4,900 trips between 2010 and 2019, travel plummeted to just dozens during the pandemic years. It then surged to 1,238 in 2023 and 6,469 in 2024 before nearly doubling again in 2025.

Tourism was the primary driver, accounting for over 5,000 visits. Another 3,000 trips were logged for 'vehicle maintenance,' a category linked to cross-border transport and freight. Business and private travel made up the remainder.

This unprecedented traffic coincides with a deepening political and military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang, which has intensified since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Russians traveled to the isolated state before the war, the current scale of movement is without precedent. Analysts note the growth in travel occurs alongside confirmed arms transfers from North Korea to Russia and the reported presence of North Korean personnel in Ukraine.

For the average Russian traveler, however, the appeal appears simpler: North Korea represents one of the world's most unique and restricted destinations, now more accessible than it has been in a generation.