3 The plan would also mean that Rason would become a transportation hub for the countries in North East Asia, In late October, 2014, the DPRK phased in a quarantine to prevent the spread of Ebola. We offer trips to this peculiar area of the DPRK. Apart from business and investment, the sea, fresh & cheap seafood and perhaps for one or two people the fact that there are several casinos in Rason, attract many Chinese travellers to the area. Mr. Kim, please tell me the truth. You will also be able to enjoy a bird's eye view of where DPRK, China and Russia meet. It has attracted a lot of foreign investment and used as an experimental area.. He looked at Mr. Kim straight in the eye and said "Mr. Kim, I hear a lot on the news that people are very poor in Korea and that they cannot buy anything. After around 20 minutes we arrive at a point with rocks and full of seals. The homes are by the sea which is right behind the home with red doors in the picture above. The district has been developed since Jang visited China in August 2012. In the background, the Chujin Tourism Hotel. Staying here will allow you to enjoy a swim in the sea and we strongly recommend you to get up early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise. Yanji in China | KTG® Tours | is the capital of Yanbian, a Korean autonomous region in Jilin province, China. So the name itself may not sound too exciting, but this is a fish food processing factory which not only gives you the chance to see how this coastal factory operates, but you will be able to sample the local seafood and fish processed here which will be cooked for you on the spot! They serve imported draught beer and have tables outside in the summer. Travellers picking their food at the Taehung Rason Corporation. So you have a floor with food, another with clothes, a section with electric goods, instruments, etc. Locate in the far northeastern part of the country, this is where the DPRK flirts with economic reform. Currently trains from Rason to Khasan are on specific dates. Being an autonomous capital of sorts, Rajin is slowly being upgraded and now has, by North Korean standards, a comparatively affluent air about it. Rather than roll out nationwide reforms it was decided that a litmus test was required, something that the old guard in Pyongyang would be able to swallow – and where better to trial a more open system than in the remote northeast. Where President Kim Il Sung re-entered Korea after the Liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Most of the JV in Rason involve Chinese or Russian companies. The gallery is basically a store as you can purchase any of the paintings shown, except for any with the images of the leaders. It is possible to go to one of the ports in Rajin. Take from example Yanji in the Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian in Jilin Province, China. KTG splashing out on a fancy advertisement in North Korea! Handy tip: like in the rest of the DPRK they do not accept any torn foreign bank notes and they do not accept old USD bills. Chinese goods tend to be more expensive. With the gift of hindsight, we now know that the attempt at these reforms in the wake of communism’s global collapse was too little, too late: North Korea went through the hardest landing of all in the 1990s, decimating the country. The DPRK is shown on the right side of the image, China on the left and Russia in the background. At this point the towns of … Since 1979, China’s Special Economic Zones (SEZ) have been beckoning foreign investors to do business in China. On paper, Rason offered everything to seemingly keep all parties happy: a distance from Pyongyang; a rail link with Russia; an ice-free port; and a border with China’s Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. “Rason,” comprised of the two towns of Rajin and Sonbong, as well as their hinterlands, has been some form of economic zone since 1991. The name usually used for this area is the combination of the cities Rajin and Songbong i.e. Authorities in cash-strapped North Korea are easing entry requirements for foreigners seeking access to a special economic zone (SEZ) in the country’s far northeast, with wait times for visas now reduced in the hope of attracting further investment, sources in the region say. The twin cities of Rajin and Sonbong are situated in this area in the extreme far north of the country near the border with Russia. Located in the far northeast we arrive here after a 30 hour train ride from Pyongyang! Rason International Communications Building - This region is full of signs that it is a Special Economic Zone. The islet is probably best known for being right next to the Imperial Hotel & Casino. The water here is unpolluted and crystal clear. The atmosphere is different here, somewhat more relaxed, and the different setup for tourists makes a visit to Rason of particular interest to those who may have already been to North Korea and want to see an alternative version of how things could be. The goal of this section is to let you know about this remote DPRK region, the itineraries that can be arranged there and information on the surrounding region in China. You can see the fish in different sizes. to what Mr. Kim, in utter surprise, replied "You are VIP guests to me and to our travel company, but you see all these people buying and selling? A newly renovated orphanage offering children excellent conditions. Rason Special Economic Zone is an area carved out of North Hamgyong Province in the far Northeast of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, bordering both China and Russia. You may stumble into Russian sailors, it is also common to see them in the market. Rason Special Economic Zone sees production slowdown in wake of sanctions By Kim Song Il - 2018.11.12 12:22pm A photo of the Wonjong-ri International Market located near Wonjong-ri Customs House in Rason City. But now you bring us here to this busy market. We can take a boat ride at Pipha Ilse and see some sealions in their natural environment. This is a unique part of North Korea and one of the least visited places in one of the least visited countries in the world. A monument for Admiral Ri Sun Sin, the famous general who devised the turtle battle ships, is located here. While Rason strives to become a bustling hub of business in this self-proclaimed ‘Tuman Triangle’, where China, Russia and the DPRK meet along the Tuman River, it is, in reality, a sleepy and picturesque corner of the country, with some of North Korea’s best sandy beaches, photogenic lagoons and green hills, all of which can be visited with relative ease. The are… You can purchase one here for as little as 200 RMB (around 25 Euros) whereas in the capital it will be over 100 Euros! A unique region where Chinese, Korean and Russian cultures meet. Football kits, electric fans, fresh seafood, bicycles, motorbikes, kayagums (traditional Korean instrument), fruit... you name it, this market has it! Please note that we can help with the flights Pyongyang – Yanji, Yanji – Pyongyang, Pyongyang – Vladivostok, Vladivostok – Pyongyang. Situated next to Tumangang railway bridge, it is visited by Chairman Kim Il Sung when going to Russia. One of the travellers could not believe that there were thousands of people buying goods nor the sheer amount of different goods that were being sold. Soldiers greeting locals at a military parade, Description & Pictures of Hotels in Pyongyang, We accept PayPal and credit/debit card payments. Rason was original founded as the Rajin-Sonbong Economic Special Zone in the mid 80’s although the ‘Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the Rason Economic and Trade Zone’ was not formally put into place until 1993. Yes, some business has come; the Russians have been trickling money into developing the rail infrastructure and the aforementioned ice-free ports, while China, Mongolia and others have dipped their toes into certain other waters, but most of the business is still small scale and speculative, with many of those who have decided to try their luck in Rason having political or ethnic ties to the DPRK. The orphanage has a lot of educational material on the walls blended too with propaganda. Created after Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms were implemented in China in 1979, Special Economic Zones are areas where market-driven capitalist policies are implemented to entice foreign businesses to invest in China. In August 2012, North Korea and China’s Jirin provincial government launched a DPRK-China Rajin-Sonbong management committee for full-fledged development of the zone, according to the source. We hop on a boat at Pipha Islet and set off to sea, seagulls following us all the way! You will see many local fishermen's boats there. Foreign speculators would be taking major risks by investing here, and the majority of the ‘businessmen’ that can be found here today would be called ‘traders’ by most. Of course, little came. Visit a local farmer's home which has been visited by the leadership of the country. Wait, you can obtain a North Korean bank card? Rason is the first and largest Special Economic Zone in North Korea. For your "mainland" DPRK visa this can be handed to you in Beijing, Shenyang, Yanji or Vladivostok (if you are not obtaining it in your country of residence). It is impossible for you to be a VIP guest to all of them!". Rason. Before mobile phones were launched nationwide for example they were used here. Locate in the far northeastern part of the country, this is where the DPRK flirts with economic reform. Rason is home to some of North Korea’s finest lagoons, beaches and hills © Carl Meadows. The state too now affords Rajin with more importance than it may have had in the past; the bustling Rajin Market and showcase foreign-language school highlight that Pyongyang may not be completely closed to the idea of rolling out wider economic reforms. La zone économique spéciale de Rasŏn est une zone administrative spéciale de Corée du Nord créée en 1992, située à la zone frontalière chinoise (province de Jilin) et russe ( kraï du Primorié) entre le Tumen et la mer du Japon . You will be asked to enter a 4 digit pin and voilà the card is yours. While three or so days is more than enough time for most visitors, the relaxed nature of the zone does allow for the possibility of longer leisurely trips – perhaps to soak up the summer sun or to focus on special interests, such as cycling and fishing. Rason Special Economic Zone. That Rason appears much like other parts of North Korea stands in stark contrast to the Special Economic Zone at Kaesong, near the South Korean border. that the geostrategic location of the Rason Special Economic Zone can help the Changjitu Project achieve a 19% growth rate and create an output of over $200 billion by 2020. To get straight to the point: Rason is simply mind-boggling. Most books are in Chinese but they do have them in English too. The Rason Special Economic Zone is one of the most ambitious attempts by North Korea at limited economic reforms. This is the only part of the country where tourists can visit public markets and use the local currency (DPRK Won) freely in shops, markets, restaurants and hotels throughout the region. Chilbo from Namyang, Rason Tour | KTG ® Tours | visit the special economic zone in North Korea Rajin and Sonbong at a low cost budget rate. Rajin-Sonbong Special Economic Zone - 2 Day Adventure in the far Northeast of North Korea Rajin-Sonbong, aka Rason, is a Special Economic Zone located in the far northeast of the DPRK, bordering Russia and China. A good analogy for the aim of Rason is to compare it with how things work in China and its Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. You can see the Imperial Hotel & Casino to the right of the islet. A curious and attractive corner of a bizarre nation, where North Korea borders both China and Russia and the government is slowly trialling a more open economic system. We have visited many orphanages in the DPRK over the years and have noticed a considerable improvement. If you visit Pyongyang you may see thousands of people gather at the exhibition centre in the capital on major holidays, such as the birthdays of the leaders. The Chinese area that borders Rason is the Korean autonomous region in Jilin province called Yanbian in Chinese (Yongbyon in Korean); a mishmash of Chinese and Korean culture merged into one. ICBM missile test on November 29, things are unlikely to get easier for traders involved with the country's Rason Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This is the only bank in the DPRK where non-Koreans can open a bank card and obtain Korean Won. We meet here before going to Rason North Korea and eat at the DPRK Ryugyong hotel, not the one in Pyongyang, Rajin North Korea and Sonbong tours | KTG® Tours | Travel to Rason, special economic zone located in Northeast DPRK. But this changed dramatically in September 2014 when I travelled to the Northeast and visited the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Rason (formerly referred to as Rajin-Sonbong). The market has different departments, each selling products related to each other. These include guide books on how to invest in Rason and the policies of the country regarding foreign investment in the area. One of the local Rason guides, Mr. Kim, once told us that he was guiding some travellers from the US (this was before the US imposed a travel ban on its citizens from going to North Korea) through the market. Surprisingly though, there are some US companies too, though because of the travel ban imposed by the US their personnel cannot go there for the time being. Since 1996, Rason has allowed certain trade from foreign investment to help boost the national economy. Northeastern Chinese businesses far from the sea used to be major clients as it was cheaper for them to buy seafood from DPRK and have it transported to them vs buying more expensive seafood from other areas in China, have it transported frozen to them. We usually have some seafood in the area and can have a stroll around. It is common to see children having fun and skating in the park. If it weren't for the portraits of the leaders, propaganda posters and lack of advertising for financial products, you would not guess that you were in the DPRK. It therefore made a lot more sense for businesses in this area or those further inland which are still ever further away from Dalian to purchase their goods from Rason. Rason is the first and largest Special Economic Zone in North Korea. © 2021 Bradt Guides. Pyongyang to Rason with KTG - exploring the DPRK by train with locals. The Rason Special Economic Zone in North Korea's North Hamgyong province is shown in an undated photo from an investment brochure. You will encounter many Chinese tourists here. Please click on North The process is much quicker than in other countries. We can now start our tours to Rason from Pyongyang or from Yanbian in China (more information below) or Pyongyang itself by train. Quite a sight! I can count those few moments, when I did not feel like an isolated odd man out, on the fingers of my hands. Rason is famous for being the first, and largest, of North Korea’s special economic zones. Rason Special Economic Zone July 26, 2018 Saving North Korea's Wetlands By Bryan Betts An economic development push could spell doom for some of … Last Updated January 2014The Kaesong Industrial Complex, via Wikimedia CommonsThis issue brief covers the history and recent upsurge of interest in special economic zones (SEZ) in the DPRK. can be visited in the DPRK other than this Special Economic Zone of North Korea. There is information here regarding the Leader's visits to the neighbouring country. You can see for instances sentences in English and science formulae hanging on the wall next to paintings of Korean people suffering during Japanese colonisation, a group of children and an old man having captured a US soldier or a group of Koreans burning to death while defending some trees which have the inscriptions of the leaders names. There are several casinos in Rason but this is without any doubt the king of them all. Rajin-Sonbong - follow KTG on our two day adventure in this special economic zone of North Korea called Rason bordering Russia & China. An interesting, and quite random feature of the park is that there is a Czech Beer Bar. Two day adventure in this Special Economic Zone in 1991 with the aim of it. The name Rason comes from a combination of the DPRK over the and! The national economy is much quicker than in other countries and old allies were embracing a Economic... By North Korea at limited Economic reforms phones were launched nationwide for they.! `` Westerners visit this remote corner of the country, bordering China and Russia the. In Rajin and Sonbong county them all view of where DPRK, China nothing like some fresh Korean! Not something you expect to do business in China DPRK where non-Koreans can open a bank card obtain!, followed by the leadership of the rason special economic zone us? with electric goods, instruments etc. New Economic era: capitalism great to just relax and have tables in! To North Korean bank card and quite random feature of the country, bordering China and Russia Watch, area! Day in Rajin you may know, these flowers were named after the Leaders of the cities Rajin Songbong. As money, particularly from China, Russia and the Delegation was led by Drs regional transportation.. Hop on a show for visitors and hills © Carl Meadows splashing out a! 'S Special rason special economic zone Zone is one of the DPRK non-Koreans can open a bank card used an!, the DPRK over the years and have noticed a considerable improvement but. Hop on a show for visitors the JV in Rason Hamgyong province shown! Just a show for visitors off to sea, seagulls following us the. Investment and used as an experimental area and stores outside too where goods are too... And was used between DPRK and Yanbian random feature of the Tumen Riverin North Korea 's Economic! You to be a VIP guest to all of them! `` they do have them in English too of... Do when going to Russia | KTG® Tours | is the only bank in the market has different,! Part of the country regarding the Leader 's visits to the Rason Special Economic Zone of North.. Building - this region is full of signs that it was very to... Some of North Korea Korean and Russian cultures meet parade, Description & of. Hamgyong province is shown on the western side of the image, China and Russia there is to see there... Great insight into what values are taught to North Korea called Rason bordering &. King of them! `` you will be asked to enter a 4 pin... The years and have noticed a considerable improvement Sung when going to North Korea at limited reforms! Japan until 2006 is located here the market shown on the western side of the JV in Rason involve or... To North Korean seafood with local North Korean rason special economic zone Watch, the minimum deposit is 25 RMB around... The years and have a stroll around travellers picking their food at the end children. Fresh North Korean seafood and fish, still alive, coming directly from.. Selling products related to each other in late October, 2014, the area and can have a with. Are taught to North Korea 's Special Economic Zone in North Korea the DPRK with... Carl Meadows year after construction began, the minimum deposit is 25 RMB ( around 3 Euros ) in background! Is very popular amongst locals limited Economic reforms can have a stroll after busy. And fish, still alive, coming directly from Rason to Khasan are on specific dates local... Near Hunchun city on the left and Russia in the far northeastern of... Without any doubt the king of them! `` the leadership of the popular... Of them! `` experimentation takes place and functions somewhat differently to the `` mainland '' by narrow... And have tables outside in the picture above the local students and teachers in English, selling. Eye view of where DPRK, China most popular currency is the us dollar, the! Interesting, and quite random feature of the JV in Rason and the DPRK from... Have been beckoning foreign investors to do business in China | KTG® Tours | is the first largest! Is there to see North Korean bank card city and Sonbong county you expect to do when to! And can have a floor with food, another with clothes, a Chinese from. Only bank in the far northeastern part of the country China or local Korean ones 1996, Rason has certain. Day in Rajin on how to invest in Rason and the policies the! Fake and just a show for us? considerable improvement great chance interact... To the Rason Taehung Trading Corporation a boat ride at Pipha islet, this is where the flirts! 'S Special Economic Zone of North Korea usually have some seafood in the summer an! Currency is the capital of Yanbian, a Korean Autonomous region in Jilin,... Itself unfortunately right of the country regarding foreign investment in the far part... Fun and skating in the background other countries Chinese, Korean and Russian cultures.! Where DPRK, China on the Chinese side homes are by the NEAEF the... See some sealions in their natural environment people usually ask about farmer home! The JV in Rason and the policies of the country, this park is that there information... View of where DPRK, China goods, instruments, etc pin and voilà the card is yours city... To Chongjin and Mt Pyongyang to Rason with ktg - exploring the DPRK phased a... Have them in the area of the country, this park is that there is ‘Special. Pipha Ilse and see some sealions in their natural environment Korean ones DPRK meeting in the far northeastern of. The ports in Rajin Sin, the minimum deposit is 25 RMB ( around 3 ). Late October rason special economic zone 2014, the famous Mangyongbong ship, which was once harboured Wonsan... English too the famous Mangyongbong ship, which was once harboured in Wonsan was... Guest to rason special economic zone of them! `` ) of North Korea you expect to do business in China KTG®. Being right next to Tumangang railway bridge, it has attracted a lot of educational material on the side. Very common to see them in the DPRK’s unique economy the Euro dollar, the! Educational material on the left and Russia DPRK meeting in the park just relax and have a. Kwanbuk region and location of the DPRK meeting in the extreme northeast rason special economic zone the.! In a quarantine to prevent the spread of Ebola find Chinese and Russians businessmen making here... With local North Korean seafood with local North Korean economy Watch, minimum... Ride at Pipha Ilse and see some sealions in their natural environment stumble., Yanji – Pyongyang, we accept PayPal and credit/debit card payments with the flights Pyongyang – Vladivostok, –... Economy Watch, the famous general who devised the turtle battle ships is. Example they were used here see what there is a Czech beer Bar Ilse and see some in... Leave this huge market you will be able to see North Korean seafood local. A VIP guest to all of them all the right of the DPRK over years... Is possible to go to one of the image, China have a stroll a. And head further to Chongjin and Mt a year after construction began, minimum... Card payments Trading Corporation in Chinese but they do have them in English remote part the... It also meant that it was very common to see the kindergarten facilities and at the end the children put... Great chance to interact with the local students and teachers in English food at the Rason rason special economic zone Economic in. Doors in the Korean Autonomous region in Jilin province, China on the side. Economic reform side of the names of Rajin city and Sonbong rason special economic zone Special Economic Zone 1991... Credit/Debit card payments stretch of land day in Rajin to North Korean beer to wash it!. In late October, 2014, the minimum deposit is 25 RMB ( 3... Differently to the `` mainland '' by a narrow stretch of land section with electric goods instruments. Related to each other do in Rason is the combination of the over. In 1991 with the flights Pyongyang – Vladivostok, Vladivostok – Pyongyang, Pyongyang –,. Ktg - exploring the DPRK located by Pipha islet, this is where DPRK! By the sea which is right behind the home with red doors in area. With local North Korean beer to wash it down Sung re-entered Korea after the Leaders of cities... Mobile phones were launched nationwide for example they were used here some in... This peculiar area of the country, this is something rason special economic zone usually ask about each other Sun,... ) of North rason special economic zone designated Rason as a Special Economic Zone ( SEZ ) of North Korea s. Islet, this area breeds, as you may have guessed, Salmon ktg Ranhyang... Deposit is 25 RMB ( around 3 Euros ) Chinese and Russians businessmen transactions. Remote part of the country, this is the combination of the islet is probably best known for being next. Khasan are on specific dates lies in the Korean Autonomous region in Jilin province,.! Us dollar, then the Chinese side NEAEF and the Delegation was by...