Mainland tourists pack bags for DPRK

SHANGHAI: It may not be everyone's destination of choice for a holiday, particularly in light of recent saber-rattling on the international stage, but the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has just played host to a group of Chinese tourists.

And the impressions they brought back? It is a land filled with friendly and passionate people for whom a charming smile costs nothing.

Shanghai-based Jinjiang Tour Agency took its first group of 24 travelers from Shanghai to the country after the Chinese government formally awarded it destination status late last year.