By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
North Korea's tourism industry is open for business again, for the first time since October 24 last year, according to statements by tour operators Tuesday.
In an attempt to prevent a local Ebola outbreak, Pyongyang had taken the strict measure of closing its borders to foreign tourists and introducing a 21-day quarantine for other visitors.
The move followed a dramatic spike in Ebola cases in West Africa last year -- despite North Korea being thousands of kilometres away from any reported victims.
Intelligence officials in South Korea revealed their belief last month that the North's caution was prompted by fears that the virus could threaten the country's notorious autocratic leadership.
Pyongyang had imposed a similar restriction in 2003 to keep out the SARS virus.
Uri Tours said via its website Tuesday that North Korean airline Air Koryo had informed them that the "Ebola travel ban was lifted as of Monday."
Young Pioneer Tours, which only last month announced that foreign runners would not be allowed to participate in April's Pyongyang Marathon, also confirmed they are now "taking bookings as normal."
But would-be visitors may be hesitant after the North launched two missiles into open water Monday, in an apparent show of defiance as tensions build on the Korean Peninsula amid South Korean-American joint military exercises.
Concerns have also been growing for the whereabouts of a missing pastor from a Canadian church, who was reportedly able to make a humanitarian trip to North Korea in January.
Religious missionaries have been arrested and charged on multiple occasions by the North's authorities in the past.
