Clickbait in Pyongyang: Influencers, ethics and the political economy of foreign tourism in North Korea

Abstract

This article examines the political economy of foreign tourism in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), situating it within broader debates on media representation and state strategy. While tourism is often portrayed as a major source of revenue and propaganda for Pyongyang, evidence shows it has historically generated only marginal economic returns and has never been a central policy priority. Its significance today lies instead in symbolic and diplomatic uses, with limited re-engagements sometimes deployed as bargaining tools in international relations. Recent attention has centred on travel influencers, whose highly visible content frequently reproduces the sensationalist narratives that have long dominated mainstream media. This has raised the question of whether influencers themselves contributed to the DPRK’s decision to re-close its borders after a brief opening. This article argues that while such content may have shaped perceptions abroad, it was not decisive: North Korea’s closure reflects broader political and strategic calculations rather than the actions of a handful of creators. It concludes that tourism in the DPRK is poised to develop along three intersecting paths: a growing domestic tourism sector, targeted outreach to foreign visitors and the use of tourism as a tool of symbolic state diplomacy.