Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he wants the luxury resort on the eastern seacoast to become a "world destination," but the country has been reluctant to allow in foreign tourists.

Dharan was part of a 22-member group of tourists and influencers who entered the reclusive country for four days, marking the first and only batch of foreigners allowed in after a five-year border shutdown triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.