Authorities in the far eastern Russian region of Primorsky Krai, which borders North Korea, expect the number of Russian tourists visiting North Korea to increase to around ten-thousand next year. 

According to the Russian state news agency TASS on Sunday, Alexei Starichkov, the director of Primorsky Krai’s international cooperation agency,  also said about one thousand Russian tourists had visited North Korea via the region since February. 

The official said there are currently two flights a week from Vladivostok to Pyongyang, but that the number will increase next year.

Starichkov reportedly said regular passenger train service between Vladivostok and the Tumen River is likely to begin as early as next month, in anticipation of the increased number of tourists visiting the North via Primorsky Krai. 

The official added that North Korean children will visit the region next month to take part in various performances.