N.Korea restricts travel for Chinese visitors

Beijing: North Korea is restricting visitors from its ally and giant neighbour China, travel agents said on Thursday, including virtually closing off one of its main border crossings at Dandong.

North Korea lashed out at South Korea on Wednesday and said it would close its southern land border from next month, largely putting a stop to the few exchanges that exist between the states divided since the Cold War.

The move follows growing anger in Pyongyang at the hard-line approach of the South's conservative government, which said it was cutting what once had been a steady flow of unconditional aid and instead would tie handouts to progress Pyongyang makes in ending its nuclear arms programme.

Travel agents in China, who send a steady though small flow of tourists to impoverished and isolated North Korea, said they were still organising visits, though trips had to be made via air rather than by rail.

"The border has been closed since October. If you want to go to North Korea, you have to go to Shenyang and fly from there to North Korea," said one travel agent in Dandong, referring to a northeastern Chinese city.