The Chinese city of Dandong is perhaps best known for its proximity to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Not surprisingly, tourism there also centers around this - giving travelers a peak into the mysterious world of the DPRK. CGTN's Cui Hui'ao recently visited the riverside city and tells us more.

 

This famous Chinese song lauds the courageous Chinese Volunteer Army crossing the Yalu River Bridge to the Korean War front. The bridge was later bombed by US aircraft, but fortunately, the Chinese side of it survived. Now a wartime symbol, the pockmarked bridge is what attracts travelers to the largest border city in the country.

 

XIE YUFENG, TOURIST I came from Jiangxi Province. I am here just for the day and I want to see this bridge because it used to link China and the DPRK before it was bombed. It has great significance in China’s modern history.

 

While the bridge evokes the memory of some about that history, most travelers are here to see the DPRK, even if they might not actually go visit.

 

WAYNE DEWHURST, TRAVELER FROM AUSTRALIA That’s pretty close you know we might be across the border. We are standing in the middle of the river. It is mysterious because we are not getting much news. We don’t hear people stories. There are what 20 thousand million people living there, and they don’t get the chance to speak.

 

CUI HUI’AO, DANDONG When travelers come to Dandong, another thing on their checklists is to catch the ferry that sails down the Yalu River so that they can get just a little closer to the mysterious country, the DPRK.

 

Right across the Broken Bridge is Sinuijiu, the fourth largest city in the DPRK. High-rise buildings, vehicles, and even roller coasters -- signs of development in the DPRK’s special administrative region can be seen. On the upper side of the river, a small county brings a different flavor. The idyllic side of it is no different from any farming village in China. However, it is one thing to take a sneak peak along the river; paying a day trip to the DPRK is another, especially when tensions on the Korean Peninsula are so high.

 

ZHEN LILI, TOURIST I just canceled my four-day trip to the DPRK after I read the news about their recent nuclear test. I am very concerned. It is not worth risking my life to visit the DPRK, despite my own curiosity.

 

Normally a day-trip to the DPRK from Dandong costs around 700 RMB. But a local travel agency says because of the new circumstances, fewer people are willing to take the chance. Cui Hui’ao, CGTN, Dandong, Liaoning Province.