Seven Japanese became late last month the first foreigners allowed to take a bicycle tour of the North Korean countryside and get a glimpse of the rustic people, who often seemed shocked to see them.

The group originally planned to spend three days cycling some 200 km of expressway from Pyongyang to the port of Wonsan facing the Sea of Japan.

But some officials, including provincial authorities, were reluctant to let them pass through their regions, so the outward ride was cut to one day.