evidence: The border closures also cut off imports of essential goods, leading to food shortages that were made worse by international sanctions because of the country's nuclear programme. [...] "If it does get completed in time, I can imagine only Russian tourists and possibly Chinese visiting in any real numbers at first," he said. "Unless [the Democratic Republic of Korea] offers direct Samjiyon flights to a neutral connection country like Mongolia." [...] Pyongyang's propaganda says the mountain is where North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung battled Japanese occupation forces and launched the revolution. He is the grandfather of current president Kim Jong Un.