According to the Chinese online newspaper Sina (www.sina.com), North Korea's Emperor Hotel in Rajin-Sonbong recently wrote to the travel bureau of Jilin Province's Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, promising to shut the casino by Friday and replace it with health and entertainment facilities.

Chinese tourists were the primary clientele of the Emperor Hotel's casino, but with Chinese authorities launching a sweeping crackdown on gambling that included restrictions on tourism to Rajin-Sonbong, the hotel saw its business dwindle.

However, the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture travel bureau said it would be difficult to ease travel restrictions to North Korea for the time being despite closure of the casino.

(englishnews@chosun.com )