North Korea Opens Massive Beach Resort: State Media
Dubbed "North Korea's Waikiki" by South Korean media, the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang, which previously described it as "a world-class cultural resort".
Kim showed a keen interest in developing North Korea's tourism industry during his early years in power, analysts have said, and the coastal resort area was a particular focus.
The tourist zone opened to domestic visitors Tuesday, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported, publishing images of tourists in colourful swimsuits enjoying the beach.
North Koreans of all ages from across the country flocked to the site this week "filled with joy at experiencing a new level of civilization", KCNA reported.
The visitors were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, where more than 400... artistically designed buildings lined the white sandy beach in ideal harmony", it added.
According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, a group of Russian tourists is set to visit the zone in North Korea for the first time on July 7.
South Korea's unification ministry, which manages relations with the North, said the site's operations are "expected to gradually expand", including to Russian tourists.
Kim said last week the construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones "in the shortest time possible".
Previously released images showed him sitting in a chair -- alongside his teenage daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju -- watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort.
But given the limited capacity of available flights, international tourism to the new beach resort is "likely to remain small in scale," according to Seoul's unification ministry.
"It is estimated that tourists will travel via Pyongyang, and that the number of visitors may be limited to around 170 people per day," the ministry said.
North Korea sees tourism as a key source of foreign currency, it said, and Pyongyang may have received aid to complete the site from Russia in exchange for joining its war in Ukraine.
The nuclear-armed North reopened its borders in August 2023 after almost four years, having closed them because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which even its own nationals were prevented from entering.
But foreign tourism was limited even before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5,000 Western tourists visited each year. Significantly more Chinese tourists were allowed at the time.
The impoverished country's political, military and cultural ties with Russia have deepened since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The North last year permitted Russian tourists to return for the first time since the pandemic and Western tour operators briefly returned in February this year. No Chinese tourists are known to have returned to the country.
A tourist train between Rason -- home to North Korea's first legal marketplace -- and Russia's Vladivostok resumed in May this year, according to an official from Seoul's unification ministry.
US citizens made up about 20 percent of the market before Washington banned travel following the imprisonment and subsequent death of American student Otto Warmbier.
Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans also used to visit Mount Kumgang near the inter-Korean border every year, travelling to a Seoul-funded tourist resort that was the first major cooperation project between the neighbours.
The trips came to an abrupt end in 2008 when a North Korean soldier shot dead a South Korean tourist who strayed off the approved path and Seoul suspended travel. Kim (L) said last week construction of the site would go down as 'one of the greatest successes this year' and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones 'in the shortest time possible' AFP
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DW
4 days ago
- DW
North Korea opens massive beach resort to boost tourism – DW – 07/02/2025
North Korea has opened a massive beach resort to domestic tourists, with Russian tourists expected next week. Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is believed to be one of Kim Jong Un's pet projects. North Korea has opened a massive "world-class cultural resort" on its eastern coast, state media said on Wednesday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shared images of tourists enjoying the beach in swimwear as the tourist zone opened to domestic visitors on Tuesday. "The guests' hearts were filled with overwhelming emotion as they felt the astonishing new heights of our-style tourism culture blossoming under the era of the Workers' Party," KCNA said. The agency said tourists were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. South Korean media referred to the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area as "North Korea's Waikiki." Analysts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is very keen on developing the tourism industry, especially the coastal areas. The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is believed to be one of his pet projects. Kim said construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the Pyongyang will build more large-scale tourist zones. Images of Kim with his daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort were shared days ahead of the opening. Russian tourists are also expected to visit the zone from July 7 for an 8-day trip which includes a visit to Pyongyang, as per a statement from Russia's Primorsky region. South Korea's Unification Ministry said the site is expected to expand over time. But given limited transportation to the destination via Pyongyang, the resort is "likely to remain small in scale," with around 170 visitors per day. Experts say Pyongyang has received some aid from Russia to develop this site, in exchange for help with Moscow's war in Ukraine. For North Korea, tourism is potentially a good source of acquiring foreign currency. After remaining closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea finally opened its borders visitors. But even before that, the number of foreign tourists was very limited. Chinese tourists made up about 90% of visitors with only about 5,000 western tourists being allowed. But Chinese tourists seem to have stayed away as questions remain about ties between Beijing and Pyongyang. After the pandemic, Russian tourists were only allowed last year and Western tourists briefly returned in February 2025. US tourists used to make up about 20% of foreign tourists. But Washington banned travel to North Korea after the imprisonment and death of student Otto Warmbier. South Koreans traveled to Mount Kumgang at the border until 2008, when a tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier.
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4 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
North Korea Opens Massive Beach Resort: State Media
North Korea opened a massive resort area on its east coast, state media said Wednesday, with the tourism pet project of leader Kim Jong Un reportedly set to welcome Russian guests later this month. Dubbed "North Korea's Waikiki" by South Korean media, the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang, which previously described it as "a world-class cultural resort". Kim showed a keen interest in developing North Korea's tourism industry during his early years in power, analysts have said, and the coastal resort area was a particular focus. The tourist zone opened to domestic visitors Tuesday, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported, publishing images of tourists in colourful swimsuits enjoying the beach. North Koreans of all ages from across the country flocked to the site this week "filled with joy at experiencing a new level of civilization", KCNA reported. The visitors were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, where more than 400... artistically designed buildings lined the white sandy beach in ideal harmony", it added. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, a group of Russian tourists is set to visit the zone in North Korea for the first time on July 7. South Korea's unification ministry, which manages relations with the North, said the site's operations are "expected to gradually expand", including to Russian tourists. Kim said last week the construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones "in the shortest time possible". Previously released images showed him sitting in a chair -- alongside his teenage daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju -- watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort. But given the limited capacity of available flights, international tourism to the new beach resort is "likely to remain small in scale," according to Seoul's unification ministry. "It is estimated that tourists will travel via Pyongyang, and that the number of visitors may be limited to around 170 people per day," the ministry said. North Korea sees tourism as a key source of foreign currency, it said, and Pyongyang may have received aid to complete the site from Russia in exchange for joining its war in Ukraine. The nuclear-armed North reopened its borders in August 2023 after almost four years, having closed them because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which even its own nationals were prevented from entering. But foreign tourism was limited even before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5,000 Western tourists visited each year. Significantly more Chinese tourists were allowed at the time. The impoverished country's political, military and cultural ties with Russia have deepened since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The North last year permitted Russian tourists to return for the first time since the pandemic and Western tour operators briefly returned in February this year. No Chinese tourists are known to have returned to the country. A tourist train between Rason -- home to North Korea's first legal marketplace -- and Russia's Vladivostok resumed in May this year, according to an official from Seoul's unification ministry. US citizens made up about 20 percent of the market before Washington banned travel following the imprisonment and subsequent death of American student Otto Warmbier. Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans also used to visit Mount Kumgang near the inter-Korean border every year, travelling to a Seoul-funded tourist resort that was the first major cooperation project between the neighbours. The trips came to an abrupt end in 2008 when a North Korean soldier shot dead a South Korean tourist who strayed off the approved path and Seoul suspended travel. Kim (L) said last week construction of the site would go down as 'one of the greatest successes this year' and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones 'in the shortest time possible' AFP
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Airlines in turbulence as flight risks rise amid conflicts – DW – 07/01/2025
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