North Korea opens landmark coastal Wonsan tourist zone
SEOUL: North Korea has completed construction of a massive tourist zone on its east coast, state media reported on Thursday, a key project driven by leader Kim Jong Un for years to promote tourism.
With "great satisfaction", Kim attended an inaugural ceremony for the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area that could accommodate about 20,000 visitors and said the country would build more large-scale tourist zones swiftly, KCNA news agency said.
Kim has been rebuilding the seaside city of Wonsan, a holiday destination for locals, to turn it into a billion-dollar tourist hotspot. Development plans for Wonsan have mushroomed since they were first announced in 2014.
However, while tourism is one of a narrow range of cash sources for North Korea not targeted by United Nations sanctions, the reclusive state did not have a major foreign partner for the Wonsan project against the backdrop of sanctions over its weapons programmes.
The tourist zone will open for domestic guests from July 1, KCNA said, without mentioning foreign tourists.
North Korea sealed its borders in 2020 at the start of the pandemic but has been slowly lifting restrictions since 2023.
It has allowed Russian tourist groups into the country but its capital and other parts of the country remain closed to regular tourism, though in April it held a marathon event hosting foreign runners.
Moscow and Pyongyang, both economically and politically isolated, have drawn closer as North Korea has deployed thousands of fighters and supplied ammunition, artillery and missiles for Russia's Ukraine war.
The Russian ambassador to North Korea and embassy staff were invited as special guests for the Wonsan ceremony, according to KCNA.
The two countries have agreed to expand cooperation on tourism, restarting a direct passenger train service between their capitals for the first time since 2020.
"Kim Jong Un expressed belief that the wave of the happiness to be raised in the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area would enhance its attractive name as a world-level tourist cultural resort," KCNA said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Navigating together for a cohesive future
Social cohesion may be a modern phrase, but it is an ancient idea of a solution for a fragmented world. The old world struggled to create what an old African tradition calls an "I am because we are" cohesiveness; ours, too, is struggling. Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah offered four guiding principles to build the cohesive societies we yearn for in his keynote address titled "Navigating Uncertainty" to the 3rd International Conference on Cohesive Societies in Singapore on Wednesday. But first, a few words on "three interlocking factors" that fuel uncertainty and challenge social cohesion. One is the paradox of digital societies, a challenge that the world of old never faced. Call it a modern rising tide of uncertainty, to borrow the royal phraseology. Why paradox? Well, we are the most connected and yet disconnected at the same time. Think digital echo chambers. Here is Sultan Nazrin's take: "Our digital spaces which should be so good at opening doors and minds, are instead responsible for closing them." Hate speech is an example. The second is international migration. While migration is as old as humanity, never has it occurred in such numbers as people search for safety, opportunity and dignity. In 25 years, according to an estimate by the United Nations, one eighth of humanity will be migrants, escaping climate change, conflict, economic and political instability at home. Sultan Nazrin put it best: "These forces are rewriting the geography of human life." Finally, the uneven economic impacts of globalisation. The sultan acknowledges the "immense benefits" of globalisation between countries, but within them it has been "one of winners and losers". A tough one to disagree with. Losing out is a common story in a world made for, and perhaps even by, the richest one per cent. In the words of Sultan Nazrin, "extremes of inequality enabled the ultra-rich to fund political influence through lobbying, political financing and their control of traditional and social media." A spade is finally being called a spade. So what does it mean to wisely navigate uncertainty? That is the royal question. It means following four guiding principles. Firstly, rebuild trust by reinvesting in the social contract. This requires "transparent institutions, accountable leadership, and civic spaces where people feel seen and heard". Secondly, prioritise equity. This can only happen when "social, economic and ecological justice" is "at the heart of policy". Justice seldom gets spoken like this. To Sultan Nazrin, equity isn't just about disparities among people, but also about imbalances between people and the planet. Yes, close human gaps but don't forget to heal our relationship with the planet. That is the royal advice. Thirdly, embrace pluralism. Some may misunderstand this to mean a call for uniformity. Envisaging this, the sultan is quick to point out that "social cohesion does not demand uniformity". What it requires, though, is respectful accommodation of diversity and perspectives, the sultan contends. Not unlike the purpose of human creation: to get to know each other despite our differences. Finally, imagine boldly. It is a royal call for inclusion, from education to policymaking. Perhaps it is best to end with Sultan Nazrin's magnanimous advice: "Hold space for difference without surrendering to division." We could not have put it better.
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
World is going through a new era of conflict escalation
AS India's defence chief attended an international security conference in Singapore in May, soon after India and Pakistan fought what many in South Asia now dub "the four-day war", he had a simple message: Both sides expect to do it all again. However, Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan denied either nation had come close to the "nuclear threshold", describing a "lot of messaging" from both sides. There have been several dramatic examples of escalation in several global stand-offs over the past two months. Recent weeks have witnessed what is now referred to in Israel and Iran as their "12-day war". It ended last week with a US-brokered ceasefire. As events in Ukraine have shown, conflict between major nations can become normalised at speed — whether that means "just" an exchange of drones and missiles, or a more existential battle. More concerning still, such conflicts appear to have become more serious throughout the current decade, with plenty of room for further escalation. This month, that included an audacious set of Ukrainian-organised drone strikes on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russian territory, destroying multiple aircraft which, as well as striking Ukraine, have also been responsible for carrying the Kremlin's nuclear deterrent. Simmering in the background, meanwhile, is the largest and most dangerous confrontation of them all — that between the United States and China. US officials say Beijing has instructed its military to be prepared to move against Taiwan from 2027, potentially sparking a hugely wider conflict. Addressing senators on Tuesday, America's next top commanders in Europe and the Middle East were unanimous in their comments that the US strikes against Iran would strengthen Washington's hand when it came to handling Moscow and Beijing. Chinese media commentary was more mixed. Han Peng, head of state-run China Media Group's North American operations, said the US had shown weakness to the world by not wanting to get dragged into the Iran conflict due to its "strategic contraction". Other social media posts talked of how vulnerable Iran looked, with nationalist commentator Hu Xijn warning: "If one day we have to get involved in a war, we must be the best at it." On that front, the spectacle of multiple US B-2 bombers battering Iran's deepest-buried nuclear bunkers — having flown all the way from the US mainland apparently undetected — will not have gone unnoticed in Moscow or Beijing. Nor will President Trump's not so subtle implications that unless Iran backed down, similar weapons might be used to kill its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or other senior figures, wherever they might hide. None of America's adversaries have the ability to strike without warning in that way against hardened, deepened targets, and the B-2 — now being replaced by the more advanced B-21 — has no foreign equal. In reality, the threat of an overwhelming US military response, and hints of an accompanying switch of US policy to outright regime change or decapitation in Iran, coupled with the Israeli military success against Hizbollah and Hamas, appear to have forced Teheran to largely stand down. What that means in the longer term is another question. Behind the scenes and sometimes in public, US and allied officials say they are still assessing the implications of the success of Ukraine and Israel in infiltrating large numbers of short-range drones into Russia and Iran, respectively, for two spectacular attacks in recent weeks. According to Ukrainian officials, the drones were smuggled into Russia hidden inside prefabricated buildings on the back of trucks, with the Russian drivers unaware of what they were carrying until the drones were launched. Israel's use of drones on the first day of its campaign against Iran is even more unsettling for Western nations. Its drones were smuggled into Iran and, in some cases, assembled in secret there to strike multiple senior Iranian leaders and officials in their homes. As they met in The Hague last week for their annual summit, Nato officials and commanders would have considered what they must do to build their own defences to ensure that they do not prove vulnerable to a similar attack. Judging by reports in the Chinese press, military officials there are now working on the same.
Daily Express
8 hours ago
- Daily Express
Malaysia, Russia to deepen nuclear energy ties
Published on: Saturday, June 28, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 28, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Bernama pic MOSCOW: Malaysia and Russia will strengthen cooperation in nuclear energy development, covering institutional, technical, legal, and human capital areas, said Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, also Energy Transition Minister, noted Russia's experience and advanced technology could support Malaysia's energy goals under the National Energy Transition Roadmap. During his four-day visit, Fadillah met Russian Deputy PM Alexey Overchuk and Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev, discussing nuclear tech transfer, legal frameworks, training, and power grid upgrades. He said Cabinet had agreed in principle to consider nuclear power in Malaysia's future energy mix to reduce reliance on coal and gas. However, Fadillah stressed that public support and thorough studies are essential before moving forward. His visit followed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Russia trip in May. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
