Latest news with #AlexanderMatsegora
BBC News
27-06-2025
- BBC News
North Korea to open beach resort as Kim bets on tourism
Some tour agencies are sceptical of Wonsan's appeal to foreigners. It is "unlikely to be a major draw for most Western tourists", Mr Beard says. "Key sites like Pyongyang, the DMZ, and other brutalist or communist landmarks will continue to be the main highlights for international visitors once broader tourism resumes." However, Elliott Davies, director of Uri Tours, says North Korea holds a "niche appeal" for travellers drawn to unconventional destinations. "It's intriguing to experience something as familiar as a beach resort that's been shaped within the unique cultural context of North Korea." KCNA described the Wonsan development as a "great, auspicious event of the whole country" and called it a "prelude to the new era" in tourism. It was initially scheduled to open in October 2019, but ran into construction delays before the pandemic struck. Kim attended a ceremony to celebrate its completion on 24 June, accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and wife Ri Sol Ju. It marked Ri's first public appearance since a New Year's Day event in 2024. Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora and embassy staff also attended. Some tour operators expect the resort to be opened to Russian tourists, who are currently the only foreign nationals allowed into some parts of the country. The resort's opening comes as North Korea and Russia strengthened their partnership in the face of sanctions from the West. North Korea has sent troops to fight for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. On Thursday, the two countries also reopened a direct passenger train route between their capitals after a five-year suspension because of the pandemic.
NHK
26-06-2025
- Business
- NHK
North Korean leader Kim attends ceremony to open coastal tourist area
North Korean media say the country's leader Kim Jong Un has attended a ceremony to mark the completion of a tourist zone on the eastern coastal region. The state-run Korean Central Television reported on Thursday that an inaugural ceremony for the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area was held on Tuesday, with Kim in attendance. The resort is said to have accommodations for about 20,000 visitors. Kim cut the ribbon, and inspected a hotel and a swimming pool with his daughter and the Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora. Kim touted the significance of the tourism industry as an engine for both regional development and the country's economic development. He added he will unveil a plan to develop more large-scale tourist areas in other regions at the upcoming party congress. The Wonsan Kalma resort will open to domestic tourists on July 1. North Korea has been easing restrictions on travel into and out of the country, which were put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pyongyang apparently hopes to attract tourists from abroad to obtain foreign currency.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia soon to begin to build road bridge to North Korea
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and North Korea will soon begin construction of a road bridge over the Tumen river between the two countries, Russia's ambassador to Pyongyang was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA. The bridge was agreed during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024 when the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. The road bridge will be built near the existing "Friendship Bridge" rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean war. An ancient wooden bridge used to cross the border in the early 20th century but it was destroyed, according to Russian media. "The construction of the bridge has not yet begun," Alexander Matsegora, Russia's ambassador to North Korea, told RIA. "The parties are carrying out preparatory work, finalising design documentation, forming construction crews and columns of equipment," he said. The road bridge, which has been under discussion for years, will be 850 metres (2789 ft) and link up with the Russian highway system. South Korean satellite imagery analysis firm SI Analytics said in a March 5 report that work on the bridge's foundations and road links appeared to have begun. "With the rapid construction of this bridge following the existing rail link, the only passage between North Korea and Russia, a sharp increase in economic, social, and military exchanges is anticipated," the report said. "This could potentially lead to a gradual erosion of the effectiveness of international sanctions against North Korea and Russia."
Al Arabiya
27-03-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Russia will soon begin to build road bridge to North Korea
Russia and North Korea will soon begin construction of a road bridge over the Tumen river between the two countries, Russia's ambassador to Pyongyang was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA. The bridge was agreed during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024 when the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. The road bridge will be built near the existing 'Friendship Bridge' rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean war. An ancient wooden bridge used to cross the border in the early 20th century but it was destroyed, according to Russian media. 'The construction of the bridge has not yet begun,' Alexander Matsegora, Russia's ambassador to North Korea, told RIA. 'The parties are carrying out preparatory work, finalizing design documentation, forming construction crews and columns of equipment,' he said. The road bridge, which has been under discussion for years, will be 850 meters (2789 ft) and link up with the Russian highway system South Korean satellite imagery analysis firm SI Analytics said in a March 5 report that work on the bridge's foundations and road links appeared to have begun. 'With the rapid construction of this bridge following the existing rail link, the only passage between North Korea and Russia, a sharp increase in economic, social, and military exchanges is anticipated,' the report said. 'This could potentially lead to a gradual erosion of the effectiveness of international sanctions against North Korea and Russia.'
Reuters
27-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Russia soon to begin to build road bridge to North Korea
MOSCOW, March 27 (Reuters) - Russia and North Korea will soon begin construction of a road bridge over the Tumen river between the two countries, Russia's ambassador to Pyongyang was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA. The bridge was agreed during a visit by President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in 2024 when the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. The road bridge will be built near the existing "Friendship Bridge" rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean war. An ancient wooden bridge used to cross the border in the early 20th century but it was destroyed, according to Russian media. "The construction of the bridge has not yet begun," Alexander Matsegora, Russia's ambassador to North Korea, told RIA. "The parties are carrying out preparatory work, finalising design documentation, forming construction crews and columns of equipment," he said. The road bridge, which has been under discussion for years, will be 850 metres (2789 ft) and link up with the Russian highway system. South Korean satellite imagery analysis firm SI Analytics said in a March 5 report that work on the bridge's foundations and road links appeared to have begun. "With the rapid construction of this bridge following the existing rail link, the only passage between North Korea and Russia, a sharp increase in economic, social, and military exchanges is anticipated," the report said. "This could potentially lead to a gradual erosion of the effectiveness of international sanctions against North Korea and Russia."
