Latest news with #KimJongUn
Russia Today
an hour ago
- Russia Today
North Korea opens ‘world-class' tourist resort (VIDEO, PHOTOS)
North Korea has opened a sprawling 'world-class' resort on its east coast. The nation's leader, Kim Jong-un, has hailed it as a harbinger of 'paradises to be built in different parts' of the country, according to state-run KCNA news agency. The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, unveiled in a ceremony on Tuesday, stretches for 4km and features hundreds of new buildings, including hotels that can host up to 20,000 guests. KCNA described it as a 'coastal resort town of our own style without an equal in the world,' boasting facilities for swimming, sports, shopping, cultural events, and year-round leisure. Cutting the ceremonial ribbon, Kim toured the site's hotels and water park, describing the inauguration as 'the proud first step on the road of implementing the policy of the party and the government on the development of cultural tourism.' The resort's opening was attended by Russia's ambassador to North Korea and embassy staff, who KCNA described as 'special guests.' The two countries have significantly improved ties in recent years. North Korean troops assisted Russia in repelling the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Region earlier this year. According to KCNA, the compound will begin service for domestic tourists on July 1. Western media reports suggest that the tourist area will be aimed at attracting Russian tourists. According to officials in Russia's Primorsky Region in the Far East, organized group tours from the country will begin in July, which will include not only beach leisure time but also a trip to Pyongyang. Russian media outlets report that eight-day beach packages are priced at around $1,800 per person. Visitors to North Korea usually face strict rules, including mandatory guides, controlled itineraries, and bans on photographing sensitive sites and importing certain literature. In 2024, more than 1,500 Russian tourists visited North Korea.
American Military News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- American Military News
US strikes on Iran may strengthen North Korea's nuclear resolve, experts warn
This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission. The U.S. air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities will have reinforced North Korea's perception that possessing nuclear weapons is essential for its survival and may even prompt Pyongyang to accelerate the development of its nuclear capabilities, warned South Korean experts. U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the U.S. had conducted 'massive precision strikes' on three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – that has 'completely and totally obliterated' Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities. The attack on Iran's nuclear sites marks the first offensive action in Israel's war with Iran – a major escalation in tensions in the Middle East – which South Korean analysts warn will make North Korea increasingly resistant to any diplomatic efforts or talks aimed at convincing Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program. 'North Korea must have thought it was a good idea to have nuclear weapons after seeing the U.S. airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities,' Jeong Seong-jang, deputy director of the Sejong Institute, told Radio Free Asia on Monday. In a statement Monday, a spokesperson for the North Korean Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S. airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities, saying it 'violated the U.N. Charter and international law, which have as their basic principles respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs,' North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. Despite calls by the U.S. and its allies for denuclearization, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pushed for his country to bolster its nuclear capabilities to defend itself, warning earlier this year that 'confrontation with the most vicious hostile countries is inevitable.' While the 'hostile countries' were not named, North Korea regards the U.S. and its ally, South Korea, as its main enemies. In 2003, North Korea withdrew after acceding to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), shortly after the U.S. invaded Iraq. It cited concerns, at the time, that the U.S. was planning a preemptive strike against Pyongyang. 'North Korea is (likely to be) concerned that if it gives up its nuclear weapons, it will end up in a situation similar to Iran, and will not accept future proposals for denuclearization discussions.' He warned the strikes may even prompt North Korea – which conducted its first underground nuclear test in 2006 – to accelerate the development of nuclear submarines in an effort to secure so-called 'second-strike' capabilities – or the ability to launch retaliatory nuclear strikes after a preemptive one. Other South Korean experts echoed similar concerns. 'Kim Jong Un will probably order the relocation, hiding, and concealment of nuclear facilities, as well as the expansion of air defense systems,' Professor Nam Seong-wook of Sookmyung Women's University told RFA. In a social media post, Kim Dong-yeop, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, argued that the U.S. strikes would cause North Korea to further solidify its perception that 'only possession of nuclear weapons can lead to survival' and provide much-needed validation for Pyongyang to hold on to its nuclear arsenal. Since 2006, North Korea has tested nuclear devices six times and has developed missiles believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. During his first term, Trump held historic summits with Kim Jong Un, hoping to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief, but his high-level diplomacy ultimately failed to achieve a breakthrough. The North has continued to build its nuclear and missile programs. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that North Korea has assembled around 50 warheads and possesses enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more warheads and is accelerating the production of further fissile material. Earlier this year, Pyongyang reiterated that it has no intention of giving up its nuclear program. North Korea would now view diplomatic engagement with the United States as 'foolish' and any future negotiations of denuclearization as futile, Kim Dong-yeop wrote in a social media post on Sunday. 'North Korea will use the Iran situation as an excuse to strengthen its criticism of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation,' he added.
American Military News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- American Military News
North Korea may send more troops to Russia by August, South Korea says
This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission. North Korea may deploy more troops to Russia as early as July or August to aid in its war against Ukraine, with recruitment efforts already underway for another wave of military support to Moscow, South Korean intelligence told lawmakers Thursday. Last week, Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has decided to send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers, or combat engineers, to support demining and reconstruction efforts in the Kursk border region, according to Russian state media Tass and RIA Novosti. Since last fall, North Korea has already deployed more than 12,000 troops to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces who occupied parts of the Kursk region in August, according to Ukraine, the United States, and South Korea. In April, Russia and North Korea confirmed their soldiers fought the Ukrainian forces together there but did not disclose how many. In a closed-door meeting on Thursday, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told a parliamentary committee that North Korea recently began recruiting additional troops and will likely send them to Russia in July or August. The NIS noted that North Korea's deployment of military troops to Russia last year also came just a month after Shoigu's visit to the country where he signed an agreement with officials in Pyongyang, said South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun who attended the briefing. The NIS also said North Korea has been continuing to contribute significantly to Russia's war effort, including providing weapons. Moscow, in turn, provided Pyongyang with economic cooperation, air defense missiles, and radio jamming equipment, it said. Russia has also been providing technical advice to North Korea on satellite launches, drones, and missile guidance capabilities, Lee said, citing the NIS. 'The National Intelligence Service reported that it is working to minimize the impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula as the close relationship between North Korea and Russia may expand due to the additional dispatch of North Korean combat troops,' Lee said. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un and signed a mutual defense treaty. Since then, the two countries have aligned closely through military cooperation, including the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. Reports of North Korean troop deployment to Russia first surfaced last October. While evidence of their presence grew – including when North Korean soldiers were taken captive by Ukrainian forces in Kursk and were interviewed – neither North Korea nor Russia acknowledged their presence until this year in April.
Al Bawaba
4 hours ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Can tourists visit North Korea's biggest beach resort?
Published June 28th, 2025 - 11:48 GMT ALBAWABA - North Korean President Kim Jong Un has attended the opening of a new resort that was referred to as a "national treasure-level tourism city". However, who will be able to visit it and can tourists now visit North Korea? A lavish seaside resort was launched in North Korea and will open its doors to the public on July 1st. According to the official KCNA news service, the president opened the sprawling Kalma beachside resort with waterparks, high-rise hotels, and accommodation that can host about 20,000 visitors at once. DPRK opens beach resort exclusively for Russians and localsKim Jong Un inaugurated the Wonsan Kalma resort with his family and Russia's ambassador — calling it a milestone for national tourism The 5-km complex features hotels, dining, shopping, a water park, and mini-golf — RT (@RT_com) June 26, 2025 The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, which was opened in a huge ceremony on June 24, is located on North Korea's eastern coast. Local media said "service for domestic guests will begin July 1," however, no other details on eligibility or transportation were shared. The Kalma beach resort is located near an international airport, which could be a hint that it aims to attract not only locals but also foreign currency, CNN mentioned. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourism in the country has largely been limited to Russian visitors, while strict limitations on domestic travel remain in place. This latest development once again brings to the forefront long-standing concerns around who has access, who the intended audience is, and whether such efforts make economic sense. "Wonsan-Kalma is open to just North Koreans for now, but we should not be surprised to see Russians at the resort in the not-too-distant future," Rachel Minyoung Lee, a non-resident fellow with the 38 North program at the Stimson Center, said. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Mint
5 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
North Korea opens grand seaside resort inaugurated by Kim Jong Un; but, not everyone is welcome
North Korea has opened a grand seaside resort called Wonsan-Kalma. State media described it as a 'national treasure-level tourism city'. Kim Jong Un inaugurated it himself. The resort includes waterparks and high-rise hotels. It can host nearly 20,000 guests, CNN reported. It is located on North Korea's eastern coast and is connected by a newly-opened train station and international airport. The location hints at North Korea's plans to attract foreign visitors, especially Russians. Only Russian officials attended the opening, showing North Korea's stronger ties with Moscow and growing isolation from the West. While the country faces severe hunger and hardship, this lavish project is being promoted as proof of Kim's care for his people, according to CNN. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea will expand tourism zones soon and build big tourist and cultural sites across the country. Kim visited the Wonsan-Kalma resort at least seven times. The Supremo guided the work himself and aiming for top global standards. In December 2024, after nearly five years of COVID-related border closure, North Korea reopened the northern city of Samjiyon for tourists. Tour companies in China confirmed the news. The 2020 shutdown led to major food shortages due to halted imports and global sanctions. Travel firms expect other cities like Pyongyang to reopen soon as restrictions ease. Still, foreign tourist visits to North Korea remain strictly controlled. Past Russian tourists had to follow many rules, including limited photography and attending organised performances. Experts believe the resort may soon welcome Russian visitors. It will support Kim's image of focusing on tourism while continuing his defence policies, according to CNN. The new Wonsan-Kalma resort is expected to serve elite officials from Pyongyang, not the general public. Experts say the project shows Kim Jong Un's aim to boost the economy through tourism. In the 1990s, North Korea opened Mount Kumgang for South Korean visitors, seen as a rare step toward peace. Around two million tourists visited, bringing in money. But, the tours stopped after a South Korean visitor had been shot in 2008 for entering a restricted area. In 2022, many buildings in the region were demolished after Kim had called them outdated. 'The initial target for this resort is going to be the privileged domestic elite of Pyongyang, such as party officials and other high-ranking figures,' CNN quoted professor Lim Eul-chul as saying. 'The ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma resort reflects Kim Jong Un's vision of 'socialist civilisation' and is part of his strategic effort to seek economic breakthroughs through the tourism industry,' Lim added.
